Every week, Mixtape likes to introduce you to a Canadian band or musician that we think you should get to know better. Still riding the high from the massive (and impressive) line up announcement for the Halifax Pop Explosion we want you to get to know Toronto-based BADBADNOTGOOD.
Musicians Matthew A. Tavares, Chester Hansen and Alex Sowinski make up the jazz inspired, hip hop loving trio of BADBADNOTGOOD, collaborating together to make a mashup of sounds that can only be described as hip hop standards.
Having met through the Humber College Jazz Program in Toronto (known to be the best jazz music program in Canada), they began collaborating in 2010 recreating hip hop tunes (specifically a tune by L.A. rap collective Odd Future) as jazz tunes for school – something their professors didn’t quite understand. Fortunately for them rapper Tyler, The Creator (of Odd Future) thought differently and helped make a YouTube video of theirs go viral.
Having officially carved out a niche for their unique jazz-fusion hip hop groove kind of sound, these dudes are picking up speed on an international scale and were the band-in-residence at the 2012 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. The jazz world, the indie world and the hip hop world are all standing up and taking notice of these guys for their imaginary and revolutionary use of sound. Some of which you can catch at this year’s Halifax Pop Explosion.
Photo: Supplied