- Solitair
Solitair (born Sheldon Pitt) is a Canadian hip-hop MC and producer fromToronto ,Ontario . He is currently a member of theBlack Jays record label and production team. Solitair has been producing hip-hop andR&B for over ten years, and has produced forNina Sky , Jim Jones,Glenn Lewis , Cham,Kardinal Offishall ,Jully Black ,Choclair , andSugar Jones among others.In the late 90s, Solitair was part of a hip-hop collective known as "The Circle". In 1998, he released his first 12" single "Silver Surfer". Solitair and fellow MC/producer Kardinal Offishall founded a production company called Silver House and the Girl (S.H.A.G.) in 2000. They mainly produced for other hip-hop artists on the local
Canadian music scene. After Solitair produced Kardinal's smash hit "BaKardi Slang" to critical acclaim in 2001, he felt that it was his turn to shine. Also in 2001, Solitair released a video for his single "Easy 2 Slip", which he calls a "tribute to fallen soldiers". He was nominated for a MuchMusic Video Award in 2002 for Best Independent Video.By 2004, Solitair and Kardinal renamed their label Black Jays, and they almost immediately made an impact on the music scene. Solitair and Kardinal produced a remixed version of
Jay-Z 's "The Black Album" and called it the "The Black Jays Album", then "XXL" magazine took notice once the album got leaked all over theinternet , so they interviwed him about it. Meanwhile, Kardinal was inspired to make a mixtape afterMCA Records folded in 2003, and called it "Kill Bloodcott Bill". It featured guest appearances byrappers anddancehall deejay s alike, and of course much of the production was credited to Solitair and Kardinal. Solitair even found the time to spit a verse with Black Jays rapper Ro Dolla for the intro to "NBA XL", onRogers Sportsnet . [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nz_JXasn-D0]In 2006, Solitair teamed up with
Cipha Sounds ofHot 97 andShade 45 fame. Cipha Sounds is a DJ who joined Black Jays International (subsidiary of Black Jays) and is now working with Solitair as a producer. So far, the duo has produced forNina Sky 's upcoming release "The Musical ", including the song "Sugar Daddy". They are currently working on the debut album by an underground rapper from theBronx named Daytona. Solitair will drop his debut album "S*I*L*V*E*R" in Fall 2007.External links
* [http://www.hiphopcanada.com/_site/entertainment/interviews/ent_int366.php HipHopCanada.com Interview]
* [http://www.myspace.com/blackjayssolitair Solitair's MySpace]
* [http://www.blackjays.com/main.htm Black Jays Info]
* [http://www.allhiphop.com/features/?ID=748 Shades Of Jay]
* [http://www.chartattack.com/damn/2002/05/1308.cfm MuchMusic Video Awards Nominees Announced]
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