NorthSideBenji
{{Short description|Canadian rapper}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| image =
| name = NorthSideBenji
| birth_name = Jaiden Anthony Watson
| alias =
| birth_date = January 25, 1998
| origin = Brampton, Ontario, Canada
| genre = Canadian hip hop
| years_active = 2016–present
| label = NRTHRN
| associated_acts = {{hlist|Houdini|Nines}}
}}
Jaiden Anthony Watson (born January 25, 1998),{{cite web | url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/northsidebenji-mn0003871591/biography?1667404979760 | title=NorthsideBenji Biography, Songs, & Albums | website=AllMusic }} better known by his stage name NorthSideBenji, is a Canadian rapper and musician from Brampton, Ontario. Benji gained recognition from his Certified Gold single "Levels", which featured Toronto rapper Houdini. The single was released in December 2018, and was the only supporting single of his debut extended play, Caviar Dreams, which was released on January 18, 2019. He released his second EP Frienemy on September 6, 2019.
Career
NorthSideBenji began rapping in 2016 where he released numerous freestyles and songs. He released several singles and built a digital following of over 33,000 fans. He is independently signed to Music 4 Life.{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/music-4-life-mn0003784622|title=Music 4 Life | Credits|website=AllMusic}} He released the single "Again" on October 31, 2017, and "Confessions" on December 11, 2017.
{{Cite web|url=https://ntrsly.com/northsidebenji-confessions/|title=NorthSideBenji Breaks it Down with "Confessions"|date=April 16, 2018}} He released a Fire In The Booth freestyle session with Charlie Sloth on January 6, 2018.{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09l1x1h | title=Fire in the Booth from Giggs and Northside Benji. | date=January 2018 | work=1Xtra's Rap Show with Charlie Sloth | publisher=BBC Radio 1 | access-date=December 17, 2020 }} In early 2018, he announced that he is working on his debut EP, titled Caviar Dreams, which was due to be released in July 2018, however, the album was delayed and was officially released on January 18, 2019.{{Cite news|url=https://www.complex.com/music/2019/01/northside-benji-levels-music-video|title=NorthSideBenji Reaches New "Levels" with His Latest Music Video|work=Complex | first=Josephine | last=Cruz | date=January 30, 2019}} He released the third single of the EP "Levels" featuring Houdini on January 25, 2019. In which it speaks of the heart of getting out of their current circumstances and living a life of "Caviar Dreams"{{Cite news |last= |date=February 3, 2019 |title=NorthSideBenji enlists Houdini for the "Levels" video |work=HipHopCanada |url=https://www.hiphopcanada.com/northsidebenji-houdini-levels/ | access-date=December 16, 2020}} Erin Lowers of Exclaim! describes Caviar Dreams as "mellow in its approach, but captivating in its deliveries" and gave it an 8 out of 10.{{Cite news |last=Lowers |first=Erin |date=January 31, 2019 |title=NorthSideBenji Caviar Dreams |work=Exclaim.ca |url=http://exclaim.ca/music/article/northsidebenji-caviar_dreams}} He was listed as one of 15 Toronto rappers you should know by XXL.{{Cite news |last=XXL Staff |date=January 3, 2019 |title=The New New: 15 Toronto Rappers You Should Know |work=XXL |url=https://www.xxlmag.com/news/2019/01/new-toronto-rappers-you-should-know/ | access-date=December 16, 2020 }}
He released his second Fire in the Booth session on August 26, 2019, which featured support from rapper Nines,{{Cite news |last=Archibald-Powell |first=Naimah |date=August 26, 2019 |title=NorthSideBenji calls on Nines for second 'Fire in the Booth' freestyle |work=GRM Daily |url=https://grmdaily.com/northsidebenji-nines-fire-in-the-booth/ }} The freestyle was released in promotion of his sophomore EP, Frienemy, which was released on September 6, 2019, with five tracks.{{Cite news |date=September 1, 2019 |title=NorthsideBenji makes second "Fire In The Booth" appearance |work=HipHopCanada |url=https://www.hiphopcanada.com/northsidebenji-fire-inthe-booth-part2/}}{{Cite news |date=September 9, 2019 |title=Toronto rapper NorthSideBenji releases new Frienemy EP |work=HipHopCanada |url=https://www.hiphopcanada.com/northsidebenji-frienemy-ep/ |access-date=December 16, 2020}} Frienemy was described on the iTunes store as a "more succinct, in-your-face statement than its slow-burning predecessor, Caviar Dreams".{{Cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/frienemy-ep/1476395722|title=Frienemy - EP by Northsidebenji|date=6 September 2019|via=music.apple.com}} The music video for the title track was released on September 29, 2019, on the British music website platform GRM Daily.{{Cite news |date=September 29, 2019 |title=Premiere: Northside Benji drops clean visuals for "Frienemy" |work=GRM Daily |url=https://grmdaily.com/northside-benji-frienemy/?_escaped_fragment_#! |access-date=December 16, 2020}} NorthSideBenji also supported Canadian singer-songwriter Neena Rose on the single "Secret" released in October, 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fyimusicnews.ca/articles/2019/10/28/neena-rose-secret-feat-northsidebenji|title=Neena Rose: Secret (feat. NorthSideBenji)|date=October 28, 2019|website=FYIMusicNews}} He also made an appearance on the lead single "Too Soft" alongside Houdini in 6ixbuzz's second compilation album NorthernSound released on December 13, 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hiphopcanada.com/6ixbuzz-northernsound/|title=6ixBuzz features some of Toronto's best on NorthernSound|date=December 13, 2019|website=HipHopCanada}}
His single "Levels" was Certified Gold by Music Canada on April 7, 2020.{{cite web | url=https://musiccanada.com/gold-platinum/?_gp_date=2020-04-07%2C2020-04-07 | access-date=December 16, 2020 | title=Gold/Platinum | work=Music Canada | publication-date=April 7, 2020 }}
He is featured on the tracks "Don't Change" and "Flex" on Nines' third studio album Crabs in a Bucket,{{cite news | url=https://www.complex.com/music/2020/08/nines-crabs-in-a-bucket | title=Nines Drops 'Crabs In A Bucket' Album With New Short Film | date=August 28, 2020 | work=Complex | first=James | last=Keith | access-date=December 16, 2020}} which reached number one on the UK Albums Chart.
