It’s been called one of the biggest rap battles in Canadian history. And now one side of that battle is making his way to the Vernon stage.
Vancouver hip hop artist Snak the Ripper, who arrives at Vernon’s 2929 Nite Club Friday, Jan. 29, doesn’t mince words and that’s more than evident in his beef with fellow West Coast MC Madchild, of Swollen Members fame.
The bloodless battle between the two rappers happened last fall when Madchild called out Snak on Twitter in a 140-maximum character rant, which cannot be printed verbatim in this family publication.
The Tweet was soon after deleted, however, the heat escalated when Snak hit back at Madchild by releasing the track, Assisted Suicide, and an accompanying video just 24 hours later. Let’s just say he skipped the pleasantries of polite conversation.
Madchild retorted with his own “diss” track Funeral, with Snak volleying back with the pull-no-punches Child Abuse.
Nonetheless, a maelstrom enveloped the two artists when their war of words was written up by numerous media outlets, with fans of each artist taking sides.
The dust has settled for now, but it proves that people are still passionate about hip hop and the artists slugging it out in this country.
Snak the Ripper, and artists such as him, prove that the slogan “hip hop ain’t dead, it lives in the North,” still rings true.
“This has become a popular slogan tied to the Canadian hip hop movement and a reference to the fact that many Canadians feel hip hop has a home here in the Great White North,” said Josh Brazier, with Vernon’s 13th Floor Entertainment, which is bringing Snak the Ripper back to town after his last visit in 2012. “While many thought the genre would never last or had seen its day, there are a lot of Canadian MCs that are doing everything in their power to change people’s perspective on this and Snak is definitely making a name for himself on a global level.”
The owner of his own record label, Stealth Bomb Records, Snak has control of all his music and has opened doors to many future stars that now run under the Stealth Bomb umbrella. He has also been busy performing just about everywhere.
His latest album on Stealth Bomb, Just Giver, was followed by a cross-country tour and he just returned from performing in Australia and will head over to Europe in February.
“This is Snak’s only Okanagan show, so we expect a lot of out-of-town guests,” said Brazier, adding 13th Floor has a deal with Vernon’s Fairfield Inn and Suites for a $99 hotel package that includes two tickets to the show and breakfast the following morning.
Supporting acts include former Vernon resident Jaclynn Gee, whom Brazier says has enjoyed a tremendous amount of success lately and looks to have a very promising musical career ahead of her. Also performing is well known local act Alfy’o, representing the Reckless Religion Crew, and Kelowna DJs Mode and Jakeda.
Doors to Friday’s show at 2929 (29th Avenue and 29th Street) open at 9 p.m. and tickets are $20, available online at 13thfloorent.com, in person at the Downtown Internet Lounge or at OK Skate Co. in Vernon.