Golden Chile

Golden Chile’, more than a name, it’s a title. Given to him by hisneighborhood dogs, “It’s like he has a gift, a blessing from God, free styling lyrics, rhymingmelodies, composing music for the streets.” OK, the reference is not lost; some view this artist asa chosen one, but chosen for what?
Hailing from the west side of the multi-cultural city Toronto, does this artist really come with thestreet credibility needed in the rap game? Do violent, drug infested slums, where all one has istheir name and rep really exist in this Canadian city ranked 15th globally for it’s standard ofliving in 2007? Can it really have a dark side? And yet exist they do… a whole other world, many here arenot, or choose not to be aware of. This world exists as sure as these words on the page.
Through ‘Look What The Hood Did’, the first in a trilogy of singles for this debut artist onBulletProof Ink Records, he exposes the darker side of our urban existence and it’s negative impacton those who reside there. He raises our consciousness with an educational flow reminiscent of thoserappers who have come before. Dare the comparison be drawn to Tupac? Yet with the messages containedcan the similarity be denied? The lyrical evidence speaks for itself. With the sentiment heard onthe tracks ‘Creep On Em’ and ‘To Whom It May Concern’ we get yet another glimpse of this artist’sworld.
“Some brothers are mindless. Taking another life is a pattern of behavior in the hood. It’s apolitical stand off leaving minorities in a position of thinking that he or she is nothing, turning inwardsto self, thinking that they don’t have much except their name and rep. Heads are broke anddesperate, looking to creep up on you. Not unless heads see more hope in their daily lives, they’renot going to understand the importance of life.”
So what of this Golden Chile’ then? Golden… as in the yellow sunny glow of the primary luminary inthe sky. Is this artist’s motive to provide illumination through his societal commentary sufficientto recede the darkness? Does his radiance cast enough light to affect the desired and much requiredchange? Chile…. Your own progeny, a mirror of our selves… a reflection held up in lyrical form bythis artist, a side of our community, a side of that other world that needs reparation.
Still palpable through the street façade his energy is fresh, the attitude unjaded by lifeexperiences to believe that hope still exists, that transformation is possible, and that life isindeed important.
One gets the sense this street soldier embodies that irrefutable human quality that inspires us tobe more than we are, to rise above where we come from. Perhaps this is the reason Golden Chile’ hasbeen chosen. Through his evolution into that which his name implies his music takes us with him.
Golden Chile’… chosen for his rhyming skills alone? Perhaps not. One listen and one wonders whatother mirrors will this artist hold up, what reflections will we see through the messages containedin his songs? If we feel the message exposed there will we not want to take action? If this isthe outcome of this artist’s body of work, then indeed he is the chosen one and he will havedemonstrated why he is titled the Golden Chile’.