Rascalz

{{Short description|Canadian hip-hop group}} {{for multi|the professional wrestling group|The Rascalz|other uses|Rascal (disambiguation)}} {{Infobox musical artist  | name = Rascalz | image = Rascalzimage.jpg | caption = | image_size =  | background = group_or_band | origin = [[Vancouver]], [[British Columbia]], Canada | genre = [[Canadian hip hop]], [[alternative hip hop]], [[experimental hip hop]] | years_active = 1989–present | label = [[Figure IV Entertainment|Figure IV]]/[[ViK. Recordings|ViK.]]/[[BMG Music Canada|BMG Canada]] | website = [http://www.rascalzmusic.com Official website] | current_members = Red1<br/>Misfit<br/>DJ Kemo | past_members = Zebroc<br/>Dedos }} '''Rascalz''' are a [[Canadians|Canadian]] [[hip hop music|hip-hop]] group from [[Vancouver]], [[British Columbia]]. The group played a crucial role in the artistic and commercial development of [[Canadian hip hop]] as well as specifically for the west coast scene in Vancouver popularizing the term "Van City".<ref>"Oh, those Rascalz!: No reunion, they say, 'cause they never broke up". ''[[The Province]]'', October 5, 2010.</ref> The group consists of [[Master of Ceremonies|emcees]] Red1 and Misfit, and [[record producer]] DJ Kemo. [[Breakdance]]rs Zebroc and Dedos were also part of the group.<ref>"Canada's freeze on rap thaws a little more as the Rascalz issue a ...clear warning: With Juno honours, MuchMusic support and a hot new album in Global Warning, Vancouver's Rascalz are helping to build the foundation of a hip-hop nation". ''[[Vancouver Sun]]'', December 23, 1999.</ref>

==History== Formed in 1991, the group released an independent album for Calabash Records in 1992. The album, ''Really Livin{{'}}'', was recorded under the name of Ragga Muffin Rascals, and a reworked major label recording was released the following year in 1993 by Sony Music Canada. Both versions of the album received [[Juno Award]] nominations for [[Juno Award for Rap Recording of the Year|Best Rap Recording]], the Calabash Records version at the [[Juno Awards of 1993]]<ref>"Dion tops list of Juno nominations". ''[[Halifax Daily News]]'', February 10, 1993.</ref> and the Sony version at the [[Juno Awards of 1995]].<ref>"List of 1995 Juno Award nominations". ''[[Montreal Gazette]]'', February 9, 1995.</ref> In 1994, the group started Figure IV Records. The Rascalz are not Vancouver's first rap group, and have quoted acts such as EQ, Craig Crush, and Mike D'Zire as influences.

The group moved to BMG Canada in 1997 to record ''Cash Crop''.

===Juno Award protest=== ''Cash Crop'' was nominated for [[Juno Award for Rap Recording of the Year|Best Rap Recording]] at the [[Juno Awards of 1998]]. Due to Canadian hip hop's limited commercial visibility in the era, however, the rap award had never been presented during the main Juno ceremony, instead being relegated to the untelevised technical awards ceremony during the previous evening.<ref name=inside>[https://www.cbc.ca/music/junos/news/inside-the-junos-episode-2-why-rascalz-refused-their-1998-award-1.4532216 "Inside the Junos, episode 2: why Rascalz refused their 1998 award"]. ''[[Inside the Music]]'', February 13, 2018.</ref> This fact had previously been criticized for creating a barrier to the commercial visibility of Canadian hip hop.

The band won the award, but alleged that [[racism]] was a factor in the award's disadvantageous scheduling and explicitly declined the award on that basis.<ref name=citizen>[http://www.octopusmediaink.com/CitizenHipHop.html "Kinder, gentler rap, eh? Canadians hip-hop onto centre stage"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081022104623/http://www.octopusmediaink.com/CitizenHipHop.html |date=2008-10-22 }}, ''[[Ottawa Citizen]]'', March 7, 1999.</ref> The band had not yet arrived at the ceremony when the award was announced—when they did arrive, they were simply pulled aside and told that they had won the award.<ref name=billboard>[http://www.allbusiness.com/retail-trade/miscellaneous-retail-retail-stores-not/4606109-1.html "Rascalz Refuse Award To Protest Junos: Rap Act Wants R&B Portion Of Ceremony Televised"], ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'', April 4, 1998.</ref>

{{cquote|In view of the lack of real inclusion of black music in this ceremony, this feels like a token gesture towards honoring the real impact of urban music in Canada. Urban music, reggae, R&B, and rap, that's all black music, and it's not represented [at the Junos]. We decided that until it is, we were going to take a stance.<ref name=billboard />}}

