Top 7 Unbelievable Facts About Kardinal Offishall

Top 7 unbelievable facts about Kardinal Offishall

Kardinall Offishall by Richard Burdett from Wikimedia Commons

Jason Drew Harrow (born May 11, 1976)is a Canadian rapper, record producer, DJ, and record executive better known by his stage name Kardinal Offishall. He is recognized for his distinctive reggae and dancehall-influenced style of hip hop and is sometimes referred to as Canada’s “hip hop ambassador.” He is considered one of the country’s greatest hip-hop producers and is best known for his distinctive reggae and dancehall-influenced style of hip hop.

Kardinal Offishall has been a staple of Canadian hip-hop for over two decades. His undeniable mic skills and West Indian roots, as well as his stage presence and production abilities, are just a few of the secrets to his durability, which spans a pivotal period in Canadian hip-evolution. 

Given Kardi’s ability to adapt throughout his career, it’s easy to get caught up in the moment and forget about his steadiness and success throughout the years. A quick look back reveals not just his pivotal role in Toronto’s underground hip-hop culture, but also his ability to harness his roots to work with and earn respect from a long list of illustrious collaborators and fans, including Pharrell Williams, Jay Z, Timbaland, and Rihanna.

Here are 10 unbelievable facts about Kardinal officials:

1. His early life 

Scarborough by mattbuck from Wikimedia Commons

Jamaican immigrant parents reared harrow in Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, near the city’s east end. He resided in the city’s Flemingdon Park neighbourhood from age two to thirteen. For two years, he returned to Scarborough before settling in Oakwood–Vaughan, near the city’s west end.

He used to hold parties at the Alexandra Park Community Centre while he was in high school. He was also a former York University student who did not finish his studies.

2. His career started at the age of 8 

Kardinal Offishall by thecomeupshow from Wikimedia Commons

He began rapping when he was eight years old and was already winning competitions by the age of twelve. He had his first live stage appearance at the age of 14, with Nelson Mandela in attendance during Mandela’s first visit to Toronto after his release from jail earlier that year (1990).

After being inspired by the legendary 17th-century French statesman Cardinal Richelieu, he decided to modify his nickname “KoolAid” and adopt the moniker “Kardinal Offishall” in 1993. Offishall co-founded The Circle, a group of musicians that included Choclair, Jully Black, Solitair, Tara Chase, and Saukrates, that same year. On Saukrates’ track “Still Caught Up” in 1994, he had his first recorded appearance.

3. Kardinal was signed to a publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Music Canada at the age of 20

Warner Chappell Production by Warner Music Group Corp from Wikimedia Commons

His debut song, “Naughty Dread,” was published in 1996 and was included in the Rap Essentials Volume One compilation, earning him a Juno Award nomination for Best Rap Recording. Kardinal’s debut album, Eye & I, was released on Capitol Hill Music in 1997.

The album’s lone song, “On wit da Show,” received a lot of video play on MuchMusic. The album garnered a lot of positive feedback from music reviewers. On his 20-track first album, Eye & I, Kardinal “mixed soul, dancehall, reggae, hip-hop, and a fully unique approach to sounds,” according to AllMusic. Unfortunately, the album received minimal commercial notice in Canada due to inadequate distribution and a lack of radio backing.

4. Kardinal turned down the chance to sign with Jay Z

When Jay Z visited Toronto for a Roc La Familia celebration at Caribana, Kardinal performed as a special guest. Kardinal was offered a deal with Roc La Familia by Jay Z, but he declined since he was considering joining Akon’s new record company.

5. Kardinal recorded the first Canadian hip-hop single to reach the Billboard Hot 100

Billboard Hot 100 logo by Prometheus Global Media from Wikimedia Commons

Kardinal released the track “Dangerous,” which featured Akon and became a worldwide smash. “Dangerous” is the first Canadian hip-hop artist’s single to rank on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 5 on the singles list. It’s a top ten hit in a number of European nations, and it’s triple platinum in Canada, where it reached No. 2 on the Hot 100.

6. Music collaborations

He was featured on Lady Gaga’s Just Dance (RedOne Remix) from the EP “Just Dance (Remixes, Pt. 2)” in 2008. In an effort to generate money for disaster assistance, he was included in the Young Artists for Haiti’s version of “Wavin’ Flag” in 2010. He shared the screen alongside a slew of Canadian celebrities.

He was also featured in Raghav’s track “So Much” in 2010. In 2011, he co-wrote the gold-selling single “Famous” with Canadian dance-pop group Audio Playground, which peaked at #28 in Canada and #10 on the Billboard Dance charts in the United States. On his track “Ghetto Love,” he partnered with vocalist Karl Wolf in 2011.

On the tune “Look Up,” Kardinal Offishall and Madchild from Swollen Members were featured on Canadian hip hop musician Classified’s self-titled album in 2013. Artists Against Bullying’s charity track “True Colors” included him as well. Offishall joins Universal Music Canada as Creative Executive Director of A&R on December 16, 2013.

He has shown interest in developing international talent in addition to Canadian potential, saying, “I’m scanning the world for superstars.”  Kardinal Offishall’s fifth studio album, Kardi Gras, Vol. 1: The Clash, was released on October 30, 2015, and featured the smash track “That Chick Right There,” which peaked at number 68 on the Canadian Hot 100.

7. Offishall has long been involved with the charity Free the Children

Offishall has been a long-time supporter of the organization Free the Children. He has been organizing a Christmas fundraising dinner called Free the City to benefit the charity since 1998. He’s gone to Kenya to help Free the Children to build schools, and he’s also a big supporter of the 30 Elephants program, which takes small groups of youngsters on educational travels all around the world.

Offishall was one of the hundreds of Canadian musicians that contributed to a remix of K’Naan’s “Wavin’ Flag” in 2010, which generated over $1 million for Haiti disaster victims. After Nelson Mandela’s death in late 2013, Offishall appeared at a Toronto school and stated that he had named his kid Dela after the late South African leader.

He’s one of the most fascinating and inspirational figures in Canadian music. He isn’t Canada’s Jay-Z or anybody else’s for that matter. He’s pure, honest, sympathetic, and intelligent in his own way.