The Hustle anniversary highlights Toronto talent

Last weekend, Toronto’s independent music presenter The Academy celebrated the 10-year anniversary of The Hustle concert series with a free showcase in Trillium Park. The event, facilitated with the support of Ontario Place’s SummerSeries, is a showcase of Toronto’s up-and-coming music talent, offering them a platform and an opportunity to amplify their voices.

Over the years, The Hustle helped launch the careers of artists like Haviah Mighty, TOBi, Sadboi (fka Ebhoni), and Emanuel, platforming over 120 emerging artists across 44 showcases.

The showcase, hosted by DJ/MC/creative, TREMAYNE, included performances by Beaugé, Datsunn, Leila Dey, TRP.P, Adria Kain, Roshin, and a headlining set by the JUNO-nominated rapper, producer, engineer and director, Clairmont The Second,

Between the performances, Elaquent and OBUXUM kept the vibe going, sharing their own flavours from the DJ decks. OBUXUM is a Toronto-based Somali-Canadian producer and beat maker who you may have seen perform at one of Toronto’s Boiler Room events, at MUTEK Montreal, and Wavelength Festival, to name a few. Her vibrant, unique selection of tracks was perfectly paired with this relaxing afternoon.

Music content creator and producer Datsunn has garnered quite an audience with his social streams and bedroom sessions, and today’s set carried the same easy-going theme. The set was a fun mix of classic hip-hop, soul, R&B, and some original tracks like “Reminiscing“.

Local rapper Roshin, witched things up with his sharp rhymes and pointed lyrics, gathering new and existing fans closer to the stage. TRP.P (pronounced “TRIP-ee”) were a great next act but came across numerous technical difficulties, communally resolved in time for them to promptly enough for them to earn some new fans. Truss and Phoenix Pagliacci have a playful and collaborative stage energy, vibing off of each other. Tracks like “Simpfunny” and “Lies” were an immediate hit.

Rhythm and blues singer Adria Kain took the stage next with a bit of a delay. Joined on stage by a drummer and a keyboardist, Adria worked her way through When Flowers Bloom and a few new songs. “A new album is coming soon,” she shared with the crowd, “but I won’t tell you when”. Kain overlapped her set with the next performer, Leila Dey, slightly catching up on the schedule. Jamaican-born, Toronto-raised R&B singer and songwriter, Leila Dey dedicated a portion of her set to the 90s R&B, performing a handful of favourite tracks, before leading the audience back to her original music.

Clairmont The Second promptly arrived on stage with his own set-up: a couple of vintage box TVs and a VCR player. After tinkering with it for a time and not succeeding with the replay, Clairmont proceeded with his set without visual accompaniments. Energetically pacing in front of the crowd of friends and family, he played a series of new and old tracks, sharing an occasional story about this song or another.