Shades of Culture
| Shades of Culture | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Genres | Rap |
| Years active | 1992–2003 |
| Labels |
2112 Records Union |
| Members | Dark Shade, Revolution, DJ Storm |
| Past members | DJ Choice, Kra-Z-Noize |
Shades of Culture is a Canadian hip hop trio formed in Montreal. The trio was started in 1991 and its members are known as DShade, Revolution, and DJ Storm. They are regarded as one of the pioneers of rap music in Montreal and the province of Quebec.
After having won the Big Break competition in 1992, they proceeded to record several demo tapes and arrange multiple Canadian tours with several U.S. and Canadian bands. They have toured with Bad Brains, (The Almighty) Trigger Happy, SNFU, Ten Foot Pole and several other popular underground and mainstream acts. After averaging at least three shows a week over a span of three years, the trio finally recorded an EP entitled Paying Rent. This three song demo also included a video which aired regularly across Canada.
After completing their fourth tour across Canada, the trio released their first full length CD entitled Mindstate. Following the release of this CD, several 12" singles with such artists such as Mr. Len, and DJ A-Trak. They also released a self-titled "Mindstate" single featuring Desi DiLauro, D Shade had also recorded a song with rapper DaForce. Backed with the support of Muchmusic, MusiquePlus, BET and MTV their video aired regularly. The trio band subsequently took several "mini-tours" around Quebec with pop group Backstreet Boys. They also opened for musicians such as: Eminem, Gangstarr, KRS-1, The Beatnuts, Ben Harper, Onyx and Jurassic 5.
Other works
- DMC Competition Judge - '98 & '99
- Appeared in the movie: "Hang the DJ"
- Worked on Wesley Snipes' movie - "Art of War" (sound effects & music score)
- Appeared in THE SOURCE (article on hip hop scene in Montreal.)
- Sponsored by Numark
- Seminars for Numark products across Canada
- Appeared on FOX Network's Popular Mechanics for Kids. ( a segment on scratching).
- Seminar on scratching and sampling at "Les Rencontres."
- Were on the first cover of Vice Magazine (then called Voice of Montreal)
Discography
- 1996 Payin' Rent (EP)
- 1998 Mindstate
- 2000 A Little Bit About Us
- 2002 Unbreakable/D.I.Y (double single)
References
- C, Scott. "Shades of Culture celebrate their 10th anniversary", Montreal Mirror, 2002.