I’m writing in regards your “Step in the Arena” article by Del F. Cowie (Cover, Sept. 25). It profiled a lot of Toronto hip-hop artists and mentioned quite a few from across the country speaking of their “success” in an in-depth story about the success in the scene. Too bad the writer didn’t even mention the biggest selling Canadian rap artist in the country.

Maybe the lights were out in the arena Mr. Cowie had stepped into, ’cause this hip-hop artist he failed to mention has already played major arenas coast-to-coast. To say I was not surprised the article didn’t even reference this year’s Juno Rap Recording of the Year Award winner and two-time Rap Video of the Year MMVA recipient would be a lie. His debut CD release went gold in Canada last year and he is the only Canadian artist to ever go gold off a double disc. Not a big deal though, the last Canadian hip-hop artist to go gold in Canada on his very first release was only over seven years ago.

Oh yeah, to top it off he’s independent, on a label out of Ottawa, CP Records, where he’s the VP of A&R, and the first independent Canadian hip-hop artist ever to go gold in Canada. This artist outsold many big-name US hip-hop releases in Canada the year of his debut release in 2007. In fact, this Canadian hip-hop artist, who’s not from Toronto, has sold more full-length CDs in Toronto than almost all Toronto-based rappers combined.

You see, Toronto’s hip-hop “community” has a reputation for being “screw face” when it comes to hip-hop artists, especially ones not from the precious “T-dot.” You know, fold the arms — “impress me” is the attitude. When a Palestinian-born rapper comes along from Ottawa, not Toronto, sells gold on his debut release, and has more radio and video airplay than any other Canadian hip-hop artist next to Maestro or k-os, do you think the “community” would be “congrats”? Nope, they were showed up, and everyone has an excuse or “theory,” and the hate is on and it’s not because he’s a Sens fan. With the multiple No. 1 MuchMusic videos, the half-dozen national top 10 singles at top 40 radio he’s penned, and multiple awards in Canada, the words of Oscar Peterson ring true in my ear: “in Canada we fail to celebrate our own.” Canadian hip-hop and the Toronto “scene” is the worst offender of this.

I have had the pleasure and honour of promoting some of the biggest indie artists across all genres in Canada, from Arcade Fire to Alexisonfire, New Pornographers to Broken Social Scene — of taking some of their very first singles and videos to radio and video outlets. The Toronto hip-hop “community” still has a lot to learn from other musical genres in this country of what it means to support an artist. My advice to Mr. Cowie is, next time you “step in the arena,” maybe check who’s playing, ’cause Belly, Canada’s biggest, most recognizable rapper, has played over 20 arenas across this great country. He was asked to be the only Canadian artist to join Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube on their 20-date Canadian national arena tour. He knows a thing or two about what it takes to deliver on the ice. ADRIAN STRONG, DMD ENTERTAINMENT

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