Cadence Weapon

Rapper, DJ, poet, and journalist Rollie Pemberton makes groundbreaking, thought-provoking, electro-influenced hip-hop as Cadence Weapon. Based in Toronto, Pemberton is the son of New York native Teddy Pemberton, a pioneering DJ who introduced hip-hop to Edmonton, Canada with his CJSR radio show called The Black Experience in Sound in 1980.

Inspired by underground emcees like <a href="spotify:artist:2fSaE6BXtQy0x7R7v9IOmZ" data-name="Aesop Rock">Aesop Rock</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:2pAWfrd7WFF3XhVt9GooDL" data-name="MF DOOM">MF DOOM</a> and UK grime rappers like <a href="spotify:artist:0gusqTJKxtU1UTmNRMHZcv" data-name="Dizzee Rascal">Dizzee Rascal</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:4IZLJdhHCqAvT4pjn8TLH5" data-name="Jme">Jme</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:2p1fiYHYiXz9qi0JJyxBzN" data-name="Skepta">Skepta</a>, Pemberton hit the scene with dense, incisive rhymes over his own gritty electro-rap beats on his landmark 2005 debut <a href="spotify:album:0Qg9rHrz6wxU6NRj6pfBZg" data-name="Breaking Kayfabe">Breaking Kayfabe</a>. Pemberton was named Poet Laureate of Edmonton in 2009. He has shared the stage with <a href="spotify:artist:1Z8ODXyhEBi3WynYw0Rya6" data-name="De La Soul">De La Soul</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:6Mo9PoU6svvhgEum7wh2Nd" data-name="Public Enemy">Public Enemy</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:11K0HIZKfdB6ez0VhIgxPm" data-name="Saul Williams">Saul Williams</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:6Jrxnp0JgqmeUX1veU591p" data-name="Santigold">Santigold</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:1peoXq0RPx7czVoFjloeDQ" data-name="MAVI">MAVI</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:5HJ4w3pMArwtZi7xywAEWj" data-name="Fatboi Sharif">Fatboi Sharif</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:4H9N7llvyhoddyD2oIrXWt" data-name="DijahSB">DijahSB</a>. Cadence has toured with <a href="spotify:artist:37uLId6Z5ZXCx19vuruvv5" data-name="Hot Chip">Hot Chip</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:6jbuMVAvWgoPxEb1wMglyz" data-name="Buck 65">Buck 65</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:43SXnO2N4X024u3l9MfvXD" data-name="BUSDRIVER">BUSDRIVER</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:3N71zVVdCs6uCgk8w31v26" data-name="Fat Tony">Fat Tony</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:62C2Sg9LJoWfSw8K8EuX3u" data-name="Super Duty Tough Work">Super Duty Tough Work</a>.

Cadence Weapon won the Polaris Prize for his politically charged 2021 album, <a href="spotify:album:6ojvadZiRstgKeN5cyNDl6" data-name="Parallel World">Parallel World</a>, which featured <a href="spotify:artist:4du3q8TIzsZxZZKdRT23Jg" data-name="Backxwash">Backxwash</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:0ygIgsjUzKivFgxgjQ9iV9" data-name="Jacques Greene">Jacques Greene</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:3qIRQKST5KCIIKWgmPTY2M" data-name="JIMMY EDGAR">JIMMY EDGAR</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:2LCeCCDzbmCOqnV33eB3q8" data-name="Casey MQ">Casey MQ</a>. He released his memoir Bedroom Rapper in 2022 with McClelland &amp; Stewart. He&#39;s collaborated with <a href="spotify:artist:15lOM8PWY9pXQoURZwSZlK" data-name="Shad">Shad</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:3106IO9oh4MsfSwdRTKZlE" data-name="pHoenix Pagliacci">pHoenix Pagliacci</a> and remixed <a href="spotify:artist:053q0ukIDRgzwTr4vNSwab" data-name="Grimes">Grimes</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:4sSSkVtrCTzENCgm2vokiY" data-name="Roots Manuva">Roots Manuva</a>.

Pemberton’s 2024 album <a href="spotify:album:1Iip5EQobpW5wsk5qpvAQJ" data-name="ROLLERCOASTER">ROLLERCOASTER</a> explores the impact of social media and technology on our lives. Featuring elements of hyperpop, electro and synthpop, the album includes collaborations with <a href="spotify:artist:536qHynzDH1QviwhWY9dE3" data-name="Loraine James">Loraine James</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:06xa1OLBsMQJFXcl2tQkH4" data-name="Machinedrum">Machinedrum</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:6Gl4Q3ePw6HKMfIOix5QpG" data-name="Bartees Strange">Bartees Strange</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:0J1rVE3RunTC4Pm8ohPM7z" data-name="myst milano.">myst milano.</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:1o43SzzuLoyOxqThmp7s0g" data-name="Austra">Austra</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:380fnmlGnkyueBMqGWx2k5" data-name="Joe Goddard">Joe Goddard</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:0IbD9X6mgxyaIKT3aqzioT" data-name="Harrison">Harrison</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:5uFRAVs4qRpxTU4Upl2SJC" data-name="Martyn Bootyspoon">Martyn Bootyspoon</a>.