The Four Fs (Fitness, Fashion, Fame & Fun!): FROM LIL TORONTO TO .

Once upon a time, Solitair (or "Silver," as his friends would address him)decided to carry his hobby byjoining Toronto program "Fresh Art" with Canadian urban house names like Saukrates, Jully Black, and Kardinal Offishall. "I met them before," Silver Solitair explains, "but (because of this program), I developed mylove (for hip hop) as a profession.

Little did he live he would collaborate with Kardinal Offishall once again as a business partner, let alonea co-founder of the famous Black Jays Production Team. As a producer, Silver's fame is mostnotoriousfor composing Kardinal Offishall's"Bakardi Slang," thehit single from the Konvict Music artistsfirst American release, Fire Starter Vol. 1-Quest for Fire. This Toronto-bred triple threat has successfully tested his rhythmic hands at being a artist, producer, and songwriter. While he considers producing and "penning the occasional hook" his specialties, he has only touched base with his internal and outer voice afterover a ten of producingsingleslike the Juno-nominated, hip hopoldie "Easy to Slip" (from the Beat Factory compilation album, Rap Essentials 2001). "It depends on what I'm doing," Silver says, shedding light on how he taps into any ofthose artistic abilities. "It's the exemption of what I'll decide to do that day, but I only recently came into my own with singing and songwriting." And with this alteration in attitude came this instinct to exchange his name. "I kept it as Silver Solitair. The alteration in commission can be delineated by my change in name, (which has also) changed the introduction of my music." And change there was indeed, for want of a better word.The album The Departuremarks Silver's "departure" fromconventional hip hop by mashingrock, pop, and alternative genres into his music. His album incorporates collaborations withhip hopname-makers likeLil Wayne, Estelle, Nina Sky, and Kardinal Offishall. "I was never in studio with Lil Wayne, but I did end up using him for my mixtape. I put in my own verse for 'YYZ.' I was blasted to play with Nina Sky in studio, but (our work) didn't get out, because of label disputes."

Adding in that Nina Sky serves as an instance of an artist who "deserves to be alot more publicized," Silver empathizes with those who break - and don't break- throughthis cut-throat music industry. "There are people who make really difficult and don't achieve success, while some get in greatcareersin (as short as) a few years." Especially in Canada? "Canada has a chalkfull of raw talent but less outlets for urban talent. We even have Flow 93.5, butas for other hip hop outlets, we nearly lost community radio stations. To take it internationally - especially without a record label - it's damn impossible for urban artists to give it big, even with radio play.Being an artistin Canada, you must make a dear and passionfor music (to hold on doing it), because it is harder (here). It'sa beautiful struggle, though." But, is it more hard to do it in this mainstream music industry today- not merely because ofmore standards or less outlets -but because of hip hop's change for the worse? "I can't say that it's gotten better or worse, only that it's evolved," Silver says. "Commercially, what was considered dopehip hop(in the 90s, etc. is different from what is considered dope today."Yet despite the significantjump from themore wholesome andless computerized old school hip hop to today's moreexplicit and techno-based urban"crunk," rap, and R&Bbeats and lyrics, Silver still believes hip hop serves as "great entertainment(and) overall, (the contemplation of culture andpersonality, etc. is positive."

Of course, while it may involve a transport of Jay Z's and Eminems to impose permanent trends in music, Silver Solitair can do his start in changing hip hop for better - one measure at a time. "I was nominated for a Juno in 'R&B Recording of the Year' (alongside Keshia Chante and Karl Wolf) for 'Come True' featuring Kardinal Offishall. The one is available on YouTube and ITunes." You can see more info on other official Silver Solitair websites:http://www.silvershouse.com/http://www.myspace.com/silvershouse