Maestro is the stage name of Wesley Williams (born 1968 in Toronto, Ontario), a Canadian hip hop artist and actor. His pioneering status and outstanding achievements have lead to him being referred to as the "Godfather of Canadian hip hop". Originally known as Melody MC,^[1] he changed his moniker to Maestro Fresh Wes by 1989. His moniker was shortened to Maestro in the late 1990s. Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Latin: Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor James K. Bartleman - Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 106 - Senate seats 24 Confederation July 1, 1867 (1st) Area [1] Ranked... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Hip hop is a cultural movement that began amongst urban African American youth in New York and has since spread around the world. ... RAP may mean: the IATA airport code for Rapid City Regional Airport Rassemblement pour lalternative progressiste, a Québecois political party. ... Actors in period costume sharing a joke whilst waiting between takes during location filming. ... Rapping is one of the elements of hip hop and the distinguishing feature of hip hop music; it is a form of rhyming lyrics spoken rhythmically over musical instruments, with a musical backdrop of sampling, scratching and mixing by DJs. ... Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Attic Records is an independent record label based in England, UK, which signs house music, techno, electronica and progressive musicians. ... Rich London (born Richard Davidson) is a rapper from Toronto, Ontario, currently signed to Soul Clap Records/Universal Music. ... The Dope Poet Society is a politically charged hip hop group from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. ... Bold textA stage name, or a screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers (such as actors, comedians, musicians, clowns, and professional wrestlers. ... Year 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar) of the 1968 Gregorian calendar. ... Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Latin: Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor James K. Bartleman - Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 106 - Senate seats 24 Confederation July 1, 1867 (1st) Area [1] Ranked... Canadian hip hop developed much more slowly than the rock music scene. ... Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ... For the band, see 1990s (band). ...

In 1989 he became the first Canadian rapper to have a Top 40 hit, "Let Your Backbone Slide". As of 2007, "Let Your Backbone Slide" remains the best-selling Canadian hip hop single of all time, and the only ceritfied gold single in Canadian hip hop history. 18 years after its release, Maestro's debut album, Symphony in Effect (1989), remains the top selling Canadian hip hop album of all time; at 190,000 units sold, it is 10,000 shy of double platinum. On Maestro's song/video "Nothing at All" (Black Tie Affair, 1991), he acknowledges this feat, rapping: Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ... Let Your Backbone Slide was a 1990 single by Maestro Fresh Wes, from his album Symphony in Effect. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... Canadian hip hop developed much more slowly than the rock music scene. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ...

"My first album, symphony in effect went platinum/ in Canada that made me the first Black one/ to achieve that goal, I even got offered a movie role. Hunh, I turned it down, I didn't wanna be no star portrayin' a n---a that dwelled behind bars..."

After the success of his 1991 album, The Black Tie Affair, Maestro's career faltered as he attempted to break into the United States market. However, he returned to the Canadian charts in 1998, with the hit singles "Stick to Your Vision" and "416/905 (TO Party Anthem)". Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... Area code 416 is an area code that is surrounded by area code 905 since October of 1993. ... Cobourg, Ontario Area code 905 (1-905) (with overlay Area code 289) is a telephone dialling area for southcentral Ontario. ...

In 2005, Maestro covered Lawrence Gowan's song "A Criminal Mind"; Gowan appears in the video and his vocals are sampled on the track. Gowan also performed the song with Maestro at the Canadian Urban Music Awards in 2006. Lawrence Gowan is a Canadian musician, who has been both a solo artist and a member of the band Styx. ... Established in 1996, the Urban Music Association of Canada (UMAC) is the voice of Canadas urban entertainment scene. ...

In 2006 Maestro again made Canadian hip hop history when he and Rochester AKA Juice joined The Dope Poet Society on stage in Cannes, France. Together, they become the first Canadian hip hop acts ever to showcase at Midem, the world's largest and most influential annual music industry conference. The Dope Poet Society is a politically charged hip hop group from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. ... Cannes - receding storm Cannes, as seen from a ferry speeding towards lÎle Saint-Honorat Cannes (pronounced ) (Provençal Occitan: Canas in classical norm or Cano in Mistralian norm) is a city and commune in southern France, located on the Riviera, in the Alpes-Maritimes département and the r...

Awards and achievements

Maestro was inducted into the Scarborough Walk of Fame in 2006 and holds the following awards and distinctions: two Juno Awards, 12 Juno nominations, four MuchMusic Video Awards (People's Choice), first Canadian rap artist to go gold (album & single), only Canadian hip hop single to go gold, platinum album - Best Selling Hip Hop Artist in Canadian History, UMAC Pioneer Award -1998, 2002 Harry Jerome Award for Excellence in Arts (Canada - NAACP), 2002 UMAC Special Achievement Award, and 2003 REEL World Film Festival Trailblazer Award. The Juno Awards are awards of achievement presented to Canadian musical artists and bands; they could be considered the transnational counterpart to the United States Grammy Awards. ... Michelle Trachtenberg at the MuchMusic Video Awards preshow, 2004 The MuchMusic Video Awards (or the MMVAs, as they are also known) are an annual music award presented by the Canadian music video channel MuchMusic to honour the years best music videos. ... By: Nina MandicBold text A statue of Harry Jerome in Stanley Park. ...

