Choclair
Encyclopedia
Kareem Blake, better known by his stage name
Choclair, is a Canadian
rapper
. He helped develop Canadian hip hop
in the 1990s, as a member of the Circle.
n descent, was born in Scarborough, Ontario
, in east Toronto
. Starting at the age of 11, he followed in his older brother's footsteps, and decided to become a rapper. In 1995, he released his debut single, "Twenty One Years", on his own independent label, Knee Deep Records. In 1997, he released the EP
, What It Takes
, which was accompanied by a music video
featuring Jully Black
. In June 1998, after having released 11 records (including the first international releases for Saukrates
, Kardinal Offishall
, Jully Black, Solitair
, Marvel, Tara Chase and many more from Toronto's music scene), achieving a gold record with the Rascalz for contributing to Canada's hip hop
anthem, "Northern Touch
", receiving two Juno Award
s and a MuchMusic Video Award
, Choclair then decided to expand his team and joined Virgin Music Canada
.
In 1999, he signed with Priority Records
, and released his debut album Ice Cold
. The album was certified gold in Canada (50,000 copies) and spawned the hit single "Let's Ride
", produced by Kardinal Offishall
. Let's Ride reached #38 on the Canadian RPM
Singles Chart. The hit was considered part of the late 1990s renaissance of Canadian hip hop
. The underground
community worldwide quickly embraced Ice Cold, establishing him as a standout rapper in the burgeoning Canadian hip-hop scene. In 2000, "Let's Ride" won a SOCAN award. It also won a MuchMusic award in 2000. Ice Cold won a Juno award for Best Rap Recording in 2000. He released the single "Skunk" from 2002's Memoirs of Blake Savage which featured Kurupt
of Tha Dogg Pound
.
With many Juno Award
s, MuchMusic Video Awards
, gold records, collaborations and good business savvy, Choclair started his own independent label Greenhouse Music (it is where "the green is made" he explained) in partnership with Sextant Records/EMI Music Canada". In 2003, he released the album Flagrant and other Canadian hip hop albums in conjunction with Sextant Records and EMI
. Greenhouse followed that with the release of My Demo, a collection of Choclair's early underground recordings.
In 2006, Choclair released his latest album, Flagship. He was also featured on Karl Wolf
's single "Desensitize".
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
Choclair, is a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
rapper
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
. He helped develop Canadian hip hop
Canadian hip hop
The Canadian hip hop scene was first established in the 1980s. Through a variety of factors, it developed much more slowly than Canada's popular rock music scene, and apart from a short-lived burst of mainstream popularity from 1989 to 1991, it remained largely an underground phenomenon until the...
in the 1990s, as a member of the Circle.
Career
Blake, of JamaicaJamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n descent, was born in Scarborough, Ontario
Scarborough, Ontario
Scarborough is a dissolved municipality within the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it comprises the eastern part of Toronto. It is bordered on the south by Lake Ontario, on the west by Victoria Park Avenue, on the north by Steeles Avenue East, and on the east by the Rouge River...
, in east Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. Starting at the age of 11, he followed in his older brother's footsteps, and decided to become a rapper. In 1995, he released his debut single, "Twenty One Years", on his own independent label, Knee Deep Records. In 1997, he released the EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, What It Takes
What It Takes (EP)
What It Takes is an EP by Canadian rapper Choclair, released independently in 1997 on Knee Deep Records. It spawned the 12" single "What It Takes Remix", and a music video of the title track was released in 1996. The EP won the award for Best Rap Recording at the 1997 Juno Awards.-Track listing:All...
, which was accompanied by a music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
featuring Jully Black
Jully Black
Jully Black |Julie]]"; born Jullyann Inderia Gordon; November 8, 1977) is a Canadian R&B singer–songwriter. She has collaborated and written for many artists, including Nas, Missy Elliott, Saukrates, Choclair, Kardinal Offishall, Destiny's Child, and Sean Paul.-Life & career:Black was born Jullyann...
. In June 1998, after having released 11 records (including the first international releases for Saukrates
Saukrates
Karl Amani Wailoo , better known by his stage name Saukrates , is a Canadian rapper, singer, and record producer of Guyanese descent. He is the co-founder of Capitol Hill Music, and lead singer of hip-hop/R&B group Big Black Lincoln...
, Kardinal Offishall
Kardinal Offishall
Jason D. Harrow , better known by his stage name Kardinal Offishall , is a Canadian rapper and record producer. He is often credited as Canada's "hip-hop ambassador", and is best known for his distinctive reggae and dancehall-influenced style of hip-hop.-Life and career:Harrow was born in...
, Jully Black, Solitair
Solitair
Solitair is a Canadian hip-hop MC and producer from Toronto, Ontario. He is currently a member of the Black Jays record label and production team...
, Marvel, Tara Chase and many more from Toronto's music scene), achieving a gold record with the Rascalz for contributing to Canada's hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
anthem, "Northern Touch
Northern Touch
"Northern Touch" is a Canadian hip hop single, which was released in 1998 by Rascalz in collaboration with Checkmate, Kardinal Offishall, Thrust and Choclair...
", receiving two Juno Award
Juno Award
The Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
s and a MuchMusic Video Award
MuchMusic Video Awards
The MuchMusic Video Awards are annual awards presented by the Canadian music video channel MuchMusic to honour the year's best music videos....
, Choclair then decided to expand his team and joined Virgin Music Canada
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
.
