2011 JUNO AWARDS CALLING FOR ALL CANADIAN RAP ARTISTS
SUBMISSIONS OPEN FOR RAP RECORDING OF THE YEAR
40TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS UNDERWAY
Toronto, ON (November 5, 2010) – The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) announced that submissions for the 2011 JUNO Awards are now open. This is a landmark year for the JUNO Awards, as they prepare for stellar celebrations commemorating four decades of recognizing excellence in Canadian music. JUNO Week unfolds in Toronto, ON March 21 – 27, 2011, with events celebrating its 40th Anniversary happening year-round.
The Rap Advisory Committee includes seasoned label representative Jay Devonish (eOne Entertainment), David “Click Cox” (Stylus DJ Awards), Greg Baptiste (MuchMusic/CTV), Jody Laraya (Universal Music Canada), Jesse Plunkett (HipHopCanada.com), Melissa “DJ MelBoogie” Langley (CKLN 88.1FM), Jay Swing (Beat 94.5FM), Kyle Kraft (Battle Axe), Dice B (CINQ 102.3FM), Don Smooth(K103FM), Rez Digital (Flow 93.5FM) and Darryl Rodway (Urbnet). New to the Rap Advisory Board this year, and representing Central Canada is Marlon Wilson, co-Founder of Music for Mavericks, an independent urban music label in Edmonton that is home to 3-time WCMA Nominees, Politic Live. Marlon is also the host of Edmonton’s Urban Hang Suite on CJSR 88.5FM .
Collectively, the committee is making strides in developing outreach to rap artists across the country, both English and Francophone, to increase the number of submissions. As a result of these concentrated effots, last year CARAS received the most-ever rap submissions since the category was established in 1990. By partnering with radio shows, online magazines and DJs across the country, the committee hopes to continue to raise awareness throughout the community about the submissions and judging process, specifically for rap artists. “We’ve assembled a great team of people from around the country who are actively working in various aspects of the urban music scene,” says Jay Devonish, Chairman / JUNO Awards Rap Advisory Committee. We’ve also worked closely with CARAS on the jury list to revise it and ensure the people voting on the Awards are qualified and active within the urban community. We’re excited to work together with CARAS to ensure th e rap community is properly represented at the JUNO Awards.”
The JUNO Awards have been proven to be an excellent networking vehicle, not only for artists who win, but to be a nominee and/or participant in various JUNO Awards events can lead to further opportunities. Legendary Canadian Rap Artist and previous JUNO Award Winner, Wes “Maestro” Williams, stated, “The Juno Awards mean a great deal to me. Receiving two in 1991 was a catalyst for my career as well as for other MC’s coming out after me. It was the first ever Juno Award for a hip hop artist and it was an amazing landmark for the Canadian music industry to acknowledge my genre of music on a national level. I’m very proud to be a part of that history.” Other previous nominees include Arabesque, Drake, Sans Pression, BrassMunk, Checkmate, Choclair, Classified, Dubmatique, Concise, DL Incognito, Eternia, IRS, K’Naan, Kardinal Offishall, k-os, Michie Mee, Famous and Sweatshop Union. Submission forms are available at https://junosubmissions.ca
All submissions must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on November 12, 2010.
