Maestro Fresh Wes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Maestro Fresh Wes
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Maestro during filming for the Instant Star TV series
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Wesley Williams |
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| Born | March 31, 1968 |
| Origin | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
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| Years active | 1987–Present |
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| Associated acts | Kardinal Offishall, Percee P, Rich London, Michie Mee, Classified, Choclair, Dream Warriors, The ... Poet Society, Shad K, Kool G Rap, Sadat X, Ghettosocks, D-Sisive, Infinite |
Wesley "Wes" Williams (born March 31, 1968) is a famous Canadian rapper, singer, actor, and author. He is best known by his stage names Maestro Fresh Wes or Maestro when he makes music. When he acts, he uses his birth name, Wes Williams. He is often called the "Godfather of Canadian hip hop" because he was one of the first Canadian rappers to become very popular.
His first album, Symphony in Effect (1989), was the first album by a Black Canadian artist to sell over 100,000 copies! In 2023, he was the first hip-hop artist to be welcomed into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. He also received a Governor General's Performing Arts Award in 2024, another first for a hip-hop artist.
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Early Life and Education
Wes Williams was born in Toronto, Ontario, on March 31, 1968. His parents came from Afro-Guyanese backgrounds. He is the oldest of three children and grew up in areas of Toronto like North York and Scarborough.
He went to Senator O'Connor College School and then finished high school at L'Amoreaux Collegiate Institute. After high school, he studied law and political science for one year at Carleton University in Ottawa.
Music Career Highlights
Starting His Music Journey (1979–1989)
Wes Williams became interested in hip hop music when he was just 11 years old. At 15, in 1983, he met DJ Ron Nelson. Ron helped promote Wes's music, using the name Melody MC, on his radio show.
A few years later, in 1988, Wes started working with Farley Flex. That same year, he officially became Maestro Fresh-Wes. He recorded his first songs, "You Can't Stop Us Now" and "I'm Showin' You." While performing on MuchMusic's Electric Circus, he met Stevie B, who helped him connect with a record label in New York City. This was a big moment for Canadian hip hop!
Making History with Symphony in Effect (1989–1991)
In 1989, Maestro released his first album, Symphony in Effect. The next year, his song "Let Your Backbone Slide" became the first song by a Canadian rapper to reach the Billboard Top 40 in the U.S. This song was also the first single by a Canadian hip hop artist to sell over 50,000 copies (go gold). His album Symphony in Effect was the first Canadian hip hop album to sell over 100,000 copies (go platinum).
In 1991, he worked with other artists on a song called "Can't Repress the Cause." This song asked for hip hop music to be more recognized in Canada.
Breaking into the U.S. and The Black Tie Affair (1991–1999)
After his 1991 album, The Black Tie Affair, Maestro tried to become popular in the United States. In 1992, he appeared in a video for "O Canada" where he added his own rap verse about Canada's coasts. He returned to the Canadian music charts in 1998 with popular songs like "Stick to Your Vision" and "416/905 (T.O. Party Anthem)."
New Music and Collaborations (2000-2013)
In 2000, Maestro released his sixth album, Ever Since. It included the song "Bustin Loose," where he teamed up with Kardinal Offishall.
In 2012, Maestro released new music after seven years with an EP (a shorter album) called Black Tuxedo. It was nominated for Best Rap Recording of the Year at the 2012 Juno Awards. This was followed by the album Orchestrated Noise in 2013. This album featured many different artists, including rocker Sam Roberts, opera singer Measha Brueggergosman, and rappers like Kardinal Offishall and Kool G Rap. For this album, he went back to using his original name, Maestro Fresh Wes.
Music for Sports and Celebrations (2015-2019)
In 2015, Maestro released Compositions Volume 1. This album included "Underestimated," a sports song that was played during the 2015 Pan American Games and featured in the NHL 17 video game.
His 2017 album, Coach Fresh, had a song called "Jurassic Park." He made this song with Rich Kidd to celebrate the Toronto Raptors basketball team. In 2019, the song was released as a single and video when the Raptors made it to the 2019 NBA Finals. Coach Fresh was also nominated for Best Rap Recording of the Year. In March 2019, he released another album called Champagne Campaign. On November 21, 2019, "Let Your Backbone Slide" became the first rap song to be added to the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Recent Activities (2020–Present)
In 2020, Maestro Williams and his family moved to Saint John, New Brunswick. He started a radio show called Maestro In The Maritimes, playing his favorite songs and sharing his thoughts.
In 2021, he published his second children's book, "Stick To Your Vision: Young Maestro Goes to School." This book encourages kids to have fun and express themselves through hip hop, poetry, and music. His famous song "Let Your Backbone Slide" was celebrated at the 50th anniversary of the Juno Awards. In the summer of 2021, he became the host of the reality show Race Against the Tide, which aired on CBC in July 2022. This show brings together sand sculptors who create amazing art before the tide washes it away.
In 2024, Wes Williams made history again by being the first hip-hop musician to be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.
Acting Career
Wes Williams is also a talented actor. He was nominated for a Gemini Award for his role in the TV series The Line on HBO Canada. He has also appeared in other TV shows like Metropia, Instant Star, and Blue Murder.
He has acted in movies such as Poor Boy's Game, Honey, Paid In Full, and Four Brothers. As an actor, he is known by his birth name, Wes Williams.
From 2012 to 2018, Williams played the role of Paul Dwyer, a teacher and vice principal, on the CBC Television show Mr. D for eight seasons. He also hosts the CBC Television show Race Against the Tide.
Author and Speaker
In 2010, Wes Williams co-wrote a motivational book with his wife called Stick to Your Vision: How to Get Past the Hurdles & Haters to Get Where You Want to Be. The famous rapper Chuck D from Public Enemy wrote the introduction for the book. This book is part of the curriculum at Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) and is a required reading for high school students in Nova Scotia. In 2016, Wes received an honorary diploma from NSCC for his contributions and for inspiring students.
Helping Others
Throughout his career, Wes Williams has supported many charities. These include War Child, Save the Children, SickKids Hospital, Covenant House, Special Olympics, and the African AIDS Society. He believes in giving back to the community.
Personal Life
Wes Williams has lived in big cities like Toronto, Vancouver, and New York. In October 2020, he and his family moved from Toronto to Saint John, New Brunswick. They moved because of the COVID-19 pandemic and to be closer to family.
Since moving to Saint John, Williams has become very involved in the community. He hosted a weekly radio show called "Maestro in the Maritimes" on 97.3 The Wave, playing hip hop music from the 90s and 2000s. He has also become an ambassador for Saint John and coaches children's sports teams there. In 2022, he hosted the East Coast Music Awards in Fredericton, New Brunswick. He also had an Atlantic Canadian cooking show called "Maestro Chef Wes." In 2023, Williams started the annual Maestro Fresh Wes Scholarship at the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) to help Black students studying trades and transportation.
Discography
Studio albums
- Symphony in Effect (1989)
- The Black Tie Affair (1991)
- Maestro Zone (1992)
- Naaah, Dis Kid Can't Be from Canada?!! (1994)
- Built to Last (1998)
- Ever Since (2000)
- Orchestrated Noise (2013)
- Coach Fresh (2017)
- Champagne Campaign (2019)
EPs
- Louie Louie (1990)
- Black Tuxedo (2012)
- Compositions Volume 1 (2015)
Compilations
- Urban Landmark 1989–2005 (2005)
- Rap Prime Minister (2024)
