It was announced earlier today that Toronto rapper D-Sisive earned a 2011 Juno Awards nomination in the rap recording of the year category for his album Vaudeville. The man born Derek Christoff is in tough against Drake, Shad, Ghettosocks, and Eternia & Moss.
CHARTattack spoke to him at the Juno Awards press conference.
CHARTattack: So how does it feel to be actually nominated?
D-Sisive: It feels good. I think back to my nomination in ’08 when I got nominated for The Book, it was totally different. I was just coming back from my hiatus and nobody had a clue who I was or anything about me. And the growth from two years ago has been excellent for me. And to now be here and have people who want to interview me… it’s awesome. That’s why I’m happy about this year’s nomination. People know who I am now.
What’s the thing you’re most proud of about your nominated album, Vaudeville?
To be honest, and I don’t want to sound corny with this statement, but I’m really happy with the company that I’m in within the nominations. I’m happy about Shad, who’s a pal of mine, and Ghettosocks, who’s a pal of mine, and Moss, who produced the Eternia & Mos record… it’s a very talented bunch.
That’s not to say that past nominees weren’t a talented bunch, but this was a really good bunch to be bunched in with. And I know that the hip-hop category for many years has been criticized for being very Toronto-centric, but this year we got Ghettosocks in there. He deserves it. That’s that… and I’m gonna win!
Someone must have thought your record was alright, right? What part of it makes you the most happy?
I’m really happy because as far as Vaudeville is concerned I was a part of it from the beginning to the end. I co-produced the record with Fresh Kils, who’s a talented young man. With all my previous projects I’ve never produced. It’s been they send me the beats, I write the magic… [laughs]. But this one I was in on the whole thing, right down to the cello sessions. I was at a cello session. Me!
Were you, like, “What the fuck am I doing here?”
I’m, like, it’s a big fuckin’ violin! It’s a violin except bigger. So that’s that and I’m proud of it. I was able to experience the big violins.
Let’s not be modest. Why do you think you should win?
Because my album’s awesome. I’m the best rapper in the country, give or take two or three. And, um, the album’s got some smash hits on there. It’s an album of smash hits.
Why are you better than your fellow nominees?
I started wearing smaller pants now.
That’ll make you more appealing to middle Canada.
… And I’m wearing kind-of dress shoes today as opposed to Jordans, which I usually wear with track pants.
You are dressed up.
Yeah, my girlfriend is responsible for that.
She told you to dress nice?
Yeah, she said, “Could you please dress nice?” And I was, like, “Well I bought a pair of jogging pants…” But they’re Jordan jogging pants. They’re like $80. But the point is I dressed better than them. Well, maybe not Drake. But I think he wears a lot of silk. He was in GQ so I’m probably the second best dresser.
One last question. If you got a chance to play onstage with Neil Young for some sort of Juno something, what song do you hope it would be, and what do you hope your opportunity would be?
With Neil Young? I’d definitely want to be his hypeman because I’m definitely not trying to step in and take any of the Young thunder. What song? I dunno, probably “Old Man.” I like that song a lot.
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