Former MuchMusic personality Master T talks origins of Canadian hip-hop and its evolution

Black Life: Untold Stories is an epic eight-part documentary series that reframes the rich and complex histories of Black people in Canada over 400 years. Watch now on CBC Gem.

When you think of Black artists in Canada, global superstars like Drake and the Weeknd might come to mind, but it was the pioneers before them that helped pave the way for their success.

The latest episode of CBC docuseries, Black Life: Untold Stories, looks at the origins of Canadian hip-hop and its evolution.

CBC Toronto's Dwight Drummond sat down with one of the early industry pioneers: former MuchMusic personality and DJ Tony Young, better known as Master T, to find out how he helped popularize Black music across the nation. 

Asked if he knew just how big the genre would become after pushing it to all of Canada, Master T says there was a large appetite for the genre in the 80s and 90s and he helped fill it.

"It was always a fight, but you know what, you can't stop the masses consuming something that they want," he told CBC Toronto.

"And the masses just kept on, you know, soaking it up."

The third episode of the series entitled "Northern Beats" offers a compelling and engaging look at the Canadian roots of one of the most dominant music genres in the world today. 

Reflecting on the 90s, Master T says he felt like he was "true to the music and true to the culture."