Maestro Fresh Wes

on Exclaim! TV Sweet 16s

BY Nadia RompasPublished Jul 24, 2015

Maestro Fresh Wes's 1989 track "Let Your Backbone Slide" still holds the title of the best-selling Canadian hip-hop single of all time, which surprisingly manages to still surpass the 6ix god, Drake. Wes paved the road for young artists in the generation after him, and after all these years, he's remained active in the music scene, releasing albums and collaborating with fellow Canadian artists such as Divine Brown and Lights. His latest effort, Compositions, Vol. 1, is a fresh reminder that he's still got the poetic qualities he has always been known for.

For this episode of Exclaim! TV's Sweet 16s, filmed in collaboration with Reign Media, we caught up the Godfather in Toronto to hear him spit what he thinks are his sweetest 16 bars.

But before delivering (and dissecting) some rhymes from "I Know Your Mom" off his latest release, Wes talks to Sweet 16s host King Reign about how his poor break-dancing skill made him retreat to songwriting. After that, he discusses his top five influences and staying musically fresh.

Watch the episode in the player below.

Hosted by King Reign
Filmed by Katherine Kwan and Riley Hunt
Audio by Kyle Laurin
Edited by Katherine Kwan

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