artist Wabs Whitebird

“My Greatest Enemy Is Myself.”  With this quote, Wabs is preparing to unleash his newest album, “For The Love of Music”. Drawing on the many influences across diverse musical genres, including Pet Shop Boys and break-beats from the 80’s, his musical style has been considered throwback rap in the mainstream rap scene.  However, upon deeper inspection, you’ll find deeper, more personal songs about determination, courage and the freedom of Native people as well as his own ups and downs.  Throwback Rap in the Native context is considered Story – Mind Rap ©!  Story – Mind Rap touches emotion, mind and spirit all at the same time.  Unlike mainstream rap, Story – Mind Rap is the newest rap style to emerge from Native country and Wabs is leading the way.  Story telling is a natural way for Native people to teach and Wabs has synthesized this into his Rap Music. Wabs was born and raised in Toronto’s many inner-city apartment complexes and raised by a single mother.  He was exposed to drug dealers and pimps at an early age like many of today’s rap artists.  What separates Wabs from everyone else is his Native Canadian heritage.  More common in Canada, Native rap groups and artists have been gaining exposure to the mainstream music media, but are still generally unknown.  Many artists, including Wabs, are trying to break the trend of artists being lumped into one category without distinction.  “We have a great industry here, but it’s all the same people, every time” says Wabs.  Like his previous albums, “The Bootleg”, “Success is the Best Revenge”, “Chief of The Concrete City” and was featured on a compilation album “The rhymekeepers”. Wabs is breaking standards of what defines a “Rap Album”.  He integrates 80’s pop and break-beats with deep, introspective lyrics and championing the Story – Mind Rap © category to free prisoners of the government!