"My years of experience as a rapper have somehow turned me into an attractive potential political candidate today." @cadenceweapon.bsky.social on the wave of rappers-turned- politicians, and what it says about hip hop: www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...

Opinion: How did electing former rappers become politics as usual?

As hip-hop becomes more enmeshed in mainstream culture, rappers are becoming viable political candidates. What does that say about the state of hip-hop, and us?

theglobeandmail.com

This past weekend in the @thestar.com, I wrote about Rush, Martha & the Muffins, Cadence Weapon, The Hidden Cameras, and Maestro Fresh Wes for their list of the greatest Toronto songs of all time: www.thestar.com/entertainmen...

The 25 greatest Toronto songs of all time, featuring Drake, Joni Mitchell, Rush and more

We rank the best tunes about the city, from Drake, Rush, Joni Mitchell, the Barenaked Ladies and more.

thestar.com

Talked to @cadenceweapon.bsky.social about music, gentrification, record stores, message boards and even @brettstory.bsky.social! www.markslutsky.com/archive/some...

Something Good #122: Ways of Listening With Rollie Pemberton

"That friction, to me, is the juice of life."

markslutsky.com

My 2.5 year old son’s favourite Cleaners From Venus songs are: “You Should Have Called” “Crane Driver” “The Jangling Man” He also refers to his pull ups with planets on them as his “Cleaners from Venus diapers”

Musician @cadenceweapon.bsky.social just made his Toronto Mike'd debut. We talked about his new album Forager, coming of age in Edmonton, winning the Polaris Prize and AI. www.torontomike.com/2026/06/cade...

Cadence Weapon: Toronto Mike'd Podcast Episode 1917

On this 1917th episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike chats with Cadence Weapon about his new album, coming of age in Edmonton, winning the Polaris Prize and AI. This episode is exactly 1:25:01. You can list...

torontomike.com

So many people undervalued OG when he got traded to the Knicks. This is who he is. I’m so happy for him that he got to have this moment.

I wrote about my involvement in the successful protest of an AI data centre in my community and how the research I did for my book Ways of Listening helped in that fight.

An Air of Inevitability

How writing my book prepared me for a battle against an AI data centre

cadenceweapon.substack.com

What could possibly go wrong?

Low ticket alert! Only nine tix left for my show at Cameron House in Toronto on June 23rd. Performing with the full eight piece band from my album Forager for one night only! Get yours while you still can: www.tickettailor.com/events/caden...

Buy Tickets – Forager Live at Cameron House – Cameron House

Forager Live at Cameron House – Cameron House, Tue 23 Jun 2026 - Cadence Weapon and the Forager Band One Night Only at Cameron House June 23, 2026 Doors at 9PM Presented by Cadence Weapon and Six Sho...

tickettailor.com

I wrote about why I’ve made the rare decision to put on my own live show in Toronto without a promoter. The experience has been very enlightening and empowering so far.

No Gatekeepers

Why I'm putting on my own show this month without a promoter

cadenceweapon.substack.com

If you couldn't make it out to my Q+A with Rollie Pemberton (@cadenceweapon.bsky.social) at Epic Books in #hamont last night, you're in luck! This week's stübermania newsletter features our complete convo about going DIY in the age of Spotify and AI: stubermania.substack.com/p/a-conversa...

A conversation with Rollie Pemberton (a.k.a. Cadence Weapon) from last night

At the Hamilton stop of his current book tour, I hosted a Q&A with the rapper/writer where we talked about the need to keep it DIY in the age of AI

stubermania.substack.com

Shout out to @thewalrus.ca for publishing an excerpt from my book Ways of Listening. This essay is about the strange phenomenon of online commenters cosplaying as record execs by citing sales numbers when arguing for their favourite artists.

You Don’t Listen to Music with a Calculator. But Numbers Are Dictating Taste | The Walrus

How sales and streaming figures are inflaming fandoms

thewalrus.ca

Hey hey #hamont: I'll be hosting the local launch event for Rollie Pemberton's (@cadenceweapon.bsky.social) new book 'Ways of Listening' this Thursday (7pm) at Epic Books. There will be Qs, and As!

My new book Ways of Listening is out today!!! Come see me chat about it in person: May 26 - Toronto - Type Books Junction with @elamin.bsky.social May 28 - Hamilton - Epic Books with @stuberman.bsky.social June 2 - Montreal - Librairie Drawn & Quarterly with @hualihuali.bsky.social

This is why I’m putting on my upcoming Toronto show without a promoter. To learn more, comment CAMERON and I’ll send you a message.

