Page to Represent Canadian Hip-Hop South of the Border

Just like food, culture and accents, each region of the country has its own brand of hip-hop, and proud superstars representing every style. But what about the North? As in, across-the-border North? Toronto's own Page is ready to take Canada's hip-hop scene to the American masses.

"There've been Canadian artists that were big on Canadian soil, but never made it big in the states, never made it world-mainstream. So nowadays, you've got artists like myself, Drake doing things south of the border," Page told the BoomBox after stepping out of the studio.

Page is currently getting ready his first official stateside release, 'Things Young People Do,' to drop in early 2010. The record's already got a sturdy guest list including Juvenile, Brisco, Bobby Valentino and Trina, and on the strength of early tracks like this year's 'Still Fly,' featuring Drake, 'TYPD' could put Page's name in stateside mouths. But Page is set on making the hip-hop world understand that Canada isn't just snow and maple syrup.

"Nobody in this world has ever given the world a real Canadian, urban opinion. Jay-Z is all about New York. He raps from a 'New York State of Mind.' Snoop Dogg, same way on the West Coast; T.I. in the South. There hasn't been a person from the North who can sum it all up, show what we go through, who could have everybody understand our city and our swag," said Page.

Considering the figureheads of American hip-hop, Page has got some big shoes to fill, but he's not too worried. "If you asked people five years ago about Toronto, they'd say it's a big loser, not really an urban community, that it's wack," said Page. "I want people to understand that there is a culture, a living and breathing thing going on here. It's real."