Johnny Mazaratti, Author at HipHopCanada.com

Digital illustration symbolizing the Don Lemon Georgia Fort arrest, showing a non-descript Black journalist being detained by federal agents, camera visible, highlighting threats to press freedom.

The World

Arrest of Don Lemon, Georgia Fort Sparks Free Press Fears

TLDR: The arrest of Don Lemon and Georgia Fort is a flashing red warning for press freedom in America. This story matters to HipHopCanada...

Johnny MazarattiJanuary 30, 2026

Rapper Judah West and producer IsoKeys standing next to each other inside a studio.

Music

“Thug” Shows Why NYC’s Judah Weston Is One to Watch

TDLR: “Thug” by Judah Weston hits like a warning shot from the Lower East Side, pairing IsoKeys production with a video that already feels...

Johnny MazarattiJanuary 27, 2026

Digital illustration inspired by the Mark Carney speech in Davos, with Canadian and US imagery and a divided world map.

The World

Mark Carney Signals New World Order in Iconic Davos Speech

TLDR: The speech Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered in Davos, Switzerland outlined a stark view of a changing global order, urged middle powers like...

Johnny MazarattiJanuary 21, 2026

A baby wearing a chain and holding a fork in the album artwork for Errol Eats Everything.

Music

Errol Eats Everything Album Still Hits a Year Later

TLDR: Almost a year after its release, Errol Eats Everything stands as a defining album in Errol’s catalogue as we look ahead to what...

Johnny MazarattiJanuary 19, 2026

A collage of recording artists featured on the Vevo 2026 DSCVR Artists to Watch list.

News & Press Releases

Vevo Announces 2026 DSCVR Artists to Watch List

TLDR: Vevo spotlights 19 emerging global artists in its 2026 DSCVR Artists to Watch list — though there are no Canadians featured this year,...

Johnny MazarattiNovember 13, 2025

Two people sitting and leaning against each other facing a beach, on the poster for the film It Comes In Waves

News & Press Releases

It Comes In Waves Surges Through Ottawa’s OCan Fest on Nov. 6

TLDR: The independent film It Comes in Waves screens at the Ottawa Canadian Film Festival, exploring the Rwandan diaspora, identity, and resilience through poetic...

Johnny MazarattiOctober 29, 2025

A split image, with one side featuring rapper Sayzee pointing at the camera, and in the other Sayzee faces away from the camera, holding a large object, as promo for his I Spit On Your Grave mixtape.

Music

Sayzee Unleashes I Spit On Your Grave for Halloween

Sayzee doesn’t do casual Octobers. The Niagara-bred rapper has turned Halloween into a personal release window, carving his legend with a string of horror-laced...

Johnny MazarattiOctober 28, 2025

Book cover for The Playbook, a guide to Canadian music grants.

News & Press Releases

Introducing The Playbook: How to Master Canadian Music Grants

TLDR: Canadian music grants take center stage as Joseph Henry’s The Playbook – Volume 1: FACTOR Canada Made Simple turns complex funding rules into...

Johnny MazarattiOctober 22, 2025

Author Gavin Sheppard speaks at an event promoting his new book 100: A City Kid's Survival Guide

News & Press Releases

Gavin Sheppard’s 100 Book Tour Expands to Ottawa and Calgary

TLDR: The tour for Gavin Sheppard’s new book, 100: A City Kid’s Survival Guide, stops in Ottawa on Thursday and Calgary on Oct. 1,...

Johnny MazarattiSeptember 23, 2025

Three copies of 100: A City Kid's Survival Guide stacked on a table.

News & Press Releases

Gavin Sheppard Drops New Book 100: A City Kid’s Survival Guide

100: A City Kid’s Survival Guide by Gavin Sheppard blends tweets, micro-fiction, and illustrations into a modern field manual for city life. Gavin Sheppard...

Johnny MazarattiSeptember 23, 2025