!earshot Top 200 of 2021

The Promised Land and The Urban Renewal Project

Back in the late 90s a group of friends with a passion for hip hop decided to start a radio show. As one of the hosts recalls, “it seemed like a good at the time.” Eight years later the The Promised Land on SFU in Vancouver’s CJSF 90.1FM is still going strong
The Urban Renewal Project gets the word outand remains at the centre of a tight group of friends who’ve grown up, graduated and continued to be as committed and active in the hip hop scene as ever.

Organized as a collective, Matt, Swiv, Jane, Needle Kineval and DJ Sage share the hosting duties and promise that “listeners can expect everything from the latest tracks, the classics, the rare,The Urban Renewal Project gets the word out and the obscure, the current events, the info, and the special features. Most importantly, listeners can expect to be respected, involved, and entertained.”  With strong connections to the local community, interviews, live mixing and giveaways are a regular part of the show. Before long, one program wasn’t enough to contain their energies and in 2002 they started second show, The Urban Renewal Project, on Vancouver’s Co-op Radio).

As Earplug Media (www.earplugmedia.com) the crew’s We do it all: DJ at clubs, clothing lines and events! commitment to the hip hop community goes way beyond just hosting radio shows. They are heavily involved in the local scene. Needle Kineval, for example, promotes two popular hip hop nights Monday Night Live at the Lamplighter and Get Up Get Down  on Fridays at Tokyo Lounge. Other members can regularly be found behind the decks at Vancouver clubs. As Matt says, “We do it all: DJ at clubs, clothing lines and events!”

Today hip hop still defines their lives. You can hear The Promised Land on CJSF 90.1FM in Vancouver on Thursdays from 8 P.M. to 10 P.M. and online at www.cjsf.ca and The Urban Renewal Project on Vancouver Coop Radio 102.7FM on Tuesdays from 8 P.M. to 10 P.M. and online at www.coopradio.org.

More Hip Hop shows available across Canada:

Bigger Than Hip Hop on CHRY 105.5FM in Toronto, ON
Sundays 12 midnight to 2A.M. ET
Online at www.yorku.ca/chry/

Tha Flava on CKUT 90.3FM on Montreal, QC
Saturday from 7 P.M. to 9 P.M. ET
Online at www.ckut.ca

Masters at Work on CHSR 97.9FM in Fredericton, NB
Fridays 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. and Mondays 2p.m. to 3:30p.m. ADT
Online at www.yorku.ca/chry/

Mic Check on CKUW 95.9FM in Winnipeg, MB
Saturday from 4 P.M. to 6 P.M. CT
Online at www.ckuw.ca

Live 'N Direct on CFMU 93.3FM in Hamilton, ON
Saturday from 9 P.M. to 10:30 P.M.
Online at http://cfmu.mcmaster.ca/