In 1999, he signed with Priority Records
Priority Records
Priority Records is an American record label, owned and operated by EMI, which has made a name for itself dealing primarily in hip hop, pop and world...
, and released his debut album Ice Cold
Ice Cold
Ice Cold is the debut studio album of Canadian rapper Choclair, released November 2, 1999 in Canada and March 14, 2000 in the United States. It was released on major label Virgin/Priority Records. The album's early success was driven by the first single, "Let's Ride", which reached #37 on the...
. The album was certified gold in Canada (50,000 copies) and spawned the hit single "Let's Ride
Let's Ride (Choclair song)
"Let's Ride" is the first single from Choclair's debut album Ice Cold. Produced by Kardinal Offishall, the song features ad-libs by Saukrates. The song is well known for its catchy piano hook.-Music video:...
", produced by Kardinal Offishall
Kardinal Offishall
Jason D. Harrow , better known by his stage name Kardinal Offishall , is a Canadian rapper and record producer. He is often credited as Canada's "hip-hop ambassador", and is best known for his distinctive reggae and dancehall-influenced style of hip-hop.-Life and career:Harrow was born in...
. Let's Ride reached #38 on the Canadian RPM
RPM (magazine)
RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,...
Singles Chart. The hit was considered part of the late 1990s renaissance of Canadian hip hop
Canadian hip hop
The Canadian hip hop scene was first established in the 1980s. Through a variety of factors, it developed much more slowly than Canada's popular rock music scene, and apart from a short-lived burst of mainstream popularity from 1989 to 1991, it remained largely an underground phenomenon until the...
. The underground
Underground hip hop
Underground hip hop is an umbrella term for hip hop music outside the general commercial canon. It is typically associated with independent artists, signed toindependent labels or no label at all....
community worldwide quickly embraced Ice Cold, establishing him as a standout rapper in the burgeoning Canadian hip-hop scene. In 2000, "Let's Ride" won a SOCAN award. It also won a MuchMusic award in 2000. Ice Cold won a Juno award for Best Rap Recording in 2000. He released the single "Skunk" from 2002's Memoirs of Blake Savage which featured Kurupt
Kurupt
Ricardo Emmanuel Brown , better known by his stage name Kurupt, also known as Kurupt Tha Kingpin, Kurupt Young Gotti or Young Gotstra is an American rapper and former Executive Vice President of Death Row Records...
of Tha Dogg Pound
Tha Dogg Pound
Tha Dogg Pound is a rap group made up of Daz Dillinger and Kurupt. They were signed to Death Row Records in their early careers and were key to the label's success. The group made their 1992 rap debut on Dr. Dre's The Chronic, on various songs. They also appeared on Snoop Dogg's debut album...
.
With many Juno Award
Juno Award
The Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
s, MuchMusic Video Awards
MuchMusic Video Awards
The MuchMusic Video Awards are annual awards presented by the Canadian music video channel MuchMusic to honour the year's best music videos....
, gold records, collaborations and good business savvy, Choclair started his own independent label Greenhouse Music (it is where "the green is made" he explained) in partnership with Sextant Records/EMI Music Canada". In 2003, he released the album Flagrant and other Canadian hip hop albums in conjunction with Sextant Records and EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
. Greenhouse followed that with the release of My Demo, a collection of Choclair's early underground recordings.
In 2006, Choclair released his latest album, Flagship. He was also featured on Karl Wolf
Karl Wolf
Carl Abou Samah is a Lebanese-born Canadian musician based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He is better known by his stage name Karl Wolf. He has been a singer, songwriter and producer since 2001, releasing his first solo album Face Behind the Face on MapleNationwide/Universal in January 2006,...
's single "Desensitize".
Albums
- Ice ColdIce ColdIce Cold is the debut studio album of Canadian rapper Choclair, released November 2, 1999 in Canada and March 14, 2000 in the United States. It was released on major label Virgin/Priority Records. The album's early success was driven by the first single, "Let's Ride", which reached #37 on the...
(1999) - Memoirs of Blake Savage (2002)
- Flagrant (2003)
- My Demo (2003)
- Flagship (2006)
Singles
- "Twenty One Years"
- "What It Takes"
- "So I" (Frankenstein featuring Choclair)
- "Internal Affairs"
- "Flagrant"
- "Let's RideLet's Ride (Choclair song)"Let's Ride" is the first single from Choclair's debut album Ice Cold. Produced by Kardinal Offishall, the song features ad-libs by Saukrates. The song is well known for its catchy piano hook.-Music video:...
" - "Rubbin'"
- "Light It Up"
- "Skunk"
- "Who Dat Is (Chiznock Pt. II)"
- "Skyline"
- "Tell 'Em"
- "Desensitize" (Karl WolfKarl WolfCarl Abou Samah is a Lebanese-born Canadian musician based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He is better known by his stage name Karl Wolf. He has been a singer, songwriter and producer since 2001, releasing his first solo album Face Behind the Face on MapleNationwide/Universal in January 2006,...
featuring Choclair) - "Weekend" (Karl Wolf featuring Choclair)
- "Sunshine (These Are the Days)"
- "The Essence"
- "Made (Move Mountains)"
External links
- Choclair at MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
- Smooth as Choclair — Canadian hip hop artist reveals the secrets of seduction — by Denise Ing, Varsity Staff
- Word Magazine Article
- NOW Magazine Article
- College Newspaper Interview
- Choclair Brings Canadian Hip-Hop On U.S. Tour