The National
Cadence Weapon becomes Edmonton's poet laureate
Broadcast Date: May 26, 2009
He's a popular, cutting-edge Edmonton rap artist who goes by the stage name Cadence Weapon. But Roland Pemberton now has a new role — one that might be surprising to some. In fact, Pemberton himself was surprised when he was named Edmonton's new poet laureate in 2009. As a rapper, he will undoubtedly approach the role differently than some of the more traditional poet laureates in other Canadian cities. But as we see in this CBC-TV report, Pemberton is confident he's up to the task.Cadence Weapon becomes Edmonton's poet laureate
• Roland Pemberton was born in 1985 in Edmonton. His father, Teddy Pemberton, was a well-known hip-hop DJ and his grandfather Rollie Miles had been a football player for the Edmonton Eskimos.• When he released his debut album Breaking Kayfabe in 2005 under the stage name Cadence Weapon, it garnered very positive reviews in Canada and the UK. The album was later released in the U.S. by Epitaph Records in 2007. In 2008 he released his second album, Afterparty Babies.
• Chart magazine named Cadence Weapon one of the 15 Canadian artists to watch in 2006.
• When Pemberton was named Edmonton's poet laureate, the city's mayor Stephen Mandel explained the decision in a Chart Attack article: "I sometimes hear that young people aren't into poetry. But Roland, as a musician/hip-hop artist, will show them they really are into the art form — they just didn't know it. We want young Edmontonians to be involved in shaping our city. I know Roland Pemberton will be a great Edmonton ambassador to the rest of the world."
Cadence Weapon becomes Edmonton's poet laureate
Medium: Television
Program: The National
Broadcast Date: May 26, 2009
Guest(s): Fish Griwkowsky, Alice Major, Roland Pemberton
Host: Peter Mansbridge
Reporter: Lynