Blog - The Movement Fam, Independent Hip Hop Record Label - Toronto + Montréal
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Canadian Hip Hop
An album a decade in the making, Montreal-via-Melbourne's Cee and Oakland-via-New Mexico's Po3 have delivered a soulful, authentic, introspective and head noddin' project in "Bad Habits".
Conceived in 2008 in the Bay Area after a collaboration, work begun on the project in early 2015. What started as a collaborative EP quickly turned into a 15 track, full-length album as Cee and Po3's creative synergy blossomed.
Positioned as the beginning of the "Notion Island" series, which will see Notion team up with one producer for a full-length project, this first volume puts Notion and Toronto-based up-and-comer Egward in the lab to create a soulful, introspective yet head noddin' piece of work.
Shot by serial collaborator Richard Bastarche exclusively in the vertical format, "Taste" is one of the first Hip Hop music videos of its kind in Canada. Bastarache's flair with visual FX blend with the Montreal views to create an engaging piece of vertical content, built specifically for Instagram's IGTV platform, and the perfect complement to the summer banger.
While Notion is putting the finishing touches on the EP, he connected with his brother Cee, Toronto's The Mighty Rhino and regular collaborator Digital Junkie for this uplifting, soulful banger. "Back To Life" sees the three artists drop positive bars focusing on progression, dedication, focus and the neverending search for happiness, all tied together by Digital Junkie's razor sharp cuts.
The twelfth and final 2017 single, "Net Neutral", is once again helmed by Notion. Soulful harmonies provide the backdrop for Cee's timely bars, touching on the recent Net Neutrality repeal, social media addiction and cryptocurrency, all contributing to an appropriate year-end wrap up.
"Something Inside" was yet again helmed by King Richard Bastarache, who took care of 5 of the 6 videos from the project (all except the "Spaceman" lyric video). Notion and brother Ceehijacked the Queen Of The World barber shop in Montreal, alongside one of the dopest barbers in the city, Dave "Harder" Dumay, for a trippy, FX-heavy visual for the soulful, hard-hitting single.
As haunting and as intense as the song is, the video features The Movement Fam's official DJ Digital Junkie as the antagonist, playing the role so well that we were almost concerned. With vivid violent imagery mirroring that which society pits against specific communities, Cee and Notion find themselves prisoners in a dystopian future (or is it now?) in direct combat with their oppressor, ending in an ultimate victory for humanity, an echo of positivity in world that is otherwise headed for entropy.
The catchy vocal stabs are balanced by the dirty bassline as Cee effortlessly rides the beat, working the "I'll be" and "1, 2" vox into his verses. He confidently speaks on the position he feels he deserves in music, persistence, and the affect the death of his father has had on his life. As real and as poignant as ever while retaining that head nodding vibe, "Kill 'Em" comes in at exactly 2:00 so it's short and sweet, and it's exactly what you need in your life right now.
Once again helmed by King Richard with assistance from 9 Block Productions, "Hurt" follows the four MCs through a dusty Quebec summer, with Notion commandeering a beat up vehicle picking up hitchhiking rappers while they all speak their truth about the pain in their respective lives. Jonathan Emile's moving, reggae-infused hook paves the way for reality bars over Myer Clarity's sample-laden, boom bap production.
Produced by Po3 and Sophia Lucero, "What Do You Believe In?" preceeded the work on the album and is a fitting introduction to the forthcoming group effort. A rootsy guitar lick (courtesy of Noa Bourke) kicks off the track, leading to a sparse, earthy bass-fuelled hook with Po3's conscious chant, while the MCs - including Cee's brother Notion - trade introspective verses about the state of the world as they see it.
The dichotomy of Cee rapping his bars to himself (double time = double Cee) expresses an inner desire to give himself a message of hope and persistence by painting a vivid picture of everything he has gone through to get to where he is. Cee as the stone statue slowly breaking the shackles of his confinement represent the MC and entrepreneur coming into his own as a man, cracking through the hard shell of obscurity into the limelight.
Initially released in late 2015 as a teaser, lead single, "Holdin' Hands" grabs you as soon as the snare hits with its heart-wrenching sample and Notion's personal, introspective lyrics where he tracks his musical journey and professes his gratitude for his fam and his supporters. Crafted by production team DiazSima based out of Budapest, Hungary, the slick video - expertly shot + chopped by King Richard and tirelessly directed + produced by Andrew Cameron - sees Notion deliver his passionate lyrics alongside his brother Cee with support from the 701 Squad b-boy crew.
Cee is kicking off 2017 with the first single from his new monthly series. "Meta" is nightmare trap; rolling hi-hats, eerie synths, vocal stabs and a drawling BPM that allows Cee to breathe as he casually delivers topical word association, with dark, creepy, Marilyn Manson-esque visuals to match courtesy of King Richard. Notion and newcomer Ben Tramer expertly laced the haunting soundscape; they'll be providing the sonic canvas for many of Cee's singles this year.
Rolling snares and horn samples provide the backdrop for an avalanche of bars from the two wordsmiths, with some dirty cuts courtesy of Toronto's Digital Junkie.
Producer Cool FD hosts a show by the name of 'Independent Coolness' on 96.2FM out of Orleans, France, syndicated in Orlando and Detroit on HipHopRevo.com. On Saturday October 18th, Cee was featured as the Emcee Of The Week, where not only did Cool FD spin a selection of Cee's catalogue for 45 minutes, but he premiered a brand new song from both artists, 'Be Healthy 2014'.
