Articles written by James Di Fiore

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About me - James Di Fiore

I'm a 33 year old writer/emcee from Toronto, an independent journalist specializing in political pieces, usually driven by my own actions.

My most notable piece was an avant garde project where I voted three times in the 2004 Canadian federal election to

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Entertainment > Musicians & Bands The world's best rapper: 1 of 9

While there are countless emcees who have earned the right to be considered as the greatest rapper in the world, there is only one name that literally every member of the hip hop community respects. His name is KRS ONE. KRS ONE is the last pioneer of the Golden Age of hip hop who can still command respect with his skills on ...
Creative Writing > Songs Songs: Losing love: 16 of 91

The Ballad of the Wandering Stranger For the first two months of a relationship it's wicked The whole thing is magic, hot and superstitious It's not so vindictive It's all sex and cuddles But then she up and leaves and I'm caught in eye puddles Every single one of my dark secrets are women I love them, I hate them...I don't ...
Entertainment > Music Genres, Trends & Scenes Unforgettable hip-hop music videos: 1 of 5

In an era when the best hip hop tracks had the smallest budgets for their accompanying videos, it can be tough to decide which videos can be considered the best of all time. However, if we measure these videos in the context of being the realest, and NOT perpetuating the hip hop stereotypes, the following list is a can't mis...
Entertainment > Music Genres, Trends & Scenes Great '90s hip-hop songs: 1 of 5

The '90s did for hip hop what the '60s did for Rock and Roll - it gave the genre the respectability by those who were not entrenched in the scene. Hip hop discovered its voice, so to speak, and introduced to the world a culture with a powerful core - the real emcee. With hundreds of original tracks from emcees and producers ...
Sports & Recreation > Hockey 2008 NHL playoff predictions: What's in store for the Montreal Canadiens?: 1 of 5

Fans in Montreal are experiencing Deja Vu this playoff season. They have a rookie goaltender, a balanced team with no top tier superstars and a capacity for winning close games. If you have heard this before than you remember the 1986 edition of Les Habitants - when then rookie net minder Patrick Roy led the Habs to their 23...
Entertainment > Music Genres, Trends & Scenes Classic hip-hop songs: 1 of 4

Only the purest hip hop heads realize that certain tracks can be considered classics. While there are influential songs by emcees like the Notorious B.I.G., for example, his time came after the classic period had ended. Younger generations of hip hop fans might not realize the importance of the classics that opened the door ...
Entertainment > Music Genres, Trends & Scenes The best hip-hop songs of 2007: 1 of 4

The pickings get slimmer and slimmer as the years go by, and hip hop's cyclical pattern of peaks and valleys remains a constant. In 2007, hip hop began that long climb out the valley and began to produce quality tracks once again. While the commercialization of hip hop remains, the ability to create creative tracks that stil...
Creative Writing > Poetry Poetry: Racial understanding: 4 of 12

I wasn't asked at birth When mamma squeezed me out of her still slight girth If I preferred my skin to be dark or light or in the middle Nobody asked me to fiddle with My pigment So how am I to explain the actions of my ancestors, even a little bit? I know the history, I just wish it were her story Instead of the bloodshed w...
Entertainment > Music Genres, Trends & Scenes Unforgettable hip-hop songs of the 90s: 1 of 3

The early 1990s are affectionately known as the Golden Era of Hip Hop. Emcees explored the full spectrum of lyricism and the production had that four on the floor vibe that made fans instinctively nod their heads. Most importantly, hip hop was still pure, uncorrupted by mass appeal with the exception of a few artists who cro...
Entertainment > Music Genres, Trends & Scenes Assessing the current state of hip hop and rap artistry: 5 of 14

The biggest misconception people have about today's Urban music scene is this - it isn't hip hop. Whenever I read articles that begin from a premise of sounding the alarm on watered down artistry and sexist lyrics, I can't help but wonder why there isn't more of a focus on the actual art-form. Critics seem to be completely u...