DGS Samurai Champs - Featured Regina Artist - Canadian Hip Hop

Emerging from Regina, Saskatchewan, DGS Samurai Champs is quickly making a name for themselves in the Canadian music industry. Its three members, Jeah, Nono Ryan, and Merv xx Gotti, grace the stage with an innovative new-wave sound and a strong hip-hop influence. DGS Samurai Champs takes the hip-hop genre and infuses it with unorthodox methods, pushing the boundaries of the genre itself. Their unique sound can only be described as being simultaneously dark, intense, yet emotional. With two rap artists who stay true to their hip-hop roots as well as incorporate modern hip-hop and trap-style sounds, complemented by a vocalist who utilizes smooth, intimate vocals reminiscent of modern R&B artists such as Majid Jordan and The Weeknd, DGS Samurai Champs creates a sound that is exclusive to them.

Since forming in 2013, the band has successfully won over the hearts of local hip-hop and R&B lovers alike. In 2014, they independently recorded, engineered, and released their first mixtape, The Banff Mixtape. Along with being voted as their hometown’s top hip-hop act, the band has captivated listeners nationally from coast to coast, sharing the stage with hip-hop heavyweights such as Flatbush Zombies, Swollen Members, Madchild, and Pimpton. Their second release, The Hard Tape, engineered by Saskatoon-based producer, Deadkeys, was voted the #1 album in SaskMusic’s Top 10 Saskatchewan Albums of 2015. The first single from The Hard Tape, “Run It”, exemplifies the band’s unique integration of dark, emotional R&B vocals with new-school rap. From the technical and musical prowess demonstrated in their track “North”, which features fellow Saskatchewan rap group Queen City Stoop Kids, to the melancholic, emotional struggle portrayed in the album’s final track “Finished”, The Hard Tape is a prime example of the increasing diversification and experimentation within the modern context of hip-hop today.

Currently, the band’s focus lies on the release of their next album, The Soft Tape, scheduled for release in the summer of 2016, as well as on their upcoming showcase in Canada’s largest and most influential industry conference and music festival, Canadian Music Week, taking place in Toronto, Ontario from May 2 – 8, 2016. By aiming to redefine the definition of Canadian hip-hop, DGS Samurai Champs is the Canadian hip-hop group to look out for this year. The group uses their diversity and versatility to create a unique, urban sound that pushes the boundaries of contemporary hip-hop, and they show no signs of slowing down.