Promise

Interview by: Martin Bauman Toronto's Promise is a rare breed. Not only is he one of the few Canadian hip-hop artists who can claim to make a living exclusively off of music -- no small task -- he's also managed to do so while shedding the label of a prototypical "Christian rapper," along with the baggage that comes with it. As Promise acknowledges, "it’s very hard to find music that has a good message that is also dope." One can often get a sense of an artist based on the company they keep, and a look at Promise's list of frequent collaborators puts him in good surroundings: along with Drake -- who he met when Drake had yet to even record a verse -- he's worked with the likes of Jhene Aiko, Shad, Slakah The Beatchild, LordQuest, and Dan-e-o (with whom he formed the group Perfeck Strangers). It's been awhile since the Toronto emcee released a full-length album -- 2011's Awakening was his last -- but now he's back and gearing up for his latest offering. We caught up with Promise to talk about his upcoming album, pursuing goals, coming up alongside Drake, and lots more. Read the interview after the jump and listen to the extended version of the podcast above.