John Goodman This Week Editer jolong@nsnews.com TORONTO’S Chociair is surrounded by a circle of friends as he makes his move onto the international scene. Literally. The Circle (a group of T-dot musicians who suppert cach others’ projects) consists of some of the heaviest names in Canadian hip hop. Saukrates, Kardinal Offishall, Jully Black, to name just a few, all contribute to Choclair’s new CD Ice Cold. And some of them wil! even travel with him on his swing west . with Rahzel. . “Solitaire’s going to be on stage, DJ Grouch and either . Kardinal or Saukrates will be coming out as well,” says - Choclair. “With each tour we end up travelling with different people. We don’t know what the next person has coming up. Saukrates’ priority is his record and he has a very crazy schedule fight now.” Whoever shows up it promises to be an incredible night with what amounts to a supergroup of hip hop’s finest support- ing their fiend. And a lot is riding on the man. ~_- Choclaie is the first Canadian hip hop star to sign a major label deal with Ice Cold set for release in the States carly in the new year. As far as we're concerned the record is one of the best to come out anywhere with strong tracks from start to fin- ish. But don’t expect to hear a rehash of the CD live. “On ge I can feed off the energy of the crowd,” says Choclair. ¢ crowd gets me even more into the show. We definitely try to flip it up — we don’t want to just come out and perform the songs. We want to do different things to make the show more _ entertaining.” . Choclair distinguishes his offstage personality from his musi- cal persona. Karcem Blake has been creating an underground _-tepetation with his alter-ego since 1995. The Source tagged him as an “Unsigned Hype” and Gang Starr used his smooth voice on “You Know My Secz”. Split;ing up identity allows him to distance himscif from the character and get into a different “vibe. Not necessarily one he would approach otherwise. ~~ “e*s actually kind of hard to separate them — Choclair may . be the musical persona —~ but it’s still Kareem Blake, it’s still a part of me. You're able to express sides you're not able to express in everyday life. When I’m in the studio or on stage : Kareem Blake is sitting on the couch sleeping and Choclair takes over and he’s watching him saying ‘that guy doesn’t know’, I put myself into the Choclair mode.” Almost all the music on Ise Cold is original and was created in the studic with his production team. He shares the Roots’ philosophical disdain for borrowing others’ music. “We try to stay away from samples — number one it saves me because I don’t have to pay to'clear the samples — and number two it allows the producer to become a bit more creative. A of people ’ think that the piano on “Let’s Ride” is a sample but it’s not — ’ Pp ; Kardinal actually played that out.” “:,:-The record was recorded partly in New York but Choclair has produced a distinctly Toronto vibe on Ice Cold. Call it West TORONTO'S hip hop sensation Choclair performs at Richards on Richards on Monday, Nov. 27 with Rahzel. Indian Soul. “There's a lor of first generation familics here — some of us weren’t even born here. We used to get a lot of American sou! from the south but we're coming straight from the West Indies. it’s almost a combination, a musical gumbo ir dismisses critics who may be offeaded by the sexual . content of some songs. “There's a fot of songs played on the radio that are even worse. ’m not the first one to express that side of me. You might have some people who choose to express a violent side where they tak about guns — I just choose to say make love, not war. I choose to hit it from that angle — it’s. just something that was in mc.” Choelair’s Ice Coid is a major statement from a Canadian hip hop star that wiil be heard around the world. The future is looking brighter in the frozen north. Welcome Mr, Tookie... Gator Pit owners, Gary and Misti Mussattos newest addition , Introducing Mr. Snzppys newest friend, Mr. Tookie who is mascot to Park Royal South’s recent addition - Toucan Toys {& Party Goods). Local entrepreneurs, Gary & Misti Mussatte of the Gator Pit have developed a toy store “that prometes family time, _ encourages imagination & interactive play & education.” Classic games, magic, crafts, science and dress-up along with | popular Pokemon, Lego and Barbie can be found at Toucan ‘ys. Toucan Toys is also a very impressive party gcods store with a great selection of loot bag supplies along with a full line of. party goods - including 18 different solid colours, an Christmas, Birthdays and the - , everpihing quickly becoming scare Y2K ee ' supplies. The Mussatto’s are i the stere committed to providing quality customer service - SAT, HOV. 2778 & SUN, NOV 28TH ONLY and will gladly accept ae : 4 Renda boar VANCOUVER'S PREMIER CYCLING OUTFITTER eyele sports pacifi * 3026 MOUNTAIN HWY. NORTH VAN. 988-1800... : 999 PACIFIC ST BURRARD AT PACIFIC 682-4537 - special orders (with Vietalfia sufficient notice) and welcome feedback from the community. The familiar friendly Gator Pit faces are there to assist you. at