MCJ and Cool G
Encyclopedia
MCJ and Cool G were a four-time Juno Award
–nominated Canadian hip hop
duo from Halifax, Nova Scotia
.
The duo were James McQuaid (MCJ), originally part of the Halifax hip hop group New Beginning, and Richard Gray (Cool G). They relocated to Montreal
in 1988 to get in to the music business. In 1989, they signed to Capitol Records
in Canada, becoming the first Canadian rap
group to be signed to a major label. In 1990, they released their debut album So Listen which featured the singles "So Listen" and "Smooth as Silk" which exemplified their rhythm and blues
influenced style.
The duo called their style of music "Double R&B" (Rap, Rhythm and Blues) because MCJ was the rapper and Cool G mostly sang the choruses. Their sound was New Jack Swing
which was popular at the time.
MCJ and Cool G have been nominated for four Juno Awards. In 1991
, they were nominated for Best R&B/Soul Recording
with So Listen, Rap Recording of the Year
with So Listen, and Single of the Year
with "So Listen". In 1994
, they were nominated for Best R&B/Soul Recording with Love Me Right.
The African Nova Scotian
Music Association awarded them the Music Pioneer Award in 2007.
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...
–nominated 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...
duo from Halifax, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
.
The duo were James McQuaid (MCJ), originally part of the Halifax hip hop group New Beginning, and Richard Gray (Cool G). They relocated to Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
in 1988 to get in to the music business. In 1989, they signed to Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
in Canada, becoming the first Canadian rap
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
group to be signed to a major label. In 1990, they released their debut album So Listen which featured the singles "So Listen" and "Smooth as Silk" which exemplified their rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
influenced style.
The duo called their style of music "Double R&B" (Rap, Rhythm and Blues) because MCJ was the rapper and Cool G mostly sang the choruses. Their sound was New Jack Swing
New jack swing
New jack swing or swingbeat is a fusion genre spearheaded by Teddy Riley and Bernard Belle which became extremely popular from the late-1980s into the mid-1990s. Its influence, along with hip-hop, seeped into pop culture and was the definitive sound of the inventive Black New York club scene...
which was popular at the time.
MCJ and Cool G have been nominated for four Juno Awards. In 1991
Juno Awards of 1991
The Juno Awards of 1991, representing Canadian music industry achievements of the previous year, were awarded on 3 March 1991 in Vancouver, British Columbia at a ceremony in the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Paul Shaffer was the host for the ceremonies, which were broadcast on CBC Television.This was...
, they were nominated for Best R&B/Soul Recording
Juno Award for R&B/Soul Recording of the Year
The Juno Award for "R&B/Soul Recording of the Year" has been awarded since 1985, as recognition each year for the best rhythm and blues/soul album in Canada.-Best R&B/Soul Recording :*1985 - Liberty Silver, Lost Somewhere Inside Your Love...
with So Listen, Rap Recording of the Year
Juno Award for Rap Recording of the Year
The Juno Award for Rap Recording of the Year has been awarded since 1991, and is awarded for the best rap album in Canada. It was awarded under the title Best Rap Recording from 1993 to 2002....
with So Listen, and Single of the Year
Juno Award for Single of the Year
The Juno Award for Single of the Year has been awarded since 1974 for the best single in Canada. It has also been known as Best Single and Best Selling Single.-Best Single :...
with "So Listen". In 1994
Juno Awards of 1994
The Juno Awards of 1994, representing Canadian music industry achievements of the previous year, were awarded on 20 March 1994 in Toronto at a ceremony in the O'Keefe Centre. Roch Voisine was the host for the ceremonies, which were taped that afternoon for broadcast that evening on CBC...
, they were nominated for Best R&B/Soul Recording with Love Me Right.
The African Nova Scotian
Black Nova Scotians
Black Nova Scotians are people of Black African descent whose ancestors fled Colonial America as slaves or freemen to settle in Nova Scotia, Canada during the 18th and 19th centuries. According to the 2006 Census of Canada, there are 19,230 black people currently living in Nova Scotia, most of whom...
Music Association awarded them the Music Pioneer Award in 2007.
See also
- Canadian hip hopCanadian hip hopThe 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...
- Music of CanadaMusic of CanadaThe music of Canada has influences that have shaped the country. Aboriginals, the British, and the French have all made unique contributions to the musical heritage of Canada. The music has subsequently been heavily influenced by American culture because of its proximity and migration between...
External links
- So Listen music video at YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
- That's L.I.F.E. music video at YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
- New Jack Swing profile
- African Canadian Online profile