Manifesto’s Sweet 16: Uptuned Toronto Hip-Hop Festival Makes Big Noise Despite Loss of Headliners
Festivals such as Manifesto, are human in their imperfection, travails and mishaps alike. It was instead the polyphonic spirit of the event that brought an arena full of festival-goers from all walks of life, after all these years, to revel in the common love of music – of Toronto’s music.
By Noah Snieckus
A week hadn’t passed since the reunion of Young Money Entertainment – the early prospectus label and unofficial collective of hip-hop luminaries Lil Wayne, Drake and Niki Minaj. The eagerly anticipated concert was held at Toronto’s Budweiser stage, positioned against the city’s shoreline at the outskirts of Liberty Village. In clear sight of the CN tower, and the rasping city skyline, the performance space is situated as close to downtown as a venue of this scale could be in a moshing metropolis such as Toronto. The iconic stadium, through-and-among other impressive feats, is venerated as the city’s house of worship for musical performance – often a ‘manifestation’ for Toronto’s artists with marquee aspirations.
Such stripes have been earned earnestly and through sheer time in operation. The origin of Budweiser’s stage, nearing its 30 year Anniversary, was certainly humble as just tarpaulin to cover its circular stage. It’s current space: boasting space for 16,000, split distinctly between roof-covered and open air; a grass bowl-like area for the less throng-willing observers; and general admission for standing attendees, has hosted myriad acts of musical prestige and power – from Bob Dylan, to Van Halen, to Beyonce. Though, perhaps the most distinct credit, acting also as a geographical signifier of the city’s high-achieving within this artistic realm, is Drake. He first performed at Budweiser alongside emcee heavyweights of the early-2010s, Rick Ross, Eminem and Jay Z, as well as Toronto’s early genre-pioneering Kardinal Offishall. A preliminary speech was made to the first leg of the recent three-day ‘October World Weekend’ festival. In which, Drake, who mere weeks afterward surpassed The Beatles in “most top 5 hits among all artists in Hot 100 history,” anointed Manifesto as a playing a part in laying the “true foundation” of Toronto, in its ever-growing, still somewhat underground, hip-hop and urban arts scene.
At a time where Budweiser stage’s programming – written in tune with popular sounds – leant towards Bowie and Blur in their pop-rock leanings, the stage promoter’s progressive-principled core, at the dawn of a transition in Toronto’s urban sound, saw hip-hop’s trickle into the fickle mainstream of live music soon become a torent. This subsequent, fortunately, would be reflected throughout the remainder of festival season, that summer, artists like 50 Cent and Black Eyed Peas appearing on blowout Budweiser bashes. This ethos was ever-more evident during the aforementioned collective performance and Budweiser debut of Drake – in which Toronto’s hometown heroes were seen trading verses with the likes of Eminem and Jay Z. Good word was spread afterhand in the first summer of the new decade, as the genre’s pervasiveness in the city became apparent and in moving forward, even grander prospects were imagined. Until this point, the showcasing of these sorts of acts – Toronto’s grassroots hip-hop artists – were practically non-existent. At least with respect to those who were unaware of Manifesto.
The festival – now situated on the grounds of the Budweiser stage, with salutation from critics as a sincere and inclusive representative platform for the city’s underground sounds, the infractural mechanisms that keep the engine of Manifesto’s annual event running were not magicked up in a night.
Amaal performing live at Budweiser Stage in Toronto
Manifesto is now operating in its 16th year under a multifaceted branding consisting of freeform dance, comedy, cuisine, fashion and music, in a showcase visually comprised of diverse acts that function harmoniously with Toronto as the single common denominator. Down to the Wire made the trip southwest to the 6ix to cover the event’s mainstage performers.
Controversy clouded the run-up to the festival. Both headlining acts – two-time Grammy award-winner Jazmine Sullivan; and, most recently credited as the sampled vocalist behind Drake’s ‘Wait For U’, two BET-belted Tems, pulled out of the line-up at the last minute, dampening expectations. Almost 1,000 ticket-holders requested refunds, dozens of whom were sure to publicise their grievances under Manifesto’s updated gram post on the matter. Similarly, the day’s weather was forecast for steady rainfall. Yet, as we pulled onto the grounds of Ontario Place, the sun slanted through the faint clouds against a blue-bleached sky, and it felt as any August afternoon should. With Davido and DVSN as surprise additions to fill the role of headliners, spirits of Afrobeats enthusiasts, those dreading the absence of an RnB frontrunner, and in terms of pathetic fallacy – were somewhat revived. Upon our arrival, brow-beating security, stubborn and hot-headed in a 28°C dry heat, presented us only with obstacles. The media passes we had registered for – due to the recent implementation of a stricter security regime – no longer granted us access backstage without the supervision of an escort.
