Killer Mike (via AOL Spinner)
Killer Mike shifted from Southern gentleman to politically-minded activist assassin and back again over the course of his powerful hour-long set at Yonge-Dundas Square on Sunday. “It’s harder to be poor now more than ever. The government is under-educating us. Take care of the people or they’ll burn this fucker down,” he implored. Most vicious was his rancorous distaste for the deceased ex-US president Ronald Reagan, whom he gave the finger to many times during the night. A lyrical genius, Michael, as he called himself at times, worked many of the glitter billboards ringing Yonge & Dundas Square’s stage into a hilarious freestyle rap, spitting rhymes about AOL, The Dictator, Reebok Crossfit, the CN Tower Edgewalk and more. — Jesse Ship
Ghostface Killah and Raekwon
Ghostface Killah and Raekwon threw back to their glory days during NXNE’s grand finale on Sunday. Most of their set featured classics from their respective mid-’90s solo albums, Ironman and Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, respectively, with obligatory Wu-Tang Clan bangers interspersed. But the night truly belonged to Toronto talent like MCs JD Era and Mindbender, who were invited to take on parts of the dearly departed Ol’ Dirty Bastard during key tracks. Canuck DJ Skratch Bastid held things down, standing beside himself in awe for most the way through. After all, who wouldn’t? This night was Toronto history in the making. — Jesse Ship
