Johnny Mazaratti, Author at HipHopCanada.com

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

A promotional image for a new documentary by Jay Douglas.

News & Press Releases

Tomorrow: Jay Douglas Lights Up Trinity Square Video in Toronto

TLDR: Trinity Square Video and Jay Douglas team up for free a screening of Play It Loud! followed by an artist talk tracing Toronto’s...

Johnny MazarattiSeptember 19, 2025

Dark, atmospheric digital illustration of rapper performing with mic, inspired by Sayzee and Lupara, with album art Word On The Street Is God Wants You Deada integrated into the background wall and shadowy producers working behind him.

Music

Sayzee and Producer Collective Lupara Drop Explosive New Album

TLDR: The new Sayzee and Lupara album, Word On The Street Is God Wants You Dead, delivers raw underground hip-hop energy and a supporting...

Johnny MazarattiSeptember 16, 2025

Music industry exec Lola Plaku on the title card for her video interview with The Manager's Playbook podcast.

Features

Lola Plaku Talks Music, Hustle and Legacy on The Manager’s Playbook

TLDR: In this Lola Plaku interview on The Manager’s Playbook, the exec unpacks the real strategies behind artist longevity, live performance, and community. In...

Johnny MazarattiAugust 26, 2025

Artwork for the single Better Days by Im'peretiv, G4 Jag and MercyDaHarlemKid.

Music

Better Days: IM’PERETIV Links With G4 Jag and MercyDaHarlemKid

TLDR: G4 Jag, MercyDaHarlemKid, and IM’PERETIV drop “Better Days,” a gritty single that fuels anticipation for the upcoming album, ALIVE! Fly Family’s G4 Jag,...

Johnny MazarattiAugust 7, 2025

Canadian rapper AK-SLIM performing with the AKIN EP cover projected like a sky signal over the Calgary skyline, vibrant digital illustration.

Music

AK-SLIM Drops Vibrant New AKIN EP and “She Obey Me” Video

TLDR: The AKIN EP by AK-SLIM is a bold, cross-cultural statement, recently spotlighted on Audiomack and celebrated for its global hip-hop fusion. Earlier this...

Johnny MazarattiAugust 6, 2025

Taz Bentii performing on stage with Parliament Hill in the background, promoting his Eleven Eleven project.

Music

Ottawa Rapper Taz Bentii Unveils First Project Eleven Eleven

TLDR: Ottawa artist Taz Bentii drops Eleven Eleven, a project blending sharp lyricism and hypnotic beats, signalling his arrival as one of Canada’s most...

Johnny MazarattiJuly 31, 2025

Ottawa rapper Sawlid performing songs from The Sawlid Act album under moonlight with 417 East sign and Parliament Hill skyline.

Music

Throwback: Ottawa Rapper Sawlid’s 2018 Debut The Sawlid Act

TLDR: With the The Sawlid Act album, Ottawa rapper Sawlid made his official project debut with an album that captured his raw, independent energy....

Johnny MazarattiJuly 31, 2025

Artwork for SOAK by Kardinal Offishall, featuring the face of a young woman emerging from water.

Music

SOAK: Kardinal Offishall Enlists Rotimi and Ocean Banks for Latest Single

Hip-hop icon and multi-platinum artist Kardinal Offishall is following up his brand new return to music, the Jamaican Reggae and Dancehall influenced “LET EM OUT,” with a...

Johnny MazarattiJuly 22, 2025