Meet Charmaine, one of the rising artists shaping hip-hop in Canada
The Toronto rapper is part of the new class of emerging Canadian hip-hop artists
There aren't many situations in life where you can confidently use the phrase "the exception to the rule." But when you hear Charmaine's story, you'll understand why that's the perfect adage to describe her journey.
The Toronto rapper had a somewhat serendipitous rise to fame. At 18, she landed her first record deal with Warner Music Canada, but ended up walking away from the opportunity. A few years later, she decided to seriously pursue music again, so she quit her job and, within three months, landed another record deal.
In 2022, Charmaine won a Juno for her energetic single Bold, and now, she's just released a new single called Hood Rat Shit. She sits down with Q's Tom Power to discuss her humble beginnings, how she found her voice as a rapper and what hip-hop means to her.
WATCH | Charmaine's interview with Tom Power:
The full interview with Charmaine is available on our podcast, Q with Tom Power. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
Interview with Charmaine produced by Glory Omotayo.
For more stories about the 50th anniversary of hip-hop — including Tom Power's conversations with some of the artists who witnessed and shaped the genre — check out Hip-Hop at 50 here.
