Upon hearing that DJ/MC/producer Anonymous Twist is also a fully licensed pharmacist by trade, one is tempted to draw parallels and eye-rollingly bad drug metaphors and similes. But in a hip-hop landscape dominated by fatuous feuds and crass commercialism, it isnt too corny to say that Anonymous Twist dispenses straight up hip-hop with new LP The Crucible. "I don't think I could just be doing one or the other exclusively, says the Scarborough native on the dualism. "They both keep me grounded.
Many remember Anonymous Twist, aka Owen Chaim, from his heady early 90s tenure as turntablist DJ Apollo in the Toronto urban scene. Reinventing himself as triple-threat Anonymous Twist, he represents a dark horse of sorts whose humble demeanour belies reverent passion for making beats, spitting lyrics and cutting tracks.
These days, living on the outskirts of Toronto with a wife and young daughter has changed his perspective, but not his commitment to the craft. Being far removed from the downtown core doesnt make his approach any less raw. Building from the strength of heavily lauded Through The Looking Glass LP, the self-described "serious hobbyist maintains his methodical, workmanlike approach to scratching, rhyming and producing. Now at a stage where he's ready to reach out to the artists hes been a fan of for the past few years, The Crucible enlists the aid of talent like Sean Price, Planet Asia and Oh No to reinforce the vibe. Joints like "Sweet Sixteen, "Royal Flush and "Brainwash rep hip-hop as Twist sees it pure, unadulterated realness.
"Hip-hop right now is still just as diverse as 20 years ago. Its just that commercial side is overpowering everything else. People only see that side of the music and think that's all there is, says Twist. "I dont know maybe that's why I do it.
Many remember Anonymous Twist, aka Owen Chaim, from his heady early 90s tenure as turntablist DJ Apollo in the Toronto urban scene. Reinventing himself as triple-threat Anonymous Twist, he represents a dark horse of sorts whose humble demeanour belies reverent passion for making beats, spitting lyrics and cutting tracks.
These days, living on the outskirts of Toronto with a wife and young daughter has changed his perspective, but not his commitment to the craft. Being far removed from the downtown core doesnt make his approach any less raw. Building from the strength of heavily lauded Through The Looking Glass LP, the self-described "serious hobbyist maintains his methodical, workmanlike approach to scratching, rhyming and producing. Now at a stage where he's ready to reach out to the artists hes been a fan of for the past few years, The Crucible enlists the aid of talent like Sean Price, Planet Asia and Oh No to reinforce the vibe. Joints like "Sweet Sixteen, "Royal Flush and "Brainwash rep hip-hop as Twist sees it pure, unadulterated realness.
"Hip-hop right now is still just as diverse as 20 years ago. Its just that commercial side is overpowering everything else. People only see that side of the music and think that's all there is, says Twist. "I dont know maybe that's why I do it.