Though frustrating, such systematic adjustments were understandable given recent festival mishaps, dare I say - disasters, in such an immediate vicinity. Markham Fareground’s ‘Kultureland’, for example – after relocating the venue to an entirely different city, having the majority of artists drop out, and disregarding the timely schedule one could presume a festival might follow, earned several, somewhat rich, comparisons to ones rooted in serious corruption and prisonable fraudulence. Similarly, accounts of Kingston Music Festival (absence of water and other basic necessities, poor, or – reportedly – no security, etc.), in fairness, did wade dangerously near some of the less blood-and-fire ridden details of the notorious Woodstock 99 festival. Though the association between festivals rampant in high-powered self-servitude and said ghastly outcomes, to ones of disorganisation is fairly brash.The take away from these troubled events was greater structural precautions must be assessed and implemented. More so even, that structural failures are all the more pressing in the city now than can be traced in immediate history books. Manifesto, thankfully, did not follow trend. The festival was a great success for Toronto.
Tobi performing at Budweiser Stage in Toronto
Attendees began to file in from all corners of the arena at 5pm. The performance space is accessed largely by foot along the wood-panelled boardwalk that winds the building’s exterior at its ‘East Plaza’. The majority of ticket holders are from Toronto, so this particular entry point was largely for locals. Confectionery stands and branded alcohol pop-ups were plotted along the boarded sidewalk at the foot of a ramp engraved with various plaques of past famed named performers towards the entrance. Those who journeyed by vehicle park at a relative distance from the stage, so a water-taxi system is in place to take 15-odd revellers every couple of minutes with two boats trading off in punctual transitions. An upscale version of this transportation system was in place for performing artists and their entourage, who were made to feel quite the spectacle as the hosts escorted them swiftly from seafront to arena.
The echoing bellow from mainstage could be heard in the surrounding mile-radius and without the mass of people to fill in as absorption, it sounded like a succession of battlecries as I peered in through the arena’s plexiglass from the neighbouring rooftop bar. By the time I had ascended the spiral staircase into the standing space for general admission, corners of the upper-level seating began to form a jean-like patchwork amongst the 9,000 navy blue in-house seats.
Between head-bops and impatient mutters, it wouldn’t have been an easy entree gig for Ray HMND as he sprung on stage, cargo clad alongside an eager hypeman. Tracks I feel confident in assuming the titles of – ‘Going Up’ and ‘Right Now’ – nodded to flows of 2017 Soundcloud anthems, but were mixed down for the modern listener with bread & butter, 90s-infused instrumentals - whining samples whistling throughout the space. It was clear the audience had something to work with in a Toronto-based musician nonetheless - more than their movement may have suggested. The hypeman even, on a hopeful final call-and-response from HMND, asked sarcastically “That’s how you're feeling right now?” in reference to the leading tune’s hook.
I was disappointed to have missed Planet Giza when stepping out for a breath of fresh air. The Montreal crew interacted with DTTW in-and-around their interview with humility and ease, and, from what was said, their set displayed stand-out moments through sheer presence and creative prowess. Though, one can only feel as if their aesthetic would be better suited to the Polaroid-plastered walls of a Balamii style radio station.
DVBLM performing on Budweiser Stage
Opening name cards like DVBLM (pronounced Double M, who took the stage with swagger wearing little but gloves!) and Tia Banks (who’s name the crowd was intrigued by on its ring from the soundsystem) followed suit. Rather, the audience did. In that both performers exhibited an electric energy offering the crowd call and response; able lyricism reflected identically on stage to record; and even humorous takes for mild controversy. M’s breakout single ‘Taxin’’, left some chuckling and others tepidly cross with the perverse, citygirl-esque “I don’t trust any n***** with braids, waves or dreads I’m not hearing nothing.” Again though, in both cases, while the general admission section provided an energy that fit what the artist was after, it didn’t seem any fans – those who weren’t familiar with their discography – were gained after this performance.
This hope, that Manifesto’s managing director Tinesha Richards was sure to express in our post-festival interview was a tremendous feat to begin with, given the limited time for sets (ten or so minutes) and short intervals in between listeners were hardly given a moment to reflect on the talent that they had borne witness to. It felt as if certain performances were over before they had begun, the mic a fast-passed torch between acts – a 4X100 relay, one might say – speeding towards this final destination. Yet, it never seemed as though Manifesto wished to shortchange Torontonian artists.
To the contrary, it became clear of this envisioned balance they were attempting to find. So, how does Manifesto manage to strike this equilibrium — of delivering to the masses? All the while being sure to keep Toronto the ultimate focus, Manifeso’s centrepiece? The structural intention behind the push to raise the profile of lesser-known Toronto artists into the limelight with established hip-hop acts – such as Davido and DVSN – was premised this year on an adjustment Richards and the team implemented in regards to the promotion of set times, eschewing the promotion of exact performance slots, should fans schedule their time on-site by single acts. Performance order was divvied by ‘clout’ so that underground acts were “able to experience an audience,” said Richards, in the mix of more recognizable faces with the vision of a kind of fan-stumbling upon an “emerging acts, fall[ing] in love with them, and [that it] will hopefully build the artist’s audience”. That is the penultimate purpose of big name headliners at this event, as an attraction for the masses that will in turn shine light on Toronto’s under-acknowledged.
