Carl Badwa was born in Toronto, Ontario on February 24, 1968. Mostly known as “B-KOOL” or “Don Carlito,”” Badwa is important to Toronto’s Hip Hop scene. With over 20 years in the game, he helped pave the way for hip-hop artists that preceded him.

In his teens, Badwa was a hip-hop head—frequenting cultural hotspot Flemingdon Park in the 1980s and 1990s. In 1985, he began his rap career in Ivan Berry’s record label, management and production company Beat Factory. With names like Michie Mee, Rumble, K-force, and Dream Warriors, Badwa enriched his skills in writing and producing—taking part in various musical projects.

In 1987, Badwa left Beat Factory to pursue other opportunities. That year, joined the Get Loose Crew —adopting the MC name “B-Kool.” Alongside Mc Shadow, Mix Master Len, and DJ Jel, Badwa signed a deal with Electric Distribution and created East Park Productions. The Get Loose Crew was widely successful–becoming the first Canadian rap act to finance, produce and secure distribution of a hip-hop LP to sell internationally. In 1990, the group disbanded—with each member going their separate ways.

Later that year, Badwa collaborated with the hip-hop collective Simply Majestic on the track “Dance to The Music.” It won a Juno for Best R&B/Soul Recording, making Badwa the first Canadian emcee to receive a Juno award. Two years later, he earned a Best Rap Recording Juno nomination for his song “Got to Get Over.’

Simply Majestic disbanded due to an unfortunate scandal–-burning bridges along the way. As a result, Badwa found himself blacklisted within the industry. By the early 2000s, Badwa adopted the stage name “Don Carlito” for a fresh start and began to release solo music. His 2001 and 2002 singles “Asi Como Mi” and “Just Like Me” were wide hits—receiving both local and international attention. After a 10 year hiatus, which he took to support his children and family, Badwa released the single “Fire” in 2013, followed by “Reloaded” in 2016.

Currently, Badwa is an advocate for Toronto’s hip-hop culture and history. He frequently shares archival images on social media and speaks about his experiences in interviews.