Canary In A Coal Mine (EP) is a collection of songs written and recorded by Canadian urban artist Goliath PAW. This EP takes hiphop and combines it with a heavy pop and rock influence creating a unique sound and style all in its own. Each song promises a story for the listener to follow delivered alongside clever wordplay and a sense of humor. All songs are upbeat with the exception of “GetAway” a slower tune with a deep thought-provoking story. With concepts everyone can relate to, songs like “Weirdos Win” and “Higher” teach self confidence while “Buried Alive” deals with matters of the heart. The name “Canary In A Coal Mine” is an old saying which today translates to “warning.”
“By naming the EP “Canary In A Coal Mine” I am sending out a warning to the Hiphop world that I have come to change the way rap music is written, recorded, and heard!” – Goliath PAW
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Interview after the jump.
What is your favorite song off of Canary In A Coal Mine EP. Why ? Can you
elaborate on the creation process of that song.
My favorite song on Canary In A Coal Mine is the rock rap fusion I named “Weirdos
Win,” a song about self confidence. The beat was produced by Sinima Beats and
features a hardcore electric guitar riff throughout the whole song. The lyrics I wrote
were meaningful so I knew the beat had to be a hard hitting crossover joint that all
walks of life could get into. In the song I mention my own experiences with being
bullied and how those labeled as nerds, losers, and geeks grow up to become some
of society’s most successful people. I felt that I needed to tell my story so that
listeners will have a better understanding of who I am and be able to relate with
me on a personal level and not just the party MC.
What makes – Canary In A Coal Mine (EP) different from other EP’s out
right now.
Canary In A Coal Mine (EP) is full of up tempo songs, with the exception of
“GetAway.” There is a strong rock and pop influence throughout the EP giving it a
crossover appeal. My unique style of writing and story telling allows each song to
stand out on its own showing the listener different parts of my personality.
Where are you from? How does that influence your music or style? Who
are some of your hometown hero’s?
I was born in The Gambia, west Africa but grew up in Canada and have lived the
majority of my life in the city of Ottawa, Ontario. Canadian hip hop has its own
unique underground sound. It defers from the mainstream hip hop music that you
hear from most U.S. artists. However I don’t think the Canadian hip hop sound
influences my music/style at all.
My hometown heroes would be Maestro Fresh Wes, Choclair, and Drake. The 1st
two guys I watched on TV growing up. They were the ones who put Canadian hip
hop on the map in the 90s. Drake has taken the “rap game” by the neck and has
brought a lot of positive attention, press, and performers to Canada.
What’s the music scene like there?
The Canadian music scene is very diverse. Our country is very multi cultural. The
hip hop scene reflects this attitude as well. We have artist who rap in French.
Jamaicans who incorporate patois/dance hall elements in their songs. Underground
rappers, mainstream rappers, gangster rappers, etc. The local hip hop shows are
always filled with fans, there is a lot of support for indie artists in Canada.
What inspires you as an artist?
Everything, from local and international events to issues going on in my own life.
Im a story teller and I really enjoy being able to tell a story using rhymes and word
play.
How many projects have you released?
I just released my very first industry project titled “Canary In A Coal Mine” on
February 28/14. It’s an 8 track EP and has gotten a ton of positive reviews by
online blogs. I have already released two music videos on YouTube for the songs
“Higher” and “Buried Alive,” both have been met with positivity and are doing
numbers. I plan on shooting a video for every song on the EP as well.
Whats your favorite song ?
My favorite song on the “Canary In A Coal Mine” EP is “Weirdos Win.” Its a song
where I rap about how being weird or nerdy is actually the norm in society and
how its ok to be yourself. How some of the most successful and richest people in
the world today were and some still are considered “weird.”
What were your musical influences growing up?
My musical influences growing up can be narrowed down to two very different
artists. The first being Will Smith. I always admired his ability to make hit songs
and keep a clean image in the media. He proved you didn’t have to be derogatory
or fit into a certain image if you wanted to become a rapper. The second artist is
DMX. Im a fan of his rap style/flow. His energy and aggressiveness on the track.
The way hes able to rap at various speeds, drop his voice, and include different
melodies always kept his music interesting to me. Take the wholesomeness of Will
Smith and the multifaceted of DMX, add my own rock star personality….. you get
Goliath PAW!
When did you know you wanted to be an artist? How did you go about it?
I didn’t know I wanted to become an artist until my 12th grade of high school. I
had always wrote rhymes as a form of expression but never put them to beats. It
wasn’t until grade 12 that a friend suggested we form a hip hop group and as soon
as i laid out my first verse I was hooked.
