Swagger Rite’s first taste of the industry came through his dance group, Rated PG, when he was 13 years old. After winning a competition in 2005 called ‘You Got Served’, Director X (Drake “Hotline Bling”, French Montana “Famous”, Zayn “Like I Would”) signed the group. They would end up performing in Rihanna’s “Pon Di Replay” that same year, however, for Swagger, it wasn’t enough.

“I was watching a lot of artists coming up around 2011, 2012. I didn’t really like a lot of music coming up and thought I could do better. I was always good at freestyling, and my cousin $ha Hustle was already doing numbers so I just started going to the studio with him and started rapping,” he says.

In 2016, Swagger Rite made his rap debut with the mixtape, P.O.M.E. (Product Of My Environment), a gritty trap infused tape filled with street tales, which resulted in a quick growing social media fanbase and Soundcloud following with over 2 million streams to date. Though much of his music is rooted in trap music, the self described “old soul” finds much influence in the Golden era of rap music: Tupac, Bone Thugs N Harmony, Method Man, Redman, Cypress Hill, and Big Daddy Kane, to name a few. With his rap knowledge in one hand, Swagger Rite then turned to the likes of Gucci Mane, Waka Flocka and OJ Da Juiceman for that swag.

“They always used to say ‘swagger right shawty. Growing up, I was always a fly kid… I grew up getting money at a young age. People were always fascinated by me when I’d come around because I stopped wearing Jordans and started wearing all designer. They were like, ‘Yo, swagger right shawty!’ you know? It just stuck.” On the heels of “In Love With The K”(ft. BlocBoy JB) and “Drop Top” (ft. Yella Beezy and Flipp Dinero), Swagger Rite will be releasing a new EP filled with trappy melodic hits and mosh-pit anthems later this year.

“As far as Toronto is concerned, I don’t sound like anything here. I’m just different. I can rap, I can sing, I can do a rock song… I’m just an all around player.”

Name: Swagger Rite

Genre: Hip Hop

Founded: 2007

# of Albums: 0

Latest Release: Drop Top

Latest Single: Drop Top

Latest Video: In love with the K

Drop top coming…. sooooooonnnnn

Favourite Restaurant:

The Keg

Favourite band as a teenager:

Marianas Trench

Favourite band now:

Swagggerite

Guilty Pleasure Song:

Confessions Usher

Live Show Ritual:

Hennessy

Favourite local artist:

Gucci Mane/ Drake

Sneaky Dees nachos, pasta from Terroni or a superfood salad from Fresh?

none of the above

Queen or College St?

College

Trinity Bellwoods or High Park, Riverdale or Kew Gardens, other?

High Park

EP or LP?

EP

Early bird or night owl?

Both… we don’t sleep fam.

Road or studio?

Studio

Swiss Chalet or Roti?

Roti all day fam… why would a man pick Swiss Chalet that dutty chicken?

Where can we follow you?

Instagram and Twitter.

Any shows or albums coming up?

EP DROPS Fall 2019.

The post “Five Minutes With” Toronto Hip Hop Artist Swagger Rite appeared first on Toronto Guardian.