Saukrates

Hailing from Toronto, Ontario, the rapper-producer Saukrates combines an attuned musical sensibility—rooted in classical training on violin and cello—with sharp commercial instincts. His formative listening drew from the late-’80s and early-’90s approaches of Special Ed, De La Soul, and the broader Native Tongues collective, prompting him to improvise rhymes drawn from lived episodes and imagined scenarios. After committing his verses to paper beginning in 1989, the young MC devoted sustained effort to refining his technique. His first commercial breakthrough arrived with the 1994 single “Still Caught Up,” which earned a Juno nomination. At eighteen he issued “Brick House” on the Slammin’ imprint. A 1997 mixtape subsequently circulated, earning Saukrates steady college-radio attention through the cuts “Father Time” and “Play Dis.” Just as wider recognition appeared imminent, Warner Bros.—his label at the time—closed its rap division, stranding completed recordings without an outlet. Partnering with manager Chase Parsons, he established Capitol Hill Music and, in 1999, released Saukrates: The Underground Tapes in the United States via the Serious Entertainment label. Later that year Capitol Hill reissued the project in Canada, adding six new tracks. Over the ensuing years he contributed productions and guest verses to projects by Redman, Method Man, Nas, k-os, and Nelly Furtado. His second studio album, Season One, appeared on eOne in 2012, followed by the 2014 EP Amani.