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Celebrating Canadian Music, The JUNO’S 50TH Celebration
BY ALMIRA RIMEZ
Celebrating 50 years of the biggest music awards show in Canadian History. The biggest names in show business came together on CBC for the premiere awards ceremony of Canadian Music, The 50th Anniversary of the Junos Canadian Academy of Recording Arts & Science.
The Canadian version of America’s Grammy Awards was launched February 23rd 1970, and has hosted some of history’s greatest talents. This year’s version was no different with appearances by: Shania Twain, the world’s premiere crooner Michael Buble, Jim Cuddy, Allesia Cara, and performances by: Justin Bieber, Serena Ryder, The Tragically Hip, Geddy Lee from Rush, and some of Canada’s urban elites. One of the special presentations was from Anne Murray, who presented Jann Arden with the Hall of Fame induction.
Opening night was Friday June the 4th hosted by Miss Angeline from CBC’s the Block, experienced technical difficulties with respect to the acceptance of some of the awards but ventured into positive territory when three of this year’s nominees for Best Reggae Recording Ammoye, Kirk Diamond and Tome all hit the stage for an unprecedented performance.
It has been a long and winding road for the Junos. Up until 1991, they didn’t end up having Rap music as a category. The first-ever rap Juno was handed out to the Godfather of Canadian Rap Maestro Fresh Wes for his smash “Let Your Backbone Slide,” which was the 1st ever Canadian Rap chart-topping hit.
This year also marks the 30th Anniversary of the Rap Music Category addition. It was celebrated in fine style with category wins, and performances by: Jessie Reyez , Kardinal Official, Michee Mee, Maestro, Jully Black, Haviah Mighty, Nav plus more. This year we have to really give it up for 6X nominated urban artist the Weekend.
Unlike the Grammys the Junos were extremely resistant to the evolution of the music scene resulting in a tenuous relationship with the award show and an entire generation of Canadians. During a time where the Grammys, the American Music Awards and B.E.T were experiencing record numbers of viewers with their inclusion of Rap music into their shows, the Junos refused.
For years after the category was added to the ceremonies, the awards were presented off-camera as a part of the pre-awards presentation. Nearly a decade before Billboard artist of the decade Drake would emerge from Toronto, the Juno Award Winning Group the Rascalz won the 1998 Juno for Best Rap Recording for their album Cash Crop. The group refused the award in protest citing the lack of broadcast.
From the 1980’s until about 2007, the Junos felt more like a trip through a time capsule. The young creative geniuses during that time were not being honoured; instead, some of the bigger names from the 70’s were being headlined. This critique came to a head in 2006 when rapper Kardinal Official issued the harshest rebuke of the award show to date stating that their ignorance of Canadian rappers would no longer be accepted.
The President of C.A.R.A.S. responded by going on national television and telling the Rapper to shut up and go sell some records if you want to be recognized by the organization. The Junos seemed to changed their tune in 2001 when they broadcasted their first ever LIVE tribute to Urban music, with mash-up performances from: Deborah Cox, Choclair, Michee Mee, Snow, Maestro, the Rascalz, Ghetto Concept, Jacksoul, and a finale with the Babyblue Sound Crew featuring Sean Paul, Kardinal & Jully Black.
The roars from the live audience were undeniable, and it seemed that the awards finally entered the twenty-first century. Unfortunately, after the 2001 tribute, the Juno’s went back to their regularly scheduled program completely excluding urban music from the broadcast for their 2002 awards hosted by the hottest band on the planet the Barenaked Ladies.
2007 would change things forever ushering in a new era where Canadian Rappers ruled the top of the Billboard charts. Kardinal Official signed to Akon’s Konvict records and went on to appear on and to release a series of chart-topping smash records working with: T-Pain, Snoop Dogg, and Lady Gaga.
Kardinals’ hit Dangerous topped the Billboard and brought the rapper his first Juno Award. Were there hard feelings? Well, rumour had it that the primary reason the rapper did not attend the award show was because of comments made by the C.A.R.A.S. President the year previous, and that the Rapper presently uses the Juno to hang dry his dish towels.
Jully Black had a big year at the Junos that year as well with the release of her smash hit Seven Day Fool. Hosted by now famed comedian Russell Peters, this Juno awards went black and brown and seemingly haven’t lacked representation from the urban market since.