I share that same sentiment, because this city is full of the land of 1000 rappers, and when so many of them sound like each other, they get lost in the shuffle, and then you have those who want to be the next big star, but the work ethic or talent doesn’t add up – there’s a lot of things to consider when you look at what makes a rapper good, and originality is one of the key factors in determining that. Although Grime (the UK’s form of Rap) isn’t originally from Toronto, I haven’t been exposed to, or even heard anyone attempt to merge it with a Toronto vibe…until I heard Tre Mission.

It was at the Isaiah Rashad show, where he was also performing, where I got to witness a lyrical rapper, but wasn’t restricted to one type of sound. There was the UK sound clear in the face, but he didn’t shy away from trap. What I appreciated was that he has a unique sound that Toronto isn’t all that familiar with, given that a lot of people are playing ‘keep up with the Americans’, while the city is still figuring out their identity.

After the show, I listened to his album, MALMAISON, and I essentially heard everything from the show, and then some, on a consistent and entertaining basis. London & parts of Toronto share the same language because of the Jamaican influences (dun kno, mandem), and when you throw those in, that’s what separates you from being generic and bland (Rich Kidd’s album, In My Opinion, is a good example of that down to Earth feeling). The Grime production helps Tre over most, because there are a lot of UK rap fans, so that appeal can stretch further and generate a lot of fans, both domestic and foreign. The word ‘refreshing’ or phrase ‘a breath of fresh air’ is used very loosely and essentially as clichés, but Tre Mission’s music is something that came out of nowhere, and I wouldn’t be surprised if his music started catching on to many others. A lot of fans were made at the show (myself included); only a matter of time before many more follow suit. Check him out, and most importantly – Enjoy.

That’s My Word & It STiXX