Blog - The Movement Fam, Independent Hip Hop Record Label - Toronto + Montréal
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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.
Last week on Friday April 28th, Notion released his debut album "Heart On My Sleeve" to the world, and to celebrate, we threw a party to end all parties. Well, even if the cops weren't called, it was still lit AF, as the kids say.
We connected with the guys at Laylow in Toronto, a Hip Hop-themed bar and nanobrewery to brew a beer - a super juicy, fruity North East IPA called "Hops On My Sleeve" - just for the event at their super dope spot, and we invited a guestlist of our favourite people in the industry in Toronto. In a first for TMF, we vlogged the whole thing. Check how it all went down below, and buy/stream the album!
Cee drafted his brother Notion (MC/Producer/Engineer) and Singer/MC Natasha Marie alongside Emile, and the four artists combined their energies to give the cut a refresh for 2017. Cee goes in and delivers some new wisdom while Natasha channels a sultry Aaliyah on the hook, Emile carries smooth and conscious yet hard hitting bars with Notion wrapping things up with his signature flow switch-ups and wordplay.
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.
"Snares & Soul" encompasses 11 soulful, sample-heavy beats, perfectly sequenced to take the listener on a moody almost-30 minute journey through Notion's recent catalogue. Some of these are the very same productions that were showcased on the super popular vlogs, and they showcase Notion's innate affinity for samples. The tape can be enjoyed as a standalone project, or as a playground for singers and MCs looking for their next hit.
The arresting visuals, directed by Jonathan Emile and shot by King Richard, follow Cee as he discovers his neighbour (played by Angela Nashed) has been a victim of domestic abuse, so much so that she does something very drastic to escape her situation. The upbeat vibe and positive lyrical content are juxtaposed with the dark themes, providing a jarring and thought-provoking experience for the viewer.
Cee and Notion are no stranger to creating a movement, and recently they have been part of a burgeoning new collective, the Sons of Boombap. Consisting of almost 70 members across the globe, the fellas aim to preserve the classic '90s Hip Hop sound throughout their releases.
The first of which, a two part mixtape entitled 'The Past Is The Future', dropped recently and features a bunch of appearances from both Notion and Cee.
Produced by Notion, the Arabesque neck-snapper channels J. Dilla via the muffled Middle Eastern vocal sample and tough boom bap drums, while Cross, Cee and Notion break down the challenges of trying to expand and grow beyond their current borders. Serial TMF collaborator Digital Junkie comes correct with the vocal cuts on the hook, exclusively sampling some of the dopest female MCs to ever touch a mic.
Released right on time for the upcoming NBA All-Star Weekend in Toronto (February 12th to 14th), the newest b-ball anthem "SWISH" came about when theory, a TMF affiliate, visited Montreal over the summer in 2015. Notion provided the sample-laden banger from Toronto, and Cee and theory hit the lab in MTL which resulted in the catchy NBA dedication.
The second single from Cee and SVNTY6's collaborative EP, "Be Better", samples Ms. Rodrigues' classic "O Xaile de Minha Mãe", a song Cee discovered a decade back during Spanish lessons. He had sent the song to around ten different producers over the years, and only SVNTY6 had been able to flip it right.
In June 2014, Cee and Notion went on tour around Ontario and Quebec with Montreal's Clarity and The Bodega Brovas (Travii 7th, Keynote and Headkrack). The boys originally connected in person for the first time at A3C in Atlanta back in 2010, and it wasn't long before they collaborated on a song. They figured that since they were stuck in a van together for a while, they may as well shoot a video for the joint.
Notion is not only an MC and a producer; he's also a very talented audio engineer. His mixing and mastering skills are essential to the label, and to the art we produce as a whole. His signature sound emanates throughout every project we've released since 2008, and has gone on to truly define The Movement Fam's aural direction. So we're extremely excited to announce that Notion is now offering his services outside of the immediate circle - to artists anywhere in the world. Shouts to the internet.
For our first show of 2015, Cee and Notion, alongside the homies Urban Havoc (Barrie), King (Ottawa) and more, are rocking the 'Wild For The Night' event out in Belleville, ON on Saturday January 31st, courtesy of Stylin' Flow! Get down!
The homie J-Lah is a producer/DJ/fashion designer out of Toronto, and he laced us with the soundscape that became 'Wrecked'. A haunting sample kicks off the club-oriented, 808-drenched cut, with tongue-in-cheek tales of intoxication courtesy of Cee and Notion. And for those familiar with internet hilarity, the cover art is a variation of the Really Stoned Guy meme - it's definitely not an old pic of either of the boys...
Quebec representative JPolo hit us with the more soulful production of the two joints; 'Still The Kid' is a slow groove sample-based cut that sees Cee and Notion on their usual TMF ish - double time flows over the eerie synths allow the kids to flex a little, all the while letting y'all know where they came from.
Ahhh yeah. The homie Clarity just dropped his brand new EP 'Good Days, Bad Days' and the project features 'Dreams', with Cee, the fam Tragic (of Philly Moves) with cuts from Uncle Fester (of The Extremities). Check it out!
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'.
Big tings. Next Wednesday September 24th, Cee and Notion open for the Australian MCs who essentially single handedly kickstarted the local scene - Hilltop Hoods! The boys are stoked to have the opportunity so if you're in Montreal, get down to Cabaret Underworld EARLY SON. Doors at 7pm, show at 8pm sharp! Evenko don't play.
