You Don't Know Pt 2: Cadence Weapon

Cadence Weapon is a bona fide hip-hop star in the waiting. He is about to release his second album Afterparty Babies on Big Dada, and if anyone thought that hip-hop was dead, this astonishingly original offering will make you come over all unnecessary. He has also made it onto the three CD compilation You Don't Know with Getting Dumb; a track also appearing on his upcoming album. For the fifth large compilation from Ninja Tune, Big Dada and Counter, Cadence's music sits alongside the influences that helped inspire him into action (notably Roots Manuva, TTC, and Wiley), and it is clear to see how his sound has been shaped by listening to the main ingredients of this triple disc - the compilation itself becomes a good example of cause and effect when examined from this angle.

The YDK release is essentially a sound biography covering 18 years of the labels' existence, with features from legends such as Coldcut and Cinematic Orchestra to Spankrock, Diplo and Ghislain Poirior. Godfather of grime Wiley pulls in future star 16 year old wonderkid Chipmunk on his track No Qualms, while The Bug represents the dubstep phenomenon with Poison Dart, a track that's been tearing up London's FWD>> over the last few months.

Canadian rapper and producer Rollie Pemberton aka Cadence Weapon has been rapping since the age of 13. His musical journey so far has seen him reviewing hip-hop for Pitchfork, Stylus and Wired at 18, to producing the catalyst beat feast mixtape The Black Hand in 2005, which was to stir up the loins of labels such as Def Jam and Vice Records, getting him signed on the spot to Upperclass Records (Canada). So where did it all start? "I was always making music before I was writing reviews so it wasn't just something I came up with random while I was writing reviews for Pitchfork. It was just something I always wanted to do. I felt compelled to make an album before I missed my shot. Music has been fascinating me my entire life so I felt like it was the right thing to do."

His accomplished and insightful first album Breaking Kayfabe dropped to much critical acclaim, attracting a Best Rap Record of 2006 nomation at The Plug Music Awards. After so much anticipation as to what he would manifest, did he feel under pressure to produce something extraordinary? "I produced all of Breaking Kayfabe myself, it felt really good to get it out there because some of the beats and lyrics had been floating about my brain and computer for years. My whole thought process was to just complete an album, any album, and release it, it just felt like the right thing to do..."

"My first forays into making beats were the sound recorder program that comes with Windows 95. I would manually edit samples on it by copy and pasting specific elements and then putting them in order. I've been almost exclusively producing with the same computer and programs for years, using Fruity Loops, Adobe Audition and Reason mostly. I usually start with a concept or a title and make a beat on how that title makes me feel."

Cadence Weapon is very excited to be represented by the highly respected label Big Dada in the UK: "They are a label with a ton of history and many classic albums. I have always considered Witness The Fitness a classic record and I am a huge fan of TTC, Wiley and Mike Ladd."

The title for his new album, Afterparty Babies, is borne out of a reference by his father to entertain guests, quipping that his son was "definitely an after party baby!" and Cadence dedicates the album to "all the little mistakes out there." The album is testament to Pemberton's party vibe: "I was inspired by going to clubs across the continent, getting exposed to different styles of music and seeing the powerful effect it has on people. It's my attempt at taking social commentary and applying it in a way that lots of people can understand and enjoy."

Afterparty Babies is beautiful concoction that will not fail to move you on the dancefloors and in your heart. Let's hope to see some of his unreleased material and new edits on the next massive compilation.