Epic Interview
Check out our exclusive interview with Epic. Here is a little more about Epic.
Epic is a middle-aged rapper from Canada’s prairie region. Best known for his off-kilter folk rap delivery that earned him a lot of attention during the early-2000s blog era when he was one of the first Western Canadian rappers to tour internationally in Europe and the United States. After a 14-year hiatus, he quit his day job and started making music again, returning to form as one of the most unique and interesting rappers you will hear.
I2G is here with Epic, how’s it going?
It is going really great. We had a great spring time in North Edmonton.
Tell me a little bit about your start in music and who are some of your musical influences.
I can trace my start in music to DJing underground rap in the mid 1990s. I would play artists such as A Tribe Called Quest and Blackalicious. A few of my friends and I often had a weekly night. The nights were held at a couple of the newer bars/clubs that catered to alternative rock, grunge and punk. These spaces gave the less busy, mid week nights to hiphop and house music. Some of my DJ crew (the Beatcombers) were in university at this time, so it was difficult to get up for class the next day.
I am influenced by De la Soul, Tribe Called Quest, 1980s era Masta Ace and the Juice crew, Digable Planets. Ed O G and the Large Professor. Those two rappers (Ed O G and the Large Professor) had somewhat of a talk and rap fusion which influenced my rap style over the years. When most of my friends were into Project Blowed rap, I was more into the Bay area scene: Saafir, Mystic Journeyman, Hiero. With the exception of Aceyalone. I was the Aceyalone expert in my city. I love Anticon, particularly Sole and Why?. I would also put P.E.A.C.E records on and freestyle a lot. Not a P.E.A.C.E. instrumental, I was freestyling over songs with lyrics. I love Existereo, Subtitle, Radioinactive and Bluebird. I love the Canadian underground indie scene: Kunga 219, Buck 65, Fermented Reptile, Recyclone, Ira Lee and Def 3, Soso, Moka Only. I will always be thankful to the Canadian rap legends Frek Sho for early help and influence. That is a really powerful crew to look up to and interact with. Shazam and Ismaila from Frek Sho, especially. I carry the words of these people into battle.
You just recently dropped your new album, A library called Calder, with Deadly Stare. Tell me a little bit about how the album came together for you.
At first, Deadly Stare sent me a few beats to work on. We did “Beat 79” first. The beat was called “79” in the package with some other beats with no names. I thought the instrumental was more than a number. The name made it seem like it was just something in a sequence. I ask myself when I get these beat packs are they just numbers or names. My goal in writing was to make it more than a number. However, I also played with numeral concepts during the writing of the song. For example, 79 is a high prime number. I had recently been down the Danube past Budapest and Melk in Austria. The Saskatchewan river is just as beautiful. Let’s tie the beat into the beautiful Saskatchewan river.
What I liked is that the song was better after Deadly Stare mixed it than when I had recorded it. We just kept going and it eventually turned into an album. My focus on many of the songs was what was going on with my life at the time. This album really captures it. The retirement from my day job and moving back into music. The death of my brother by not being able to breath. I wrote a lot of “Snow Tires” when my brother was on life support (he is 12 years younger than me). That is why the verse is so rugged. They gave us a time when they would take him off life support. I went for a long Saskatoon walk prior to this time, with my aunt. I had really rugged thoughts. My family grew up poor, even needing to go to the food bank occasionally. These thoughts made that song rugged. Ready to battle the wealthy rap kids that had taken over the Saskatoon rap scene and put it into the clubs. The album ends with “Properly Swim”, a good commentary on where I am in my life at 53 years old. Going to the recreation centre once a week to swim and preserve my declining body. With many regulars in the mid day time slots. A group of regular seniors are Chinese Canadians. People from Ukraine during the war. A lot of Lebanese people live in my neighborhood, so many people from that area of the world. It is a great vibe. Most of the 60-somethings are in better shape than me, but I will get there.
Do you have any other Mixtapes or albums set to drop?
I have an album almost done to come out on Hand’Solo Records in 2026. It is tentatively called Heater in My Truck 2. As a starting point it has Moka Only beats. I met Moka around 1997 and have had good rap hang outs with him and a few friends over the years. And of course I am a collector of his legendary catalog. I then filled the album beats out with a number of friends that have made beats for me over the last 2 years. I actually started this album prior to A library Called Calder. I mostly put it on hold as Deadly Stare and I were making good progress. Currently I am finishing it off. The album has a multi producer feel like my past album Aging Is What Friends Do Together. I am also working on a few things with other people that are in the early stages. However, for the next while I want people to focus on the A Library Called Calder album because it is such a cohesive art piece. Also, to change the subject, don’t forget to check out Nassau Manor, the album I did last year with Winnipeger Rob Crooks.
Do you have any more upcoming videos or singles?
We recently released a video for a song called “Feel” on the Hand’Solo Records YoutTbe page. I have an Epic and Memphis Reigns single on standby.
What are your current thoughts on the music industry?
I cut out the negativity and try to focus on building projects that will stand the test of time. I came up in the days of freestyling and recording verses into a four track for DJ mixtapes. The idea then was to come up with original flows and styles while saying something. I really dislike the flood of craftsman white rappers that make songs that are a punch in of 12 takes. I guess I saw Cage and El-P perform together at Scribble Jam together and Cage would help El-P out with the intricate parts. These white craftsmen are past that where it would probably take 3 people on stage to duplicate the recorded verse. Also, buying verses has gone too far. I saw a nerd in my city purchase a verse from the Wu Tang Clan as he has a fairly high paying job. Which is cool but when the artwork for it came out it was a picture of him and he looked like he had survived the streets of Staten Island and never smiles. Other than that it’s dope.
What is currently playing on your playlist musically?
Currently – Why?, Elton John, Milc and Televangel, Gregory Pepper, Swamp Thing, Sergeant X Comrade, Fatboi Sharif, Em Prime, Rove. I usually check out anything Buck 65 puts out. I heard some great unreleased Jesse Dangerously music. He may be my favourite underground rapper. I do like a lot of the art rap heavy hitters but they are usually not my favourite stuff for repeat listens. I am into a lot of cool Canadian labels such as Hand’Solo records and Urbnet.
Do you have any shows or tour dates?
Currently, A group of us go to a rap monthly at a coffee shop here in Edmonton. We have been attending this for the last 15 months.
We have pre-booked a few dates in Japan for November. I am trying to limit to 4 or 5 shows so I have days off to do cultural stuff. I want to go to a Japan league soccer game. Lately I have been out to Toronto and London to do shows. The next time we plan on adding a few more Ontario cities to that plan. In the next year I will go to a few of the cities in Western Canada. I am always looking for tour dates. I do love travelling.
Hand’Solo Records is also planning a cross-Canada tour in 2026 for their 30th Anniversary, and I should be on that.
What is your website information?
You can always DM me on Instagram. A good way for business is to DM me or to message Thomas at Hand’Solo Records. I have lots of time for people but I feel like Thomas has a lot of good ideas and contacts and may be a bit more organized than I am. We are always looking for show dates. I am thinking of starting a Substack as a next project. I cringe at some of the stuff I would blog on Myspace so maybe not. Also thank you to Deadly Stare. Deadly stare can be reached at https://endemikmusic.com/records/ . This is a record label that he has operated for a long period of time in which I am a fan of.
