This past Tuesday Sneaky Dee's played host to United in Flow, a "socially conscious hip-hop movement" making waves for around half a year, all of which began with a mixtape. Producer James Pew of Toronto-based Euphonic Sound Recording Studio rounded up some hip-hop and slam acts from around the city last October to write on the theme of unity and community. The record, United in Flow: Volume 1 can be purchased for charity to help local neighbourhoods.
Their first monthly showcase, hosted by trip-hop T.O. general Mindbender Supreme, went off with a bang and delivered a vibe seldom seen in grassroots indie shows like this. Any uneasiness about the night was immediately ushered out in exchange for a unanimous love for the social music of hip-hop, which brought closer a community of like-minded people revelling in a weeknight of beats and rhymes.
Mindbender Supreme"It's about the collaboration and community of the scene in Toronto," Pew told me, as the crowd slowly builded. "We want to build something that people can be part of." Mindbender Supreme debuted his new music video, "Reset Button", that night, and you can go watch it here. If you're a fan of clever, heavily delivered lyrics, and want to support Toronto hip-hop (or if you like old-school videogames), definitely check it.
All the artists delivered a uniqueness in their respective music, playing off influences and themes to a nicely varied crowd throughout a night of great music.
More pictures after the jump.