Toronto's Ian Kamau is a musician, a poet and an artist; "the goal of art, I believe..." he tells us in this episode of Exclaim! TV Sweet 16s, "...is to communicate with other people."
Kamau certainly practices what he preaches, using hip-hop to connect with others, whether he is learning from his cousin's musical methods or sending samples to his grandmother in Trinidad. He also collaborates with fellow artists like Shad, k-os and, most recently, Montreal producer/emcee Jai Nitai Lotus. We asked Kamau to share his art with us, too, and he obliged by performing his favourite 16 bars for our cameras.
Before delivering rhymes, Kamau chats to our host King Reign about culture, community and responsibility. The interview is enlightening and inspirational, with a few good laughs throughout. Watch it in the player below.
Hosted by King Reign
Filmed and Edited by Katherine Kwan
Kamau certainly practices what he preaches, using hip-hop to connect with others, whether he is learning from his cousin's musical methods or sending samples to his grandmother in Trinidad. He also collaborates with fellow artists like Shad, k-os and, most recently, Montreal producer/emcee Jai Nitai Lotus. We asked Kamau to share his art with us, too, and he obliged by performing his favourite 16 bars for our cameras.
Before delivering rhymes, Kamau chats to our host King Reign about culture, community and responsibility. The interview is enlightening and inspirational, with a few good laughs throughout. Watch it in the player below.
Hosted by King Reign
Filmed and Edited by Katherine Kwan