By Angel-Amon Wildgoose
N= New Information
In the past three weeks of my summer excursion, I have learned that Canadian hip-hop, especially in Toronto, is woven within the experiences of Black locals, their families’ immigration history, and the multicultural aspects of being from the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Scarborough, York, and Mississauga. These dynamics, however, are often underrepresented in mainstream national media. Before my travels began, I believed that media coverage of hip-hop in Canada was largely sparse because of a lack of interest (specifically on America’s end), but now I have come to realize that structural and cultural biases play a larger role. I have learned that Canada has a reputation for keeping mainstream hip-hop “safe” by prioritizing artists with no criminal background, non-violent lyrics, and promoting a specific image of a rapper (typically racially ambiguous or considered non-threatening). This shift in my perspective has made me think differently about how media’s power and platforms can affect the visibility of who gets to tell their stories authentically, and who gets left to perform in the underground scenes.
S= Self-Reflection and Evaluation
When I began the Global Scholars Program, I had a different view of how I observe and interpret cultural narratives. Now, I approach media narratives through the eyes of a critic who is skeptical about what they perceive as surface-level information. Since the start of my summer experience, even before reaching Toronto, my confidence has grown in solo-traveling, reaching out to communities different from my own, and having serious conversations as a beginner with no degree in my field. Also, in being in these positions, I’ve become more thoughtful about what aspects of my new reality I would like to carry into my future.
My connection to my community-based interest (CBI) has grown so much deeper than when I began. Being in these areas of Scarborough where hip-hop pioneers began their reign and seeing how appreciated they are at the Hart House has given me a firsthand account of how hip-hop functions as a voice for identity and resistance within Black Canadian communities in Toronto. I can describe my relationship with my CBI as more than research, work, or a step closer to my degree; I think of this as art, both critical and collaborative, and I feel a personal connection to these narratives and my passion to amplify marginalized voices (ethically, of course).
E= Environmental Influences
Tallahassee is most definitely a slower-paced city with a tight-knit community that I have always been drawn to. My landscape completely changed the further north I traveled. For those of you who did not know, I travelled to Canada by car to get a better understanding of how my environment changed as I exited the South, embraced the North, and gained exposure to the Midwest on my way back home. One major difference between where I live and everyday life in Toronto is the advocacy for representation in many different religions. There were many mosques and temples, and also Mandarin-based religious centers for Christianity, Islam, and Judaism beliefs. A similarity I noticed was how communities interact with their national identity. I thought Americans went to great heights to express their love for being American, but I also felt and witnessed this same sense of pride with our neighbors in Canada. My interactions with locals, cultural centers, and my professors at UofT have helped me understand my CBI as an ongoing issue that has the ability to be changed with more people like me advocating for Canadian media to change for the benefit of this ever-growing genre of hip-hop. Some key relationships that are forming and helping to shape my Capstone project include a local DJ I interviewed who has been spinning for over 30 years, watching and experiencing the shift in Canada’s hip-hop scene. This interaction has been very instrumental in developing sentimental aspects that the media does not cover.
W= Where Do I Go From Here?
So far, I want to focus my Capstone project on the media’s framing and communication of Toronto’s hip-hop as it relates to the Black Canadians’ cultural experiences. I want to explore themes of marginalization, authenticity, and how public narratives are shaped by independent and mainstream platforms. Goals I have set for myself are to work on my critical thinking and teamworking skills, attend local music events to observe my research questions in real time, and sit and speak with different people during my travels, while making sure I ask each of them their opinions on Canada’s genre of hip-hop. This question has already prompted some interesting discussions. As I continue experiencing my CBI first-hand, my Capstone is starting to take shape in the form of a mixed-method analysis project that has combined interviews, media analysis, and a lot of journaling (something I was not too into before). I plan to explore my topics more deeply and continue asking “why” and “how”. I hope the relevancy of my project stays prominent in future opportunities to travel to Canada, and I would love to come back and showcase my work. Ways to stay engaged in this topic include keeping in contact with people I’ve met in Toronto, seeking internships or job opportunities at the Hart House, or collaborating with scholars and intertwining our ideas to create our own media platforms.
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