Acting in film and television

Ironically, in spite of his early proclamation that he was not interested in acting (cited above), since the late 90s, he has built up substantial acting credits. As an actor, he is normally credited as either Wesley Williams, Wes Williams, or Wesley Paris. On the small screen he has significant ongoing roles in the Omni Television series Metropia and the syndicated series Instant Star as Darius Mills. In addition, he has had small roles in Hollywood productions such as Honey (2003) and Four Brothers (2005). He was set to appear as a security guard in 50 Cent's film Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2005), but his scenes were deleted from the film. He had a supporting role in the 2004 film Redemption (the true story of Stan Tookie Williams) with Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx. He also co-stars with Danny Glover in a new film unreleased as of the writing of this article. He appears in an episode of Jake 2.0 titled "Get Foley", playing the criminal owner of a bar/fight club. OMNI Television is a Canadian television brand owned and operated by Rogers Communications. ... Metropia is an exciting new drama series about a group of multicultural, multi-ethnic, hip and happening, twenty-somethings living in a funky district of downtown Toronto. ... Instant Star is a Canadian television program starring Alexz Johnson as adolescent music competition winner Jude Harrison. ... For the 2004 independent film, see Honey (2004 movie). ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Four Brothers is a 2005 movie starring Tyrese, Andre Benjamin, Mark Wahlberg, and Garrett Hedlund. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For the currency amount, see 50 cents. ... Get Rich or Die Tryin can refer to: The debut album of rap artist 50 Cent, released in 2003. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Personal/background

Maestro was born to Guyanese parents and grew up in Scarborough, Ontario after moving there when he was 11 years old, but he lived in Flemingdon Park as well. He attended Our Lady of Good Counsel Elementary School in Scarborough. He has previously been romantically linked to Canadian television journalist Marci Ien. Up and coming rapper Rich London is Maestro's younger cousin. Country Canada Province Ontario Established 1 January 1850 (township)   1 January 1967 (borough) Incorporated Amalgamation June 1983 (city) 1 January 1998 Government  - Mayor David Miller (Toronto Mayor)  - Governing Body Toronto City Council  - MPs John Cannis, Jim Karygiannis, Derek Lee, John McKay, Dan McTeague, Tom Wappel  - MPPs Bas Balkissoon, Lorenzo Berardinetti... Flemingdon Park is a multicultural community in Toronto, Ontario, formerly in North York before it was amalgamated into Toronto. ... Marci Ien is a Black Canadian news anchor for CTV Newsnet and Canada AM. She also substitutes as host for each programme. ... Rich London (born Richard Davidson) is a rapper from Toronto, Ontario, currently signed to Soul Clap Records/Universal Music. ...

Radio

• In 2003, Deejay Ra launched a series of radio PSA's to launch the first Canadian 'Hip-Hop Appreciation Week' with the support of the National Film Board of Canada, aimed at stronger industry recognition of Canadian Hip-Hop founders Wes 'Maestro' Williams and Michelle 'Michie Mee' McCullock.

Michie Mee (born Michelle McCullock) is a Canadian rapper and actor of Jamaican descent. ...

Trivia

• Canadian Idol judge Farley Flex was his manager at the start of his career.

Canadian Idol is a reality television show on the Canadian television network CTV, based on the popular British show Pop Idol and its American counterpart American Idol. ... Farley Flex is a Canadian music promoter and manager of hip-hop artists, who is best known for being a judge on the reality television series Canadian Idol. ...

Discography

Image File history File links Size of this preview: 450 × 450 pixelsFull resolution (450 × 450 pixel, file size: 21 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Maestrofreshwes. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 450 × 450 pixelsFull resolution (450 × 450 pixel, file size: 34 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Artist: Maestro Fresh Wes, Album Cover: Black Tie Affair, Meastros second album This image is of a cover of an audio recording, and the copyright... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 600 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (600 × 600 pixel, file size: 125 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Artist: Maestro Fresh Wes, Album Cover: Maestro Zone This image is of a cover of an audio recording, and the copyright for it is most likely... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 450 × 450 pixelsFull resolution (450 × 450 pixel, file size: 18 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Meastro Album Cover: Naaah! This Kid Cant be from Canada! This image is of a cover of an audio recording, and the copyright for it... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 450 × 450 pixelsFull resolution (450 × 450 pixel, file size: 12 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Artist: Maestro, Album Cover: Built to Last This image is of a cover of an audio recording, and the copyright for it is most likely owned... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 170 × 170 pixelsFull resolution (170 × 170 pixel, file size: 5 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Maestros Urban Landmark CD (2005). ...

References

External links

• Border Block - Canadian Hip Hop vs. America
• Wes Williams at the Internet Movie Database
• Article from Eye magazine (Oct. 15, 1998)
• Official Website
• Interview with Maestro at YouTube
• Video vignette on Maestro for the Scarborough Walk of Fame at YouTube
• Gazette Newspaper Interview