Discography
= Compilation albums =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
|+ List of compilation albums ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:13em;"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:20em;"| Album details ! scope="col" colspan="1"| Peak chart positions |
| scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;"| CAN {{cite web|url=https://www.fyimusicnews.ca/fyi-charts/billboard-canadian-albums|title=Billboard Canadian Albums|website=FYIMusicNews|access-date=November 2, 2021}} |
|---|
| scope="row" | The Extravagant Collection{{cite web|url=https://www.complex.com/music/northsidebenjii-the-extravagant-collection|title=NorthSideBenji Returns With New Project 'The Extravagant Collection'|work=Complex|date=October 22, 2021|author=Alex Nino Gheciu|access-date=October 25, 2021}}
|
| 17 |
=Extended plays=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
|+ List of extended plays ! scope="col" style="width:13em;"| Title ! scope="col" style="width:20em;"| EP details |
| scope="row" | Caviar Dreams
|
|
|---|
| scope="row" | Frienemy{{cite web|url=https://hiphopcanada.com/northsidebenji-frienemy-ep/|title=Toronto rapper NorthSideBenji releases new Frienemy EP|website=HipHopCanada|date=September 9, 2019|access-date=October 25, 2021}}
|
|
=Singles=
== As lead artist ==
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| scope="col" style="width:24em;"|Title
! scope="col" style="width:1em;"| Year ! scope="col" | Certifications ! scope="col" | Album |
|---|
| scope="row"| "Again"
| rowspan="4"| 2017 | | rowspan="3" {{n/a|Non-album singles}} |
| scope="row"| "Came to Conquer" (featuring Houdini and Robin Banks) | |
| scope="row"| "Left Hollywood"
| |
| scope="row"| "Confessions"
| | rowspan="3"| Cavier Dreams |
| scope="row"| "Levels" (featuring Houdini) | rowspan="3"| 2019 |
|
| scope="row"| "Winner"
| |
| scope="row"| "Frienemy"
| | rowspan="2"| Frienemy |
| scope="row"| "Clicquot"{{Cite web|url=https://sidedoormag.com/blog/2020/4/26/northside-benji-takes-on-punta-cana-for-clicquot-visuals|title=Northside Benji Takes On Punta Cana For "Clicquot" Visuals|date=April 26, 2020 | first=Bhaven | last=Moorthy | work=Sidedoor Magazine}}
| 2020 | |
== As a featured artist ==
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:24em;"| Title
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:1em;"| Year ! scope="col" colspan="1"| Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Album |
|---|
| scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;" | UK |
| scope="row"| "Too Soft" (6ixBuzz featuring Houdini and NorthSideBenji) | rowspan="1"| 2019 | — | NorthernSound |
| scope="row"| Don't Change" (Nines featuring NorthSideBenji) | 2020 | 99{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/streaming-chart/20200904/7510/|title = Official Streaming Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company|website = OfficialCharts.com}} |
Awards and nominations
{{awards table}}
|-
| rowspan="2"| 2022
| "30'000" (with DJ Charlie B)
| Juno Award for Rap Single of the Year
|{{nom}}{{cite web |title=Charlotte Cardin, The Weeknd, Justin Bieber lead 2022 Juno Award nominees |date=2022-03-01 |website=CBC News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412032308/https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/2022-juno-award-nominees-1.6367948 |archive-date=2023-04-12 |url-status=live |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/2022-juno-award-nominees-1.6367948}}
|-
| The Extravagant Collection
|Juno Award for Rap Album of the Year
|{{nom}}{{cite web |title=Charlotte Cardin, The Weeknd, Justin Bieber lead 2022 Juno Award nominees |date=2022-03-01 |website=CBC News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412032308/https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/2022-juno-award-nominees-1.6367948 |archive-date=2023-04-12 |url-status=live |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/2022-juno-award-nominees-1.6367948}}
|}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=mn0003871591|label=NorthSideBenji}}
{{NorthSideBenji}}
Category:21st-century Canadian rappers
Category:21st-century Black Canadian musicians
Category:Canadian hip-hop singers
Category:Canadian male rappers