More or Les

It’s always nice to know that there are cats out there that still have the vision to create light-hearted hip-hop records with a message that doesn’t come across as preachy or depressing. More or Les is currently one of Toronto’s great MCs and with his debut release he comes correct with the one-two punch of lyrical skill and excellent production from Dorc. Both of these qualities shine at their brightest with "Seriously!” easily the champion of I Only Stop, as Les rapidly spits on a very speedy cut that might have been nicked from a chase sequence from an old Spanish comedy. The vintage Latin horns continue on "Bizarre” as the wordsmith observes how we tend to turn our back on our increasingly odd everyday surroundings, and then somehow manages to rap about how he’s getting sick like contaminated water in "Walkerton Inquiries.” The Scarborough native pours a lot of hometown references into this effort, which is certainly amusing for locals. Still, anyone in the world should be able to appreciate the chronic behaviour and clever storytelling of "A Little Too Much Weed” or the whack-ness shared universally with a lot of today’s hip-hop acts, with both numbers backed by a live band. I Only Stop for Red Ants will have no problem putting a smile on your face or a groove in your hips, but this is surely only the start of what will hopefully be a long and productive career for a home-grown hip-hop talent.