Kardinal Offishall

Artist Image: Kardinal Offishall
Attribution
Image Credit: Freelance photographer Richard Burdett (Website) (Own work by uploader, taken at eTalk Festival Party.), CC BY 3.0

Biography

Kardinal Offishall (born Jason Harrow on May 21, 1976 in Scarborough, Ontario) is a Canadian hip-hop MC and producer of Jamaican descent.Kardinal is often viewed as “Canada’s hip-hop ambassador”, and along with MC’s such as Saukrates and Maestro Fresh Wes, he’s arguably the most popular. Kardinal blends soul, dancehall, reggae and hip-hop to create a truly unique sound. Kardinal started rapping at the age of eight, and was winning competitions by the time he was 12. Also at the age of 12, Kardinal performed live and on stage for the first time, with Nelson Mandela in attendance during his first visit to Toronto. By 1993, he decided to drop his alias “KoolAid”, and went by the moniker Kardinal Offishall after being inspired by the great 17th century French politician Cardinal Richelieu. Kardinal was signed to a publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Music Canada at the age of 20. In 1996, he released his first single “Naughty Dread”, which was featured on the Rap Essentials Volume One compilation and earned him a Juno Award nomination for Best Rap Recording. In 1997, Kardinal released his debut album Eye & I on Capitol Hill Music. The only single from the album, “On Wit Da Show”, had considerable video play on MuchMusic. Kardinal was also credited as a major contributor to the late 90’s renaissance of Canadian hip hop. In 1998, he was featured on the Juno-winning single “Northern Touch” with the Rascalz, Choclair, Checkmate and Thrust.

Details

Item Name Item Details
Year Formed 1996
Number of Albums 22
Record Label
Website
Wikipedia Kardinal Offishall on Wikipedia
Social Networks

Trivia

At what age was Kardinal Offishall signed to WarnerChappell Music?

20

...ons when he was 12. Signed to Canadian WarnerChappell Music at the age of 20 , he blended his music into soul, dance hall, reggae, and hiphop. In 1997,...
How many copies did Eye & I sell in its first week?

8,982

...s. Unfortunately, the record, which carry as many as 20 songs, only sold 8,982 copies in its first week release. The disappointing sale of his first a...
What was the name of his 1997 debut album?

Eye & I

... 1997, he explored his musical talent by releasing a debut album called Eye & I via MCA Records. Unfortunately, the record, which carry as many as 20 ...
What was the name of Sean Paul's song that marked his fame?

Money Jane

...ificant single which marked his fame was a Sean Paul featuring single Money Jane from which he won at 2001 MuchMusic Video Awards (MMVAs) for best rap...
Where did Money Jane win at MMVAs?

best rap video

...y Jane from which he won at 2001 MuchMusic Video Awards (MMVAs) for best rap video . The remix, which was well received across North America and partic...
What is Kardinal Offishall's third major label album?

Not for Sale

...hiphop music buyers with the release of his third major label album, Not for Sale , scheduled for release in 2007. Kardinal Offishall was born Jason Ha...
When was Not for Sale due out?

2007

...e of his third major label album, Not for Sale, scheduled for release in 2007 . Kardinal Offishall was born Jason Harrow in the eastern Toronto suburb ...
In what province of Canada is Scarborough located?

Ontario

...the eastern Toronto suburb of Scarborough (now part of Toronto proper), Ontario , Canada, in 1976. His parents were among the large number of Jamaicans...
Kardinal has maintained strong ties to the vibrant Caribbean culture of what area?

Toronto

...inal has maintained strong ties to the vibrant Caribbean culture of the Toronto area. In an interview with Del F. Cowie of Exclaim, Kardinal pointed t...
What country has really allowed Kardinal to blossom and do his thing?

Canada

...Canadian backgrounds as contributing to the unique flavor of his music. Canada has really allowed me to blossom and to do my thing, and they've embrac...
What was Kardinal's first nickname?

KoolAid

...h an interest in performing from the start, Kardinal was first known as KoolAid , when he did rap shows at talent shows run by Toronto's Fresh Arts you...
What was the name of the youth program that Kardian was a part of?

Fresh Arts

...wn as KoolAid, when he did rap shows at talent shows run by Toronto's Fresh Arts youth program. The stage name Kardinal refers to the seventeethcentur...
In what century was Cardinal Richelieu?

seventeethcentury

...'s Fresh Arts youth program. The stage name Kardinal refers to the seventeethcentury French statesman Cardinal Richelieu (Armand Jean du Plessis de Ri...
What was the collective Kardinal, Saukrates, and eight other musicians called?

Figurez Ov Speech

...Two years later Kardinal, rapper Saukrates, and eight other aspiring musicians formed a collective called Figurez Ov Speech , later renamed the Circle....
What was his father's job?