Their move sparked considerable media debate about the state of Canadian hip hop.<ref name=inside/> As a result of the controversy, the Juno Awards moved the rap category to the main ceremony the following year.<ref name=inside/>

==="Northern Touch"=== Also in 1998, Rascalz wrote a special one-off single called "[[Northern Touch]]", which they recorded with guest rappers [[Checkmate (rapper)|Checkmate]], [[Kardinal Offishall]], [[Thrust (rapper)|Thrust]], and [[Choclair]]. The music video was directed by [[Little X]] and featured [[Melyssa Ford]]. Although not on the original pressing of ''Cash Crop'', the song was released as a single, and was quickly adopted as an anthem for Canadian hip hop's resilience and determination. The song broke the odds to become the first Canadian hip hop hit since 1991.<ref>[http://www.nowtoronto.com/issues/17/40/Ent/music.html Canadian hip hop gets the Northern Touch] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929091325/http://www.nowtoronto.com/issues/17/40/Ent/music.html |date=2007-09-29 }}, ''[[Now (newspaper)|NOW]]'', June 4, 1998.</ref>

At the [[Juno Awards of 1999]], the first time the rap award was presented during the televised ceremony, Rascalz won the award for "Northern Touch",<ref name=inside/> and performed the song live at the ceremony in Hamilton.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20000203015303/http://chartattack.com:80/road/reviews/1999/19990307-junos.html "Live Reviews: The 1999 Juno Awards March 7, 1999 Copps Coliseum, Hamilton, ON"]}}. ''Chart Attack'', — Mike McCann</ref> This represented the first time that a hip hop band had ever performed on the Juno Awards stage.<ref>"Kinder, gentler rap, eh?: Canadians hip-hop onto centre stage". ''[[Ottawa Citizen]]'', March 7, 1999.</ref>

===Later releases=== Rascalz released ''Global Warning'' in 1999. The album contained the hit single "Priceless" (a collaboration with [[Esthero]]).

In 2001, the group performed in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, with Kardinal Offishall, IRS, and Jelleestone.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20011108122602/http://www.chartattack.com:80/damn/2001/10/1901.cfm "LIVE: Kardinal Offishall, Rascalz, IRS and Jelleestone in PEI"]}}. ''Chart Attack'', October 19, 2001. Review by: Ryan O'Connor</ref>

The hit song "Crazy World" (featuring [[Notch (artist)|Notch]] and Sazon Diamante) appeared on 2002's album ''Reloaded''. They also recorded a song called "Top of the World" from the ''Global Warning'' album, and it featured [[K-os]] and [[Barrington Levy]].

Red1 released a solo album, ''Beg For Nothing'' on March 6, 2007, through his own Killawatt Records.<ref name=justalilhype!>[http://justalilhype.com/home/?p=2492 "justalilhype! Vancouver HYPE Magazine Interview with Red1"], ''justalilhype! Vancouver HYPE Magazine'', August 31, 2009.</ref>

The original release of ''Really Livin''' was pressed for first time on limited release vinyl in 2019 on Smoke In Records.

The Rascalz have officially retired from producing new music for over a decade, however still perform occasionally.

In 2021, the Rascalz were credited with their first guest appearance for a Canadian artist in over a decade on the track "Note To The City" by Boslen. The song appeared on his album ''Dusk to Dawn'' and was released by Chaos Club Digital/ Capitol Music Group. The actual segment is a sample of Red1's verse on "Blind Wid Da Science" off their 1997 ''Cash Crop'' album.

==Discography== ===Independent albums=== * ''Really Livin''' (1992)

===Studio albums=== * ''Really Livin''' (1993) (reworked major label re-release) * ''[[Cash Crop (album)|Cash Crop]]'' (1997) * ''[[Global Warning (Rascalz album)|Global Warning]]'' (1999) * ''[[Reloaded (Rascalz album)|Reloaded]]'' (2002)

===Solo projects=== * Red1 – ''Beg for Nothing'' (2007)

==See also== *[[Canadian hip hop]] *[[Music of Canada]] {{Portal bar|Music|Canada}}

==References== <references/>

==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20060327052036/http://www.vikrecordings.com/rascalz/index.html Rascalz] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070105203519/http://www.red1music.com/ Red1] * {{IMDb name|nm7417750}}

[[Category:Canadian hip-hop groups]] [[Category:Musical groups established in 1991]] [[Category:Musical groups from Vancouver]] [[Category:1991 establishments in British Columbia]] [[Category:Juno Award for Rap Recording of the Year winners]] [[Category:Black Canadian musical groups]]