Chef Raekwon Is Cooking Up Canadian Home Brew, Sets Up Shop in Toronto

(Photo via swaggnews.com)

Due to Drake and the Bieb's success on the international stage, Wu-Tang Clan member Chef Raekwon has taken his culinary skills north of the border for a piece of the action. With a newly purchased Toronto waterfront condo in hand and an office on Yonge Street for the newly minted Canadian wing of his Ice H20 record label, he's eager to sign some Canadian talent.

From Canoe.ca:

"What brought me here is because of the fact the city is so rich and filled with talent that's being overlooked, Alright you got Drake who made it but there's still more people here. And if you really look at the table chart of Canadian artists that made it out of here, the majority of them, you could say were successful

[....]

So my thing is we want come in and diffuse anything that's not real, anything that doesn't associate with real hip-hop. We want to be the one that says, 'Yo, we want to help build and build a bigger and better industry.' I'm just like. 'Yo with talent from Toronto, Vancouver, Quebec,' who's paying attention?'

The first artist signed to his stable is local MC JD Era. Raekwon thinks he's the real deal, but he wants the young MC to crawl before he balls:

"We got him, how can I say, in training. But he's in a great space right now. Next year, we're counting on him coming through and making an impact but it's about having your business together first. You being an artist that people can say, 'Yo, you're paying your dues.' You can't just come in and run to the top."

Rae also rhymes off on how much he loves Toronto in the piece. Could other Canadian business ventures be in his future? The full article can be found here. Take time to watch the video embedded in the article, even if it's just to see the Chef rocking a Blue Jays cap.

-Paqman

Cup, Cops, and Conn Smythe - An NHL Finals Post-Mortem - Boston Bruins Champions Edition

(Photo via soccer2008bygorddunphy.blogspot.com)

After 40 years of disappointment, the Boston Bruins prevailed with a perfect road win to claim the challis of the Hockey Gods. The Stanley Cup is returning to a team that I believed had no right or chance to win. Call it misdirected patriotism. Call it blind faith. Call it a sense of entitlement. You can spin it anyway you like, but the Bruins earned this championship and should've closed it out in less games.

Why Boston Won

The Oddest and Most Intriguing Stanley Cup Final In History - Boston Bruins Force Game 7 Versus Vancouver Canucks

(Photo via washingtonexaminer.com)

I've been watching hockey for close to 20 years. I've seen teams dominate the seven game final where there's a clear winner before the opening faceoff. On the other side of the puck, I've witnessed epic see-saw battles between 2 evenly matched, committed and determined clubs. You can always expect the unexpected in pro sports. The 2011 edition of the Cup Final is no exception, with unexpected underlined and bold....in 50 point font.

Without taking anything away from the Bruins, the Canucks were meant to dominate this series with authority and make it quick. Now here we are, 6 games in the books with every NHL fanboy's wet dream on tap: a deciding game 7. What happened? What's going to happen? Which bandwagon do I jump onto? The only way to get the answers we desperately seek is to have a Q&A...with myself.

Friday Flashback - Alternatively Canadian Edition

Limblifter - "Tinfoil"

I was spinning some Canadian alternative from the 90s while I was cleaning today and this gem of a song popped into my head. "Tinfoil" was released in 96 by Limblifter from their self-titled debut. Originally meant to be a side project when they were playing with Age of Electric, the Dahle brothers (drummer Kurt and singer/guitarist Ryan) made this their full time gig once AOE broke up.

Based in Vancouver, they released a few albums after their debut but could not match it's popularity. Kurt up and left to join The New Pornographers while Ryan continues to carry the Limblifter name.

"Tinfoil" is a short track, but it's a good one!

-Paqman

Canucks vs Bruins - NHL Playoffs - Stanley Cup Final

This is it! 1,230 games have been completed and the 2nd season begins. 16 teams participate and 1 will hoist the most coveted trophy in professional sports: the Stanley Cup. This is one of the toughest tournaments in the world and P&B will be your round by round guide.

(Photo via zimbio.com)

1

VS

3

2011 Season Series:

Boston won 1-0

Stanley Cup Finals Schedule:

All games are available on CBC, RDS, NBC and Versus (check your local listings) and have an 8pm EST start time:

1 - Wednesday, June 1 in Vancouver, 2 - Saturday, June 4 in Vancouver, 3 - Monday, June 6 in Boston, 4 - Wednesday, June 8 in Boston, *5 - Friday, June 10 in Vancouver, *6 - Monday, June 13 in Boston, *7- Wednesday, June 15 in Vancouver

*If necessary

What's the story?:

To start this off...it feels good to be right! From the beginning, I picked a Boston-Vancouver final and I wanted to let you know.

Sharks vs Canucks - NHL Playoffs - Western Conference Final

This is it! 1,230 games have been completed and the 2nd season begins. 16 teams participate and 1 will hoist the most coveted trophy in professional sports: the Stanley Cup. This is one of the toughest tournaments in the world and P&B will be your round by round guide

Luongo snags a Thornton shot (photo via canucks.nhl.com)

1

VS

2

2011 Season Series:

Vancouver won 3-1

What's the story?:

The Sharks have made it to the Western Final for the second year in a row. For those of you that have a short memory (or if you're a Sharks fans), the Blackhawks swept San Jose on their way to winning the cup. You can't win until you learn how to lose, right?

Redemption On the Coast: How the Vancouver Canucks Finally Got the Hawk Off Their Back

(Photo via canucks.nhl.com)

Hockey has been a nightly ritual in the Paqman household for the past few weeks. I've found pleasure in other team's joy and pain with the absence of my beloved Sens. None was more epic than last night's tilt between the Canucks and Blackhawks. It embodied everything that is so right about the NHL Playoffs: anticipation, frustration and elation.