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Music

Just John Is Fighting for the Survival of DIY Arts Spaces on 'Black Beret'

The Toronto rapper and community organizer tackles his city's gentrification and police violence with nimble raps and diamond-hard beats.
Photo by SoTeeOh

Though it's touted as a utopian paradise of diversity with a booming music scene, Toronto still needs a lot of work. Radio support for genres that aren't rock or pop is minimal, and an exploding housing market plus a rising population means that city planning has emphasized the development of towering condos at the expense of not only historic landmarks but the DIY spaces that are essential to a healthy arts community. It's this paradox—the limitless potential blocked off by various institutions—that Scarborough rapper Just John seeks to explore and make the best out of on his new EP Black Beret.

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As the co-owner of Blank Canvas Gallery, John has seen the effects of Toronto's apathy to art firsthand over the course of this year. The gallery has been closed down, reopened, then closed down again amidst months of legal battles. Those struggles inform the clenched-fist, no-bullshit direction of Black Beret, a succinct four tracks of capital-R rap music. "Be cautious, Trump's in office / Man I think we fuckin' lost it" spits John on opener "Gang" before declaring that the police are "the biggest gang in the city." "Facts" is even more defiant, with John repeatedly stating "If you try to push me out / you know I push back" over producer Eytan Tobin's sparse, chilly, propulsive beats. All this fury culminates in "Noise," musically breezy but no less pointed in its critiques of Toronto's often-stodgy attitudes. Stream Black Beret in its entirety below and read on for our interview with Just John.

Noisey: How has your outlook on the city's tolerance towards DIY venues changed over the past year?
Just John: My outlook is still the same, our culture is being suffocated through underlined tactics in policy. Zoning laws, noise regulations and hikes in rent promote condo development in DIY areas, muffling many other voices and creating a very homogenized culture.

What do you think would be a good solution as to the ongoing loss of these venues?
If Toronto is the most diverse city in the world, it needs to put more money into building the infrastructure. Artists are pushing the culture and now the world's watching, this should be the moment to help lay the foundation so that there's longevity in shifting the cultural landscape for the better. DIY spaces arise from necessity due to lack of representation of a specific cultural group. They're cultural hotspots and act as the mecca for artists to meet, share dialogue and collaborate. Artists are bringing up the value in these areas and set trends for condo developers but get nothing in return. The next big artists usually get their start in DIY spaces. Culture grows economy, so even if it was for the money alone… The city should pay attention to literally paying into the future.

How does the music on Black Beret speak to these matters?
Black Beret is a sonic illustration of my experiences of living in the contemporary art world while addressing police violence and the hurdles of holding space in a rapid gentrifying city.
During the time I was writing Black Beret, it felt like a battle against DIY spaces and a battle against myself - Blank Canvas was on the front lines. A lot of the messages are relating to that feeling, holding ground, sharing your truth but also sharing the good vibrations that were happening in the space. The music was a therapy and a form of self actualization. The name for the EP comes from the symbolism of a black beret. A beret can have multiple meanings but right away you might think it has something to do with being an artist or activism so I felt it was fitting as my multiple worlds began to merge. I had this beret sitting in my house for so long but after I lost my gallery, I popped it on and it just fit with my look. Now I never take it off, even in the shower… joking. I mean, I leave it on the sink.

What are your own plans for moving forward as an independent artist and organizer in this city?
Sharing my stories with the world, moving around with Blank Canvas Collective, bringing curated events around Toronto and in different cities and encouraging POC to be entrepreneurial and work towards owning property.

Phil is on Twitter.