Dwayne ‘S-Roc’ King, Jason ‘Clip’ Balde, Randy ‘May One 9’ Brookes, Ajene ‘Agile’ Griffith, were members of Canadian hip-hop group BrassMunk. Formed in Scarborough, Ontario in 1997, they were one of the first hip-hop groups to win the North by North East Music Festival (NXNE) Rising Star Award. Their sound blends old school hip-hop with G-funk, soul, and an infusion of underground rap. BrassMunk was one of a few groups creating authentic hip-hop music and doing it creatively.

BrassMunk released their first EP in 1999, featuring singles “One, 2” and “Stop, Look, Listen”. “Live Ordeal”, from their second EP released in 2000, was nominated for Rap Recording of the Year at the 2001 Juno Awards. The track “El Dorado” from their fifth EP released in 2002, was also nominated for Rap Recording of the Year at the 2003 Juno Awards.

The group’s most notable hits include “Big”, “Get Right”, and “Oh Supaman”, all of which owe their creativity to some of Canada’s award-winning hip-hop producers and have helped BrassMunk establish a strong presence in Canada’s hip-hop community. “Big” went on to earn a nomination in the Best Rap Video category for “The Throwback” at the 2003 MuchMusic Video awards.

Following the release of their fourth EP Dark Sunrise in 2002, the record was re-released worldwide as an LP by Battle Axe Records. The album achieved critical acclaim and was nominated for Rap Recording of the Year at the 2004 Juno Awards.

In 2006, the group would replace Randy ‘May One 9’ Brookes with Kunle ‘King Reign’ Thomas who later died in 2016 at the age of 40.

Before the group disbanded in 2008, their follow-up album FEWturistic was released in March 2007 and featured collaborations with Kardinal Offishall and Daniel ‘Moka Only’ Denton. FEWturistic had an uplifting, reflective, and relaxing vibe which earned them a 2008 Juno nomination. BrassMunk’s music showcased their unique style, lyrical prowess, and productions skills and their collaboration with prominent artists on the Canada hip-hop scene further elevated their profile.