“Stephen Thomas is the 21st century’s version of John Lennon, and most probably one of our generations’ greatest urban writers to emergeâ€
Preach of The Ville
Stephen Thomas
Born July 8th 1972 to Trinidadian parents who immigrated to eastern Canada In the late 60’s, it was easily noticeable from early on that this young man would grow to be a gifted individual. Excelling at everything he put his mind to Stephen became an All-Canadian basketball star on the high school and university levels, playing for Sun Youth , Vanier College and Concordia University , eventually leading to a scholarship from Lewis State College where he held the position of point guard.
Stephen eventually moved back to Montreal in 1998, and commenced writing “The Dawning Sunset†a beautiful display of poetry and a strong testament to his personal growth and the journey he embarked on into manhood. This was also the time that a good friend of his by the name of Fate of At Random, a hip hop crew who is noted for coining the phrase Mount-Real and tore up eastern Canadian stages in the mid nineties, had introduced Stephen to his 1st stage performance, where he admittedly says that “man I didn’t know how to hold a mic right, or speak properly into the micâ€. So he considers his debut at coco café during the same year as his 1st coming where he says “Man they lost their minds, screaming and applauding and by the second showing I received a standing ovationâ€.
But it was the bond that Stephen would form with his long time friend Jahsun to join The Kalmunity Vibes Collective in 2003 that would prove the most beneficial for the young poet. Spring of that same year he hooked up with some young artists from his native hood of Lasalle dubbed The Ville and began recording over digitally made beats and getting his 1st real feel for studio production, then guest appearing at Club Soda for a Northern Lights/ The Ville showcase. Stephen then began frequenting Kalmunity Tuesdays held at Sablo Café, and honing in on his true lyrical and vocal skills as a performing poet to become a true fixture in the revitalized spoken word community of Montreal.
"If the Kalmunity Collective represents the positive potential unleashed when artists work together, then Kalmunity member Stephen Thomas is a good example of that unleashed energy on the individual levelâ€. Vincent Tinguely of the Montreal Mirror
Later on that year Stephen came up with the concept for The Soapbox, which is performance poetry theatre created to showcase Stephen’s favourite and most respected colleagues from the spoken word, lyricists and musician camps in Montreal and can be caught once a month at various venues in Montreal. He then created the Stephen Thomas Group a publishing/promotional/management company to help promote his own projects and that of his closest friends. Stephen has also been hard at work creating with and for various different events and people Like composing the theme song for Nevik Fashion's launching and overseeing the success of the New Rhythms New Media Artist Exchange between Montreal, Halifax and Toronto.
CLICK ABOVE PIC' FOR STEPHEN THOMAS' AUDIO OF WATER QUEEN LIVE
Stephen has taken the stage at such venues like The National Arts Centre with Dwayne Morgan , Oni the Haitian Sensation, Jason “Black Bird†Selman , John Akpata and Inner City out of Oakland, Ca. The 2005 instalment of Voix d’ameriques , the Hot & Saucy Festival and the Irie Music Festival in Toronto with Lillian Allen . Stephen has also Performed alongside The Ethnic Heritage Ensemble a legendary Chicago based band, and graced events with the likes of locals DJ Andy Williams, Scott C, Kaie Kellough , Kali of Kali & Dub , Nahyelah, Alexis O’Hara , Amanda Diva of MTV2 and the It's Bigger Than Hip Hop Mixtape and Barbadian Sha/ron Brooks with whom he wrote a lovely soulful ballad entitled Comfortable for her upcoming LP release.
Stephen has also graced the cover of the Montreal Mirrors Noisemakers issue for 2005 and 2004’s Best Of … (Voted 5th overall). Stephen Has been hard at work in the studio with DNA productions and All Good Music producing his upcoming EP “Reflections of Rebirth†that he proudly labels Spoken Music and has collaborated with the likes of SoulShak Music, Preach of The Ville , Sha/Ron Brooks , Lady Ra’faelle and DJ Quantic one of the UK’s leading underground producers.
"The album isn't even spoken word," Thomas says. "We're calling it spoken music, because we've taken it beyond what spoken word artists are doing currently."
Stephen is also the proud father of two and caregiver for six mentally challenged patients whom live with him and tremendously help his personal growth on a daily basis. Stephen is a Spiritualist who calls on the aid of all the positive energies around him to create such dynamic work, laced with supremely truthful messages.
Stephen is a Father, a Son, a Brother, a Cousin, a Mentor and a Friend and he will be hailed as one of the greatest instalments to our urban arts culture of this generation.
Mat Slater
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