Down With Webster

Few Canadian rap rock acts can claim a name borrowed from an 80s sitcom, yet Down With Webster built a following in Toronto's Beaches area on the strength of energetic live shows. The group started in 1998 as an instrumental jazz band at Glen Ames Senior Public School, and its sound widened as reggae, funk and jazz made room for hip-hop once Martin "Bucky" Seja began rapping alongside Patrick Gillett, whose blues rock leanings added grit to the mix.

Their debut EP, Time to Win, Vol. I, came out in October 2009 and was gold-certified, yielding "Rich Girl$", which sampled the Hall & Oates song of the same name, and "Your Man", which reached No. 12 on the Canadian Hot 100. "Whoa Is Me" followed in 2010. The major-label album Time to Win, Vol. II arrived in October 2011 and peaked at No. 9 on the Canadian Albums Chart, preceded by "She's Dope". Party for Your Life followed in 2014 with "One in a Million" and "Chills". The band has been nominated for Juno Awards and MuchMusic Video Awards, and won Pop Video of the Year for "Whoa Is Me" in 2011.