DJ

...is interest in music was spurred by the music collection of his father, a DJ , and nurtured by his mother, a teacher and community organizer, who encou...
Who funded the Fresh Arts program?

Jobs for Ontario Youth

... 1993, Harrow participated in the Fresh Arts program, funded by Jobs for Ontario Youth (JOY), through which he met many collaborators and colleagues i...
What is Little X's current name?

Director X

... which he met many collaborators and colleagues including singer Jully Black, hip hop musician Saukrates and video director Little X (now Director X )....
How long have Toronto hiphop fans understood their own sound?

decades

...For decades , Toronto hiphop fans have understood their own sound: a hybrid of East Coast boom bap and West Coast melodies with an aesthetic style and ...
Who hosts this show?

Anupa Mistry

...e had on American music, his career, and more. Hosted by Transcript: Anupa Mistry OK, so I have someone here with me who... well if youre talking abou...
Offishall is best known for his distinctive reggae and what other influenced style of hip hop?

dancehall

...st hip hop producers, and is best known for his distinctive reggae and dancehall influenced style of hip hop. A native of Toronto, Offishall began his...
What group did Offishall join in the mid-1990s underground hip hop scene?

The Circle

...reer in the city's mid1990s underground hip hop scene, as a member of The Circle . The following year, Offishall released his second album, Quest for F...
What was the name of the second album released in the same year?

Quest for Fire: Firestarter, Vol. 1

... The following year, Offishall released his second album, Quest for Fire: Firestarter, Vol. 1 , spawning the Billboard hit BaKardi Slang, which popular...
Who was Toronto's nickname?

Tdot

...ng the Billboard hit BaKardi Slang, which popularized Toronto's nickname Tdot , and the minor hit Ol' Time Killin'; both singles became his signature s...
What was the name of Offishall's third album?

Fire and Glory

...ngles became his signature songs. In 2005, Offishall's third album, Fire and Glory , was released in Canada. That year, he collaborated with R&B singer...
What was his fourth album called?

Not 4 Sale

...ve Distribution label, through Geffen, and released his fourth album, Not 4 Sale , the following year. Its first single, Dangerous (featuring Akon), be...
Dangerous was a top five hit on what chart?

Billboard Hot 100

...t single, Dangerous (featuring Akon), became a top five hit on the Billboard Hot 100 , and was certified triple platinum in Canada. Offishall released ...
How many gold certified singles did Offishall release before leaving Kon Live in 2010?

two

... Hot 100, and was certified triple platinum in Canada. Offishall released two gold certified singles, Numba 1 (Tide Is High) (featuring Keri Hilson or...
What is the name of the two singles released with Keri Hilson and Rihanna?

Numba 1 (Tide Is High)

...tinum in Canada. Offishall released two gold certified singles, Numba 1 (Tide Is High) (featuring Keri Hilson or Rihanna) and Body Bounce (featuring A...
At what age did Kardinal start rapping?

eight

...p to create a truly unique sound. Kardinal started rapping at the age of eight , and was winning competitions by the time he was 12. By 1993, he decide...
When did he drop his alias KoolAid?

1993

...the age of eight, and was winning competitions by the time he was 12. By 1993 , he decided to drop his alias KoolAid, and went by the moniker Kardinal ...
Who inspired Kardian?

Cardinal Richelieu

... after being inspired by the great 17th century French politician Cardinal Richelieu . Kardinal was signed to a publishing deal with WarnerChappell Mus...
In what year did Kardian release his first single?

1996

... a publishing deal with WarnerChappell Music Canada at the age of 20. In 1996 , he released his first single Naughty Dread, which was featured on the R...
What was Kardinal's first single?

Naughty Dread

...Music Canada at the age of 20. In 1996, he released his first single Naughty Dread , which was featured on the Rap Essentials Volume One compilation an...
What was the name of the first single from his debut album?

On Wit Da Show

...lbum Eye & I on Capitol Hill Music. The only single from the album, On Wit Da Show , had considerable video play on MuchMusic. He released the album Qu...
When was Eye & I released?

1997

...lation and earned him a Juno Award nomination for Best Rap Recording. In 1997 , Kardinal released his debut album Eye & I on Capitol Hill Music. The on...
When was Quest for Fire: Firestarter, Vol. 1 released?

2001

... MuchMusic. He released the album Quest for Fire: Firestarter, Vol. 1 in 2001 , which spawned the hits BaKardi Slang and Ol' Time Killin'. The album ea...
In what year was Offishall's third album released in Canada?

2005

... minor hit Ol' Time Killin'; both singles became his signature songs. In 2005 , Offishall's third album, Fire and Glory, was released in Canada. That y...