Cadence Weapon is Edmonton-born, Hamilton-based rapper, producer, writer and poet Rollie Pemberton. His 2021 album Parallel World won Canada’s Polaris Music Prize. The son of a pioneering hip-hop radio DJ, Pemberton grew up around a diverse library of music. Splitting his time between Edmonton’s experimental electronic and underground rap scenes as a teenager, Pemberton eventually developed a hybrid of both styles. Cadence Weapon has released six albums, five of which have been nominated for the Polaris Music Prize, with Breaking Kayfabe (2006) and Hope In Dirt City (2012) and Parallel World (2021) being shortlist nominees. Pemberton has toured extensively following the success of these albums, playing festivals like Glastonbury, Lollapalooza, Pitchfork Music Festival, Roskilde and Primavera Sound and performing shows with artists such as Public Enemy, Diplo, Questlove, De La Soul and many more. Pemberton’s music is known for pairing groundbreaking production with incisive, socially conscious lyricism. Pemberton served as Poet Laureate of Edmonton from 2009 to 2011, making him the literary ambassador of his hometown. His poem “The Garden” was incorporated into a bronze sculpture at the Alberta Legislature Grounds in Edmonton in 2018. Pemberton was the narrator and a writer for the VICELAND television series PAYDAY and Mister Tachyon and he has hosted lectures and conducted live interviews for CBC q and Red Bull Music Academy. Pemberton’s memoir called Bedroom Rapper was published by McClelland & Stewart in May 2022 and his newest album ROLLERCOASTER was released on April 19, 2024.

Indigenous-led Curtis Clear Sky & The Constellationz, based out of Vancouver, BC, has been on a tear since their inception, lighting up audiences wherever they go with their insanely funky, hip-hop grooves and conscious message. The band released their debut album Indigifunk in 2019 to acclaim from audiences. The albums first single, “Turtle Island” features Juno Award-winning Mohawk bluesman Murray Porter – a true bridge between generations. Curtis Clear Sky himself was recognized as a Messenger of Truth by the United Nations (2006), a sign of his commitment to social change through art. With the Constellationz beside him, the band creates a truly unifying experience with their funky rhythms, soulful harmonies and upliftingly powerful lyrics. They're set to make a big splash this summer as they debut on the Victoria Ska & Reggae Fest main stage.

Hailing from Victoria Hot Pot brings a mixture of jazz, reggae, funk, soul, hip hop, and other schools of music with roots in West Africa, the Caribbean, and Turtle Island.