Toronto native Lyndon “Mathematik” Dash is an esteemed rap pioneer. Throughout his career, Mathematik has collaborated with notable names such as Bahamadia K-Cut, Sic Sense, Citizen Kane, Saukrates, and Dream Warriors. Through expressions of hip-hop’s three pillars (DJing, b-boying and rhyming) alongside his work as a producer, Mathematik has proven that he is deeply committed to Toronto’s hip-hop culture.

Mathematik’s participation in the genre began in the fourth grade, when he became a dancer—mainly focusing on b-boying. During his teens, he immersed himself further into the subculture’s fabric, evolving into a lyricist and producer.

Following the acquisition of these skills, Mathematik joined forces with the producers Wall & Steel—who he met through a youth football league and created the label Erf Productions. On June 1st, 1997, the trio debuted with the self-titled album Down Ta Erf. As the project’s mcee, Mathematik’s melodic voice and conscious lyrics contributed the album’s charm. Unfortunately, the group was short-lived and they did not release another album.

After his time with Down Ta Erf, Mathematik signed with the label Beat Factory and made his solo debut with Ecology on January 1st, 1999. When describing the album, music journalist Del F. Cowie calls it work that “spreads knowledge” through “thought provoking lyrics” and “ever improving beats.”

Mathematik released his 2005 and 2007 albums No Division and No Division 2.1, then took a lengthy recording hiatus. In 2019, over a decade later, he made a comeback with the album ReAL/iS-HiM followed by three releases in 2020, 2022 and 2023. In his recent project, Mathuniversal, he crosses international boundaries through a collaboration with Paris based producers Parental and Lex (de Kalhex). The album successfully puts a fresh perspective on his earlier works.

Currently, Mathematik continues to write, produce, perform and DJ. His lasting impact on Toronto’s hip-hop community is highly evident. As a result, in 2024, he was featured in the Hart House’s The First 50: Toronto’s Hip-Hop Architects exhibition, which honours early trailblazers in the city’s rich hip-hop history.