When asked of the core principles behind Manifesto in her interview with DTTW, Richards continued in expressing that “[Manifesto, as a] youth led organisation… are all about what’s happening currently, in arts and culture.” So when looking for an artist, although relevance is somewhat vital to selection in order to sell tickets, a “message” of profundity plays the role as counterpart in matching and maintaining the unwavering values at the festival’s core. In other words, Richard’s that is: “We don’t just want any trapstar on the stage.”
Amaal was the poster-girl for this concept. Sporting three shades of green – a lime tank, jade pants, and apple evening gloves the Mogadishu-born, Somalian R&B artist showed class on appearance. Sure to, post-‘Honey’ - her 2021 return track, vocalise her appreciation with a preamble to what is to come. ‘Renegade’ was more lustrous than learned; ‘So What’, while initially of vague longing, was rather hypnotising in its lucidity. Though maybe that was a deception of the snake-enwrapped face, closely depicted and visualised on screen, as the performance ticked along the occasional blink of an animated eye every 8-bars or so, in place of a comma for Amaal’s dialectical writing-style.
The live bands that accompanied the majority of artists of the evening, while providing a greater musical depth, didn’t always work in favour of their artist. For Amaal’s set, though, the trio was only an asset. The groups’ performance had little to dispute or pick apart, but it was more so a pleasure to witness the elements at the roots of R&B, before the electrification of its sound. This could actually be made the case for the majority of vocalists throughout the night. The long and leaning introductions often sounded rock-like, with heavy electric guitar riffs and rattling drum rolls. Those passages were where one was really able to differentiate between R&B and rock fans, in their movement. The instrumental drop-aways were true showcases of Amaal as an able vocalist, but weren’t favourable for others... She would occasionally time a signal for the guitarist to give way for an acapella-solo because of this.
DVSN performing on Budweiser Stage in Toronto
Stand out moments, it pains me to say - as it’s unwritten protocol in this scene to root for the underdogs, came in the form of the two headliners. One felt that a Tory Lanez, Baka Not Nice, or Pressa could have smashed it as Davido did, with the added bonus of hoisting the city’s regional flag in the process. Pressa’s ‘Canada Goose’ and Baka’s ‘Live Up to My Name’ were certainly of popularity as they were chopped up by DJs during intervals between performances. Still, between rattling drums, tormented lyrics and ornamented vocals, the crowd — wooed women, and gents who were mildly embarrassed to have locked eye contact with me as they belted ‘Mood’ word for word – were certainly here for DVSN, literally. The stadium now seemed to be packed corner to corner, two-stepping as the Toronto-bred singer ran through fan favourites, seemingly worthy of the 300-odd phone-lights that set the audience aglow.
Slick with sweat – half way into his set, and the evening’s finale – Davido was beaming. “We have to show them how we party back home!” he joked with an undertone of sincerity. Cliques of crooners met on ‘Fall’ – the hit with a hook strikingly similar to Kojo Funds’ ‘Dun Talkin’, and Chris Brown featured ‘Blow My Mind’, in harmony, hoping he’ll catch a glimpse of their passionate renditions. His shirt, now loose and damp, swallowed his three diamond-wriddled cuban chains as he leapt to the second level from the raised stage. He never held the grip of fanning hands that reached out to touch him, as his own were occupied – mic in one, fiddly earpiece in the other. Chuckling afrobeat rhythms skittered, persistently picking their way through the small gaps between the expansive crowd. Atlanta-born, Davido may not have intended to reinforce and rejoice in Torontonian culture on Friday but did so nonetheless, because Toronto’s community isn’t purely Anglo. It’s a melange of 250 ethnicities. Nigerian,the ancestry of Davido,one of the communities densening quickest. Afrobeats artists are some of the most trumpeted, needless to say, prevalent in the 6ix. Manifesto, for the past 16 years, has hosted them all in foresighted embrace.
Whether the many thousand people in attendance were packed under Budweiser’s dome, leant coupled on the grass bank staring up at the screen, on the sidelines for the UK Rap dance-lead interludes between sets, or dressed in high-vis volunteer attire escorting artists, is beside the point. Richards, in unpacking Manifesto’s definitional meaning to Down to the Wire, provided a fitting sentiment: “Everyone who comes to Manifesto has their own purpose and reason for being there… each [of our] staff will probably have a different answer.” Isn’t subjectivity the reason it was such a success? Rather than existing as a prepossessed entity, reliant on overarching structure and vision, festivals such as Manifesto, are human in their imperfection, travails and mishaps alike. It was instead the polyphonic spirit of the event that brought an arena full of festival-goers from all walks of life, after all these years, to revel in the common love of music – of Toronto’s music.
Davido live at Budweiser Stage in Toronto
By Noah Snieckus
