“Any successful writer will tell you that they write about what they know, and that’s what we do.” – Dolo, Ghetto Concept

“We’re just something that’s meant to be,” says Kwajo Cinqo of his relationship with Dolo Da Gooch as Ghetto Concept. “We did our first show together and from that we clicked on.” “It just came together so well,” Dolo agrees. “It was the perfect composition, so it was like, we couldn’t fight that.”

So they didn’t. Like many aspiring young rappers, the two cut their chops at talent shows and high school cyphers, Kwajo in Rexdale and Dolo in the Bathurst and Lawrence area nicknamed the Jungle. It’s Jungle Rap Offs around 1992 and 1993, with performances from acts like Frogger and Superior J, that both claim were very influential for them.

“That’s where rappers from Jane and Finch, Jungle, all over Toronto used to come and spit, do performances and stuff like that,” says Kwajo. “That’s what’s monumental about Jungle and hip hop. I mean, back in the days there was really no other area putting it down like that.”

It seems inevitable that the two would eventually become friends. After all, they would continually bump into each other at clubs like Focus, where they would often cypher. But, it wasn’t until Dolo’s friend Howie introduced the two that Ghetto Concept started to form.

“We never even really said, ‘OK this is going to be Ghetto Concept’,” admits Dolo. But that’s what it did become, and eventually the two took on a third member, a Rexdale friend that Kwajo would rhyme with in high school who went by the name of Infinite. At first he was there to rock the turntables, then he started to rock the microphone, and after a few years he also rocked a solo career.

“We basically grew apart,” Kwajo says of the incident. But, since Ghetto Concept had just started with the two of them, they felt no need to sweat it. “It was just business as usual,” Kwajo explains.

But it was still as a trio that the group got their first opportunity to show the world what they had to offer. In Ghetto Concept’s early days, production came from another group of present day T.O. rap legends, da Grassroots. When da Grassroots signed to Groove-A-Lot (what Dolo calls “the movement back in 1992”) one of its members, Swiff, played a demo for Groove-A-Lot’s Julien Arthur and before you could say ‘here’s your big break’ Ghetto Concept were signed. The two MCs can never understate the importance.

“Groove-A-Lot was basically our birth as far as putting out records and getting known internationally,” says Dolo. “It was a blessing,” says Kwajo. “Definitely a birth place for us.” What emerged from this womb was Ghetto Concept’s first single, “Certified.” As can be expected, they put everything into it. “That was straight hunger,” Kwajo reminisces. “That was it. That was our first time in the studio.” “Those were the days when we could do five songs in a session,” adds Dolo, and they both laugh.

The hunger must have really come through because that year they beat out better known artists like the Dream Warriors, Rascalz, and Saukrates to win the 1994 Juno for Best Rap Recording. And some of those artists were nominated for full-length albums. By now every Canadian hip hop fan knows the infamous story of how underdogs Ghetto Concept arrived at the Junos mad late and thugged out with no expectations of winning. After the upset, the surprise was that no major labels came forward to offer these upstarts a deal. But, what many found even more surprising, was that no major label approached them the following year either – after winning the Juno a second year in a row with “E-Z On Tha Motion.”

“I think at the time they were afraid of us,” Dolo theorizes. “When it didn’t happen, we didn’t sit there and cry.” What they did do was change labels to Lockdown, the label owned by Infinite’s brother Cain. The result was 7Bills. “We had the know-how,” says Dolo. “We knew exactly how we wanted to project ourselves, and I think it just came down to [wanting] to control our own destiny. At the end of the day we’re feeding our families. Nobody’s going to be more focused than us.”

The first 7Bills single was 1996’s “Much Love” with Infinite, what Dolo calls a no-pressure single. “We knew it was gonna do well because it was real and it was something that the city was lacking at the time,” he says. But Kwajo does point out that the album never climbed as high as it could have because Infinite left during the release of that single.

“How you gonna promote a record if the two sides have gone both ways?” he asks. If it didn’t reach the heights hoped for by Kwajo, it did get them a demo deal from Red Ant in L.A., who went bankrupt shortly after they paid for Dolo and Kwajo to record the music. Ghetto Concept (now just the pair) went back to 7Bills but, this time, with a mastered product that was to become 1997’s “Krazy World” single, an improper introduction to GC, Ghetto Concept’s 1998 debut album. Much of it was a departure from the sounds of the “Krazy World” 12″, which pulled in some criticism.

“Some people liked it, some people loved it, some people didn’t feel it because they felt it was too American,” proclaims Kwajo. “Maybe they thought we were sucking the Yannkee dick or something like that,” adds Dolo. “But it ain’t really about that. We’re just doing our vibes. You’re a product of your environment.” According to Ghetto Concept, this environment was complex: half a year in Toronto, another half in New York City, and freestyling rounds with a variety of rappers. One of them, Sticky Fingaz of Onyx., helped GC throw a major coup – a major label American rap star on an independent release out of Canada.

“If he wasn’t feeling us he wouldn’t have done the track,” says Kwajo. “That wasn’t your average record label paying ten grand to get somebody on a track. He did it straight up for love. That in itself felt good. We grew up looking up to Onyx.”

In the end, GC sold about 9000 copies. That’s not bad for an independent release, but Ghetto Concept have been working since then to “take it to the next level, at least get our fair shake,” says Kwajo. A distribution deal for 7Bills was definitely what they were looking for and got – all on the strength of the posse cut “Still Too Much” that features Ghetto Concept with Kardinal Offishall, Maestro, Red One, Ironside and Snow.

“The straight goods,” says Kwajo. “We went to all the other labels before we went to BMG and we played it for them. People acted like they got it but they didn’t really get it. At the end of the day it’s a no-brainer. You’ve got all these all-stars on one track. People saw what happened with Rascalz and “Northern Touch”. What do I gotta do? Do I gotta shove it down your throat?”

Rascalz rapper Red 1 definitely didn’t have to shove the song down the throat of Keith Protius at BMG, who offered them the coveted distribution deal. So now that they have what they want, what is Ghetto Concept prepared to bring to the world?

“Number one we’re showing strength in numbers,” proclaims Kwajo. “We’re showing unity cuz we’re doing collaborations with people that cats wouldn’t even think Ghetto Concept would do tracks with. It’s just time for that. We’ve got other people spitting on it, but as far as production, completely overseeing the project, we’re there for it. The album is Ghetto Concept Presents the 7Bills All Stars.”

Dropping February 19, 2002, Ghetto Concept have already offered some samples with the singles “Still Too Much” and “Rest In Peace”. While “Still Too Much” is a hardcore track with a “Northern Touch” flavour and probably a sure bet, it’s the choice of the second single that’s risky. Heads might not be expecting the likes of “Rest In Peace,” a sorrowful, slower tempo song featuring In Essence (originally sung by co-writer Glenn Lewis, his U.S. management did not clear the vocals) that pays tribute to all those people who have fallen around us.

“We have to pay our respects to them,” Kawjo agress. “Anybody that disses that are straight dicks. That’s the bottom line.”

“I think the scene needs a song like that,” says Dolo. “Songs that are hits are songs that strike some kind of emotion or make you remember something. And that’s what the song does.”

But “Rest In Peace” is just one shot of many to come. In addition to Kardinal, Maestro, Snow, Ironside, and Red One, Ghetto Concept Presents the 7Bills All Stars boasts a line-up that includes the likes of Cli-N-Tel, Billy Staxx, Exodus, Angel Duss, BigR and Ray Smoove. Talent speaks louder with words and, if there’s any doubts about how this one’s gonna drop, rest assured.

“Anybody that’s affiliated with us is not going to come out wack,” says Kwajo.