Thursday, September 02, 2010
The Origins Project: Benjamin "Spek Won" Addy
Another side of T.dot artist, Spek Won:
"Benjamin Nii Kpani Addy is the first of his family to have been born in Canada after his father immigrated to Toronto from Ghana in the 1970s. He grew up in the Ghanaian neighbourhood near Martin Grove Road and Eglinton Avenue, where he was surrounded by a supportive, tight-knit community and instilled with the morals and language of his family's culture. But Benjamin rebelled against these traditional values as he entered his teens, like many who feel their parents cannot understand the challenges they face, having come from a different country and grown up in a different time. He says he absorbed gang mentality deeply, that he "went from a kid who was afraid of his own shadow to being used to extreme violence." Benjamin moved away from this as he got older, realizing it wasn't going to lead anywhere worth going, and instead focused on his musical ambitions. Under the moniker "Spek Won," Benjamin has used hip hop to find a middle ground between his Ghanaian roots and his Toronto upbringing."
Credits:
Produced By: Rodney Barnes
Photography By: Chris Dale
Labels: Its a T.dot Thing, Spek Won
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Friday in Toronto: Intimate & Interactive Open Mic featuring Silver Solitair & Spek Won
pSolitair's going by Silver Solitair, now?? Not sure I dig the change but he's still dope either way. Scroll down or click HERE for the details on this Friday's get down featuring this vet of the T.dot hip hop scene. And Sol', holla at your boy! We still need to poli, fam!!!
Labels: Its a T.dot Thing, Parties and Events, Solitair, Spek Won
Friday in Toronto: Intimate & Interactive Open Mic featuring Spek Won & Silver Solitair
Spek is the opening act but he sent me this on Facebook so I'm putting his name first here:
Intimate & Interactive Open Mic
Re-Introducing: SILVER SOLITAIR
OPENING ACT: SPEK WON
Live Performance & Artist/Audience Q&A
Toronto's only AUDITION-ONLY OPEN MIC with a HEADLINER each and every FRIDAY!
A night specifically designed for music lovers and music appreciators.
Lambadina Lounge
875 Bloor St. W (2nd floor.) TTC accessible (right across from Ossington Station)
FRIDAY, AUGUST 27TH
Hosted by: MTV AFTERSHOW's Tika Simone
$10 before 11pm/ $15 after
Doors Open @ 10pm
Photographs & Creative by: Ishmil Waterman
www.twitter.com/iiopenmic
Re-Introducing: SILVER SOLITAIR
OPENING ACT: SPEK WON
Live Performance & Artist/Audience Q&A
Toronto's only AUDITION-ONLY OPEN MIC with a HEADLINER each and every FRIDAY!
A night specifically designed for music lovers and music appreciators.
Lambadina Lounge
875 Bloor St. W (2nd floor.) TTC accessible (right across from Ossington Station)
FRIDAY, AUGUST 27TH
Hosted by: MTV AFTERSHOW's Tika Simone
$10 before 11pm/ $15 after
Doors Open @ 10pm
Photographs & Creative by: Ishmil Waterman
www.twitter.com/iiopenmic
"Intimate & Interactive Open Mic was created to bring a sense of awareness around not only performance art but the art of media training in artists as well. Every headliner has been hand-selected to perform and answer questions from the audience in regards to their push and struggle to the top.
Intimate & Interactive proves that everyone has a story and Toronto has many unknown diamonds in the rough ready to take form.
I've put my all into this night and I hope to see all of you there.
--Tika Simone"
***For Open Mic or Headliner Auditions please email: intimateandinteractive@gmail.com***
Labels: Its a T.dot Thing, Parties and Events, Solitair, Spek Won
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Music Video: Spek Won - 2nd Chances (teaser trailer)
Teaser for the new video from one of my favorite new MC's out of Toronto, Spek Won! You can listen to and download an mp3 of the song, "2nd Chances" right HERE.
Spek Online: @Spekwon
Labels: Its a T.dot Thing, Spek Won
Friday, July 02, 2010
A Second Chance to Get to Know... Spek Won!
Another dope up-and-coming MC from the T.dot that will also be featured on the Connoisseurs of Culture Independent's Day mixtape. The video above is for his "Hip Life" single which I've featured on The Kitchen before and was one of my favorite records from last year.
Also, if you dig what he does and want to support him, vote for his new single, "2nd Chances" (below) on the OTA Live Megacity Countdown:
Spek Won - 2nd Chances [mp3 download]
Spek Online: @Spekwon
Labels: Its a T.dot Thing, Spek Won
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
New Music: Spek Won - 2nd Chances
Wednesday is normally alternative music day here at The Kitchen but we're gonna keep the 'T.dot Thursday on Tuesday' vibes going with a couple more tracks before we get to that.
First up, a new track produced by GMF and Tone Mason by one of my favorite local MC's, Spek Won. Artwork by other excellent local MC, Wolf J. Look for Spek on the probably now looking to be delayed Independent's Day mixtape coming soon!
Spek Won - 2nd Chances [usershare mp3 download link]
Follow Spek Won on twitter.
Labels: Its a T.dot Thing, Spek Won, Tone Mason, WolF J McFarlane
Saturday, May 08, 2010
TONIGHT in Toronto: DJ Scuffs presents LOCAL SOUNDS
Featuring the homies, Spek Won, KJ and WolF J McFarlane.
Click HERE for more details.
Labels: Its a T.dot Thing, KJ, Parties and Events, Spek Won, WolF J McFarlane
Thursday, May 06, 2010
In Toronto this weekend: DJ Scuffs presents LOCAL SOUNDS
Click HERE for more details.
Labels: Its a T.dot Thing, KJ, Parties and Events, Spek Won, WolF J McFarlane
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
New music: Spek Won - The Preemo Donna Mix Album
Now THIS is more like it. This kid blew my skull wide open a few months back with his bare bones, 120% B-Boy official, "Hip Life" single and video. Now he's finally coming though with a full mix album. I haven't peeped this yet but this is one of the few things I'm genuinely excited to download and check out.
Download the Spek Won - The Preemo Donna Mix Album HERE. [usershare link]
But if you're not convinced check out "Hip Life" here: stream | download [usershare mp3 links]
Toronto artists, holla at the kid! I'm actually from the T.dot and wanna support good home town (and home country) artists. Plus there's more to promoting your music in your home market that just sending it to TRF, CityonmyBack.com and Hip Hop Canada, no disrespect to any of them of course! And let's talk about how to do it BIG! There's big things afoot at The Kitchen for 2010. Get at me, mayne!!!!
Online:
Spek Won - website | twitter | myspace
[MAJOR props: DviousMindz]
Labels: Its a T.dot Thing, Spek Won
