Since the ‘90s Toronto has always been a Mecca for diverse hip-hop talent, and currently at the forefront of those new faces is Toronto rapper JD Era.

This Mississauga-born MC’s skills have already attracted the attention of some big names south of the border. Last year, he was hand-picked by hip-hop royalty Raekwon of Wu-Tang Clan fame to join the roster of his new label Ice H20 Records.

Era’s first mixtape No Handouts, released in April 2012, was well received by critics and fans. Soon after, he joined the Staten Island MC on a 40-date Canada/U.S. tour, winning new fans along the way, and even rocking the North by Northeast festival free outdoor mainstage at Dundas Square in Toronto with Raekwon and fellow Wu-Tang legend Ghostface Killah.

Scheduled to play live at Canadian Music Week 2013, Era’s also hard at work readying a mixtape sequel to No Handouts, as well as preparing his debut full-length album.