Spotify's "Northern Bars" playlist curates some of Canada's finest hip-hop. In a nod to the playlist, we'll be showcasing some of the rising talent that's featured. Today we launch the photo diary series with help from Toronto's own Tasha The Amazon.
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For the uninitiated, Tasha The Amazon's music sounds exactly as her name would suggest. The female rapper on the rise hails from Toronto, and while you may associate that particular Canadian city with a certain brand of melodic hip-hop or r'n'b (thank you Drake and The Weeknd), that's not exactly what Tasha is about. Tasha is fierce and resides mostly in a place of organized chaos. Her music is like a jungle, the audio equivalent of tangled branches and trees, lush greens, vibrant and exotic flowers, her vocals almost bark-like, hardened. "Die Every Day," the title track of her most recent EP embodies this perfectly, with unidentified bird-esque noises incorporated alongside the pounding of drums and a vocal sample chopped into the production to create a worldly, amazonian feeling.
These elements of mother nature are often carried through her visuals too: in the video for "Watch It Burn," Tasha does just that, watching as a fire builds up and burns, surrounded by a blaze of fireworks.
Her most recent release, "Intercontinental," which appears on the Spotify playlist "Northern Bars" below, is another ferocious release, the production seemingly overgrown to surround her metallic vocals. It's a big record, one that is immersive and dark, just as you might imagine the jungle to be. While Tasha remains experimental, she still seems to call upon an age-old hip-hop technique, with a focus and precision when it comes on her #bars.
To truly bring you into Tasha's world and show you what she's about, we handed Tasha a point-and-shoot camera and let her showcase her own Views of the Six. Tasha currently resides in Trinity-Bellwoods / West Queen West area of Toronto, which she tells us is where we'll find "all the dope bars, music venues, [and] art" for anyone looking to get their tourist on. You may find her grabbing a Jamaican patty at Golden Patty, or perhaps eating some fried chicken at Bar Fancy -- she doesn't just eat food in her spare time though, she's also hitting the studio which itself looks like a jungle escape, based on the shot she shared with us, as you'll see below.
Scroll down to see the 35mm film developed, with Tasha providing the caption that accompanies each photo.
Started from the Bottom
The Amazons were women warriors from Greek mythology. They were the daughters of Ares -- the God of war -- and Harmonia -- the Goddess of harmony and concord. Although seemingly disparate qualities, combined you can imagine the type of organized destruction that may arise. Tasha the Amazon embodies their spirit, making her battleground the studio.
The pre season: The apartments where I built my 1st studio... in a walk-in closet, and produced, recorded, mixed, and hussled my first mixtape, FIDIYOOTDEM.
"Try to catch me keep dreaming/ I pull away like a speed demon”: rode thru this alley on low-riders for my first music video, Scallywags...
…and then took the crew over to Sneaky Dees. The whole vid only cost $300, which we mostly dropped on mickies, 40’s and shots for the squad 😆
The team's come a long way, but yesss, we still grace the alleys with the choppers when we reach home (w/@dannythrax)
“Team meetings get my team eating”: putting in work with the 1 and only @Dannythrax. He’s my production partner, business partner, tour partner, and favorite person to argue with 😉
“Nothing, no one, never standing in my way / another thirty thousand, what’d'you do today?" Sunrise from the rooftop, where me and @dannythrax have our studios. The hustle don’t sleep, that’s how we eat 🌇😎🌇
Friends & Family Only
Tasha keeps a crew that ensures she stays grounded, no matter her come-uppance. Not only that, these are the people that inspire her music daily.
“Tell me who down, tell me who really mandem”: My most inspiring sisters from other misters, Sun Sun (@sunsun503) + @WitchProphet. They do so much dope shit around this city. Total ride or dies ❤️
“Tell me who down, tell me who really mandem”: My boyfriend Blaise, my absolute BFF in the world… and Prairie, my tour bestie, tat artist, and BTS photog 👌. Toronto would be weak without these 2.
“Tell me who down, tell me who really mandem”: Ollie (who owns Cold Tea Bar) has had my back since day 1!!! He once even let me bring a bengal tiger to his bar to film a vid... and has never actually let me pay my whole tab ever 😄🍻
“Tell me who down, tell me who really mandem”: MICHIE MEE!!! How many ppl can say they have their childhood idol on speed dial bruh? Such a Toronto OG 🙏
Toronto's Local Spots
Although Tasha isn't always at homebase, when she does touch down in TO she has a few must-visit spots. Everyone's gotta eat.
"Ain’t privy to the local politicking man I’m intercontinental”… but I still rep hard for my hood. Find me running thru Queen West, Kensington, and the Ossington strip.
First thing I do when I get off road is touch Bar Fancy for the fried chicken cuz it’s STUPID 😜💦
I always round up the fam on the 1st nice day of spring and hit Ronnie’s Patio for some old fashioned day drinking.
"Royalty run in my veins, pay me the king’s ransom" ORRRR u could also pay me in Jamaican patties from Golden Patty in Kensington, cuz I will also accept that as currency 🙏🇯🇲
...and obviously, I hit 416 Snack Bar for sloppy fam jams any night of the week.
Focus on Self
When Tasha isn't running around Toronto, she stays calm -- perhaps recalling the "harmony" side of the Amazon in her -- through a daily practice of meditation, a million soothing plants, and just being herself.
"Meditating on my rise namaste” Actually. Every. Damn. Day.
Also at my studio: 🌴ONE MILLION FRIGGIN PLANTS, lmaooo! I’m obsessed. But yo, I’m tryinna be a well-rounded individual and cultivate a love for nature, so…. they can stay. 🌴
“I’m already blessed, I do this shit just to flex, live and direct”
