Photo by Brad Ardley

Video Interview: Staying Home with Snotty Nose Rez Kids

Story by Howard Druckman | Friday May 1st, 2020

In the midst of social distancing to combat the spread of the COVID-19 virus, SOCAN continues to conduct video interviews with our members – now online via meeting apps – in our new video series, “Staying Home with…” Today, it’s Snotty Nose Rez Kids.

Formed in 2016, the Haisla Nation hip-hop duo from Kitimat, B.C. – composed of rappers Yung Trybez (Quinton Nyce) and Young D (Darren Metz) – have won both Best Hip-Hop Artist and Breakout Artist at the Western Canadian Music Awards; have been shortlisted twice, back-to-back, for the Polaris Prize; and have earned a JUNO Award nomination. In a video interview with SOCAN just after the release of their new EP Real Deadly, Snotty Nose Rez Kids talk about, among other things, new musical directions; how the song “Real Deadly” anticipated the coronavirus situation; how they’re doing with, as Tupac Shakur said, “all eyez on me”; and the concept and sound of their next full-length album.

Photo by Brad Ardley

SOCAN introduces Leadership Updates

Story by Howard Druckman | Tuesday May 5th, 2020

In the midst of social distancing to combat the spread of the COVID-19 virus, SOCAN is continuing to operate at full capacity. To keep you posted about what we’re doing to adapt to the situation, and how we’re doing it, we present a series of SOCAN Leadership Updates – online video interviews with various SOCAN executives.

First up is SOCAN’s Chief Membership and Business Development Officer Michael McCarty, answering gthe question What is SOCAN’s Membership Team doing now? (with French subtitles.)

#ComposersWhoScore: Six SOCAN members nominated for Québec Cinéma’s 2020 Iris Awards

Story by Eric Parazelli | Thursday April 30th, 2020

Following the cancellation, due to the current pandemic, of the televised awards presentation that had been planned for early June, Québec Cinéma has released the names of this year’s 27 Iris Award finalists on April 23. Six SOCAN #ComposersWhoScore are nominated in the Best Original Music category. Québec Cinéma, a not-for-profit organization advocating Quebec film, wanted to publicize the outstanding work of Quebec filmmakers in spite of the fact that an alternate official awards presentation has not yet been found.

The 2020 #ComposersWhoScore nominees in the Best Original Music category are:

  • Andréa Bélanger (SOCAN), David Ratté (Will Driving West) (SOCAN) for And the Birds Rained Down
  • Jean-Michel Blais (SOCAN) for Matthias & Maxime
  • Jean Massicotte (SOCAN), Jad Orphée Chami (SOCAN) for Antigone. Publishers: Ho-Tune Musique (SOCAN) and ACPAV
  • Howard Shore (ASCAP) for The Song of Names
  • Peter Venne (SOCAN) for The Twenieth Century

In partnership with Radio-Canada, Québec Cinéma is currently looking for creative alternate ways to organize its awards presentation while following public health guidelines.

Mostly directed by women, the 2020 edition’s top finalists are Louise Archambault’s And the Birds Rained Down (13 nominations); Monia Chokri’s A Brother’s Love (11 nominations); Sophie Derapse’s Antigone (8 nominations); Podz’s Mafia Inc. (8 nominations); Myriam Verrault’s Kuessipan (7 nominations); and Anne Émond’s Jeune Juliette (6 nominations).

For a full list 2020 finalists, please visit the official Québec Cinéma website.