Even though Michie Mee is widely recognized as a pioneer in the Canadian hip-hop scene, the rapper was still surprised when she found out that she had been selected to receive the Hall of Fame Award at the 2012 Stylus Awards.
"I was like, you're kidding, because I just like to support the Stylus Awards," Mee tells Exclaim! "I saw them induct Maestro and I was happy that they were having MCs involved. This looks like it's going to be the biggest awards show we have celebrating urban music in Canada, as we've tried many awards before. When they said I was next, I dropped a tear, I was overwhelmed."
The Stylus Awards recognizes DJs across Canada for their work behind the turntables. As recently reported, this year the awards will be held at the Danforth Music Hall in Toronto tonight (May 28), capping off a weekend of events bring DJs across the country together through networking, panels and conference events.
Mee's links to DJs goes back to the very beginning of her career. As a teenager, she performed with Toronto soundsystem crew Sunshine Sound Crew before she committed anything to wax.
Mee's style of meshing hip-hop with dancehall earmarked her as a pioneer in Canadian hip-hop and has also proved to be influential to both her peers and artists who have followed in her footsteps. While Maestro Fresh Wes, who also received a Stylus Hall of Fame Award last year, is often thought of as one of the most important historical figures in Canadian hip-hop, he has said that Michie's success was an inspiration to him. Similarly, her influence can be traced in the work of Canadian artists such as Kardinal Offishall.
"It's really cool hearing that from Maestro 'cause he was older than me," she says. "I truly respect it, I appreciate it, because you just never know how other artists think. [You think] they are focused on their own career. To hear it was humbling. Big time. To have that influence on two totally different right and left MCs, that's big. It makes me feel good."
Past Hall of Fame winners have included Toronto hip-hop radio pioneer Ron Nelson and the late Edmonton DJ Teddy P, father of Cadence Weapon.
The awards ceremony will also feature a tribute to Beastie Boy Adam Yauch, who passed away earlier this month. That tribute will be produced by Saskatoon's DJ Anchor, who is nominated for four Stylus Awards this year.
Other DJs and producers nominated include 4 Korners, Wristpect, T-Minus, Boi 1da, and Noah "40" Shebib. Also among the 2012 Stylus Awards nominees are Kardinal Offishall, Melanie Fiona, the Weeknd and Drake"
See the full list of nominees here.
"I was like, you're kidding, because I just like to support the Stylus Awards," Mee tells Exclaim! "I saw them induct Maestro and I was happy that they were having MCs involved. This looks like it's going to be the biggest awards show we have celebrating urban music in Canada, as we've tried many awards before. When they said I was next, I dropped a tear, I was overwhelmed."
The Stylus Awards recognizes DJs across Canada for their work behind the turntables. As recently reported, this year the awards will be held at the Danforth Music Hall in Toronto tonight (May 28), capping off a weekend of events bring DJs across the country together through networking, panels and conference events.
Mee's links to DJs goes back to the very beginning of her career. As a teenager, she performed with Toronto soundsystem crew Sunshine Sound Crew before she committed anything to wax.
Mee's style of meshing hip-hop with dancehall earmarked her as a pioneer in Canadian hip-hop and has also proved to be influential to both her peers and artists who have followed in her footsteps. While Maestro Fresh Wes, who also received a Stylus Hall of Fame Award last year, is often thought of as one of the most important historical figures in Canadian hip-hop, he has said that Michie's success was an inspiration to him. Similarly, her influence can be traced in the work of Canadian artists such as Kardinal Offishall.
"It's really cool hearing that from Maestro 'cause he was older than me," she says. "I truly respect it, I appreciate it, because you just never know how other artists think. [You think] they are focused on their own career. To hear it was humbling. Big time. To have that influence on two totally different right and left MCs, that's big. It makes me feel good."
Past Hall of Fame winners have included Toronto hip-hop radio pioneer Ron Nelson and the late Edmonton DJ Teddy P, father of Cadence Weapon.
The awards ceremony will also feature a tribute to Beastie Boy Adam Yauch, who passed away earlier this month. That tribute will be produced by Saskatoon's DJ Anchor, who is nominated for four Stylus Awards this year.
Other DJs and producers nominated include 4 Korners, Wristpect, T-Minus, Boi 1da, and Noah "40" Shebib. Also among the 2012 Stylus Awards nominees are Kardinal Offishall, Melanie Fiona, the Weeknd and Drake"
See the full list of nominees here.
