Stephen Weir articles, editorials and popular social media weir postings

  Fifty years later the AGO is locking, tutting, and krumping to Hip-Hop By Stephen Weir Do yourself a favor, pop in your earbuds, and ask Spotify to play the AGO-curated soundscape they label as The Culture. It starts loud and proud with Run-D.M.C.’s 1988 hit “Beats to the Rhyme.” It’s early hip-hop, all about the group’s talent to make rhymes, make money, and, well, have fun. And that is just the beginning. Once you have the music throbbing in your head, get yourself down to the Art Gallery of Ontario on Dundas Street and take in their new show. Hip-hop has just bounced into town and taken over the top floor of the Art Gallery of Ontario from now until April. The Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century is an exhibition at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) that explores the profound impact of hip-hop culture on contemporary art and visual culture. PHOTO OF DRAKE ON TOWER It opened to its members only last week, but come January 7th, anyone can take it in for the p...

Is it good news for the Toronto Caribbean Carnival or is great news for Drake? The Toronto based singer traditionally holds a multi-day music festival at Ontario Place in and around the Caribana weekend. Some years the timing of the start of his concerts have conflicted with the closing down of the Grand Parade along Lakeshore Blvd making parking a nightmare. Not in 2022! Drake has just announced the dates for his three Ovo concerts, none of which will take place on parade day (July 30th). On Thursday July 28th the OVO festival kicks off with a showcase of "All Canadian North Stars" at  History,  the new concert hall Drake owns on Queen Street East in Toronto’s Beach District. The show starts at 7pm. venue and you must be at least 19 to attend. As of last night Drake had still not released the names of the acts performing. The other two OVO events will be held at Ontario Place (Budweiser Stage) with Chris Brown and Lil Baby headlining on Friday July 29th. On Monday, August 1s...

The Slap Heard Around The World SWEIR talks to Canadian Comedians about it  You Tube got it right. Only hours after Sunday night’s Oscars Award Ceremony ended the short message and video issued about Will Smith and Chris Rock’s Brouhaha was tagged as The Slap Heard Around World and it had done just that. Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock on stage at the Oscars after he had joked about Smith's wife, Jada-Pinkett Smith and her lack of hair. Four days have since passed and the story just hasn’t gone hasn’t away. Smith is getting applause mostly from Americans men for lightly slapping Fox for making fun of Jada’s hair loss issues with Alopecia. But more are praising Chris Rock for taking it like a man, because he made the wise crack as part of the jokes that the Oscar organizers had paid him to drop on the global audience taking in the Battle Royale. So how did Canadians react to the Slap Around the World? Drake was apparently in a Hollywood nightclub and one of his crew posted...

. Bass Player f or Barrett Brackin and the Band who performed at the event  Today is Bob Marley Day in both Kingston, Jamaica and Toronto Canada. (The rest of the world is jealous) (article for Diversity Business Network website) Rowan Barrett - Basketball Canada  It was one  One Love in the Toronto City Council chambers this morning as the councillor Michael Thompson proclaimed February 6 th , Bob Marley Day in Toronto. There was  live music and dub poetry in City Hall following the proclamation and the Bob Marley Committee made 8 Bob Marley humanitarian award presentations to eight well-known Torontonians “ This marks the 22nd year that the  City of Toronto has official declared Bob Marley Day (which began with former Mayor Art Eggleton),” said Courtney Betty, Chairperson of the Bob Marley Day Committee . “  Bob Marley said One Love .  So, each year we take time to honour the best of the best, people - acting in t...