Playing a free in-store performance at Sonic Boom in Toronto at 6 pm tonight! Sook-Yin Lee took this photo!

Inspired by Brad Mehldau's piece about Jon Caramanica’s comments re. Billy Joel, I wrote about the value of traditional music criticism in the age of video podcasts, what exactly made writers like Greg Tate so well-respected and whether or not we even need a New York Times music critic in 2026

The End of the Coastal Elite Music Critic

Jon Caramanica, Billy Joel and why a writer's area code shouldn't matter in 2026

cadenceweapon.substack.com

Selling vintage and records today at Orange Hall in Edmonton until 5 pm!

I went thrifting with @cadenceweapon.bsky.social, who's become one of Canadian culture's chief curators of sound & style. We talked about his new album Forager—languid, funny, a tribute to hip-hop paragons—& his new book, about finding meaning in the algorithm www.theglobeandmail.com/culture/musi...

Digging for gold with Cadence Weapon, Canada’s curious curator of sound and style

The award-winning musician and author, who goes by Rollie Pemberton off-stage, uses new works to share an evolving worldview that shuns algorithms in favour of something more authentic

theglobeandmail.com

Montreal tonight and Toronto tomorrow with @mike-eagle.bsky.social and Rhys Langston 🛍️

Community care is more than a slogan. I’ve DJ'd grassroots fundraisers, cooked thousands of meals, and built coalitions to push back against legislation that fuels homelessness. Let’s keep building a Parkdale—High Park and Toronto that works for everyone: www.dianachanmcnally.ca

I was asked to send in a ballot for the New York Times’s 30 Greatest Living American Songwriters list. My picks are below. The biggest snub for me was Joanna Newsom. Her discography is basically flawless and has stood the test of time so far. Nice to see Young Thug make it on the final list.

I missed it initially, but I guess Suno acquired Songkick when they partnered with WMG. Now they have access to artist touring data and behavioural data from fans. They’ll be adding a paid tier and are planning to use AI to “deepen the artist-fan connection.” Who asked for this? No one.

Musicians are afraid to speak out against Live Nation, says Rollie Pemberton aka @cadenceweapon.bsky.social. The award-winning rapper and former poet laureate discusses music biz problems and his new album Forager on this week's Do Not Pass Go podcast: www.donotpassgo.ca/p/theyre-try...

one week til east coast raps with @rhyslangston.bsky.social including Brooklyn with Elucid and Montreal with @cadenceweapon.bsky.social neighborhood gods international. mikeeaglestinks.tumblr.com/post/8966612...

I’m putting on a vintage market today at Standard Time in Toronto to celebrate the release of my new album Forager! There will be vintage clothing, Buck 65 will be selling records, Lo Fi Bagels will be there, it’s gonna be a blast. It’s all starting at 11 am!

My seventh album Forager is out today! It's produced by Junia-T. All live instrumentation. Influenced by classic hip-hop and vintage fashion. Equally inspired by D'Angelo, MF DOOM and Ralph Lauren. I hope you'll give it a listen.

Cadence Weapon, Junia-T - Forager

Listen to Forager by Cadence Weapon, Junia-T.

sixshooterrecords.lnk.to

1088! @cadenceweapon.bsky.social / Rollie Pemberton hear Kreative Kontrol ⬇️ 🍎: podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/e... 💰: www.patreon.com/posts/ep-108... ☁️: overcast.fm/+AA3_nusCZSE vk: bit.ly/48NmMUY 🌲: linktr.ee/vishkhanna @sixshooterrecords.bsky.social @penguinrandomhouse.bsky.social

Sharing my new record early on Bandcamp in just a few minutes. You can join us here: cadenceweapon.bandcamp.com/live/forager...

Forager Listening Party

Join Cadence Weapon for a free listening party to celebrate his new album Forager. Come listen along to the record with the artist and chat about the making of the album.

cadenceweapon.bandcamp.com

I lived in Montreal in the 2010s and was part of the Mile End music scene that launched Grimes and Mac DeMarco to stardom. After watching Mile End Kicks, I wrote about how trippy it was to see a funhouse mirror version of those years depicted on the silver screen.

Main Character Syndrome

On Mile End Kicks and seeing one's life depicted on the big screen

cadenceweapon.substack.com