ONE of Canada's finest rhyme-merchants, Roland Pemberton (aka Cadence Weapon) is electro-hopping up the ranks in rap music.
Famed for his rapid-mouthed delivery, insightful lyrics and unusual electronic and house-influenced instrumentals, Pemberton was recently signed to Anti (home to Nick Cave and Tom Waits), nominated for a prestigious Polaris Prize in 2006 and has sinc
e started to make a name for himself internationally.
"I think I'm the only guy that does the stuff I do," says Pemberton, who appears alongside J-Live for a unique double bill at the Voodoo Rooms on Monday night.
Three years ago his acclaimed debut, Breaking Kayfabe, had people touting his native Edmonton as the new home of hip-hop, but the son of groundbreaking DJ Teddy Pemberton is quick to distance himself from all the hype.
"I don't necessarily want to claim to being a hip-hop ambassador," he states.
The result of a summer spent on Edmonton's club scene, second album Afterparty Babies is a more up-tempo affair than its predecessor and one that's sure to get feet on the dancefloor.
"On the last record, I was coming from an underground rap perspective," he explains of his new direction.
"It was introspective, dark, spooky. I've changed as a person since then. I got into different music. This record is more influenced by the dance stuff I've been getting into. It was a natural progression."
When writing the album, Pemberton did not stray far from his hometown for inspiration.
"Observing the scene from outside, hanging out with friends, watching stories unfold as people changed," he says was the fodder for his newbie.
"I felt like I had to start telling these stories. I wanted to make a youth culture time capsule about the 'hipster' scene right now. It's purposefully dated," adds the rapper.
He may be a new breed of rapper, but Pemberton says he doesn't have a desire to be different – he's just always been that way.
"I've always kind of been a weird guy, in everything I do, and it's no different in the music that I make," insists the 22-year-old.
"Whenever I would play my music to people, they never really knew what to make of it, but now I think it's becoming more accepted.
"Even in high school, I was the only guy into underground rap. I dressed differently. I've always been into different kinds of media and in general, things were weird. I didn't have the same upbringing as a lot of people, because dad used to grow weed in the basement."
In the past few years, Pemberton has played shows with Spank Rock, Lady Sovereign, Jurassic 5, TTC, New Pornographers, Final Fantasy, and De La Soul.
He's also rocked as guest performer with The Klaxons, Hot Chip and Islands, and remixed Lady Sovereign, Kid Sister, Disco D, Busdriver.
More than any name-dropping, though, this musical maverick deserves to be judged on the strength of his music alone.
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Cadence Weapon/J-Live, The Voodoo Rooms, West Register Street, Monday, 8pm, £12, 0131-556 7060The full article contains 518 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
