Red Ants

Lyrically, the Red Ants, a Canadian hip-hop outfit, advocate for society's underdogs. Their frontman, MC Modulok, blends overconfidence, paranoia, cynicism, and abstract intellect in a versatile yet rigid style that strengthens the group's intricate and forward-thinking persona. Modulok and aspiring rapper Predaking established the Red Ants in 2002 on Toronto's East Side; the pair had been high-school friends and previously collaborated on the local hip-hop publication Twisted Linguistiks. They later connected with producer Vincent Price, whose machine-grinding beats, shaped by Bomb Squad influences, resonated immediately with both artists. Following multiple legal troubles, Predaking was incarcerated in 2004, leaving Modulok and Price to continue as a duo of MC and producer. Their first album, Phobos Deimos, appeared in 2005 and attracted considerable attention from college radio and independent stations. Building on that underground traction, the pair toured across North America and Europe before issuing their second LP, Omega Point, in 2008.