Saukrates discusses how technology is changing the face of hip-hop during the SOCAN panel at NXNE 2011. (Photo: Peter Fera)

SOCAN once again participated in a handful of events and activities at the 2011 edition of the North by Northeast (NXNE) music and film festival and conference, which took place June 13-19 in Toronto.

SOCAN maintained a booth June 16-17 during the NXPO trade show at the host hotel, The Hyatt Regency on King. Local members and conference delegates were able to drop by and SOCAN staff had the opportunity to greet and educate them.

SOCAN also presented a panel June 16 entitled “Digital Beats + Tweets: How technology is changing the face of Hip Hop.” Hosted by SOCAN Education and Outreach Manager Rodney Murphy, the informal and wide-ranging panel discussion featured rappers and beat-makers D-Sisive, Muneshine and Saukrates. (T-Minus, though scheduled, was unable to attend.) To a packed house of engaged delegates, Saukrates discussed how beats that were once made by samplers and drum machines are now entirely digital, and how that means rappers can now record and collaborate without having to even enter a studio. D-Sisive spoke from experience about the need to clear song samples before using them.

Amanda Zelina from The Coppertone performs at the SOCAN/BMI party at NXNE 2011. (Photo: Peter Fera)

SOCAN also co-hosted a party with BMI on the afternoon of June 18 at Tattoo Rock Parlour, featuring live performances from The Coppertone, Freedom or Death and Whale Tooth. Among those attending were Joel Carriere of Bedlam Music Mgmt; Joel Baskin of S.L. Feldman & Associates; Rick Fenton of BreakOut West; Shawn Marino of Universal Music Publishing Group Canada; hip-hop personalities Munshine and Ghettosocks; Ralph James of The Agency Group; and from SOCAN’s Board of Directors, Jodie Ferneyhough, Stan Meisner and Tony Tobias.

As always, SOCAN also sponsored the overall music festival and the pocket-sized NXNE Gig Guide – an indispensable tool for navigating one’s way through all of the evening performances in the music festival portion of the event.