TLDR: The Amazing Race Canada fans have a new reason to tune in as Canadian rappers Maestro Fresh Wes and D.O. team up for Season 12 beginning Tuesday, July 7 at 9.
Canadian hip-hop is heading to primetime this summer.
Canadian rappers Maestro Fresh Wes and D.O. are among the 10 teams set to compete in the upcoming twelfth season of The Amazing Race Canada, bringing decades of music, motivation and cultural impact to one of the country’s most popular television franchises.
Premiering July 7 on CTV and streaming the following day on Crave, the new season promises one of the biggest twists in the show’s history. Host Jon Montgomery will surprise every team with an Express Pass at the very start of the race, immediately changing the strategic landscape as competitors begin their cross-country journey from atop British Columbia’s Whistler Mountain.
For hip-hop fans, however, the spotlight will be firmly fixed on Maestro and D.O. Long before reality television entered the picture, both artists built legacies rooted in perseverance, creativity and community impact.
Maestro Fresh Wes remains one of the most important figures in Canadian music history. Widely recognized as the Godfather of Canadian Hip-Hop, he became the first Canadian rapper to achieve platinum status and helped establish a blueprint for generations of artists who followed. A Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductee, three-time JUNO Award winner and recipient of the 2024 Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement, Maestro’s influence stretches far beyond music.
D.O., born Duane Gibson, has spent years using hip-hop as a vehicle for inspiration. The two-time Guinness World Record holder has combined music, authorship and motivational speaking into a career that has connected with thousands of students through more than 4,000 school performances and youth-focused programs across Canada.
Together, they represent one of the season’s most compelling partnerships. Their friendship, shared commitment to uplifting others and ability to perform under pressure could make them serious contenders when the race begins.
Whether they’re navigating roadblocks, racing through unfamiliar cities or adapting to the unexpected, Maestro and D.O. will be carrying more than their own ambitions. They’ll also be representing Canadian hip-hop on one of the country’s biggest stages.
For more information, follow @AmazingRaceCanada on Instagram.
Photo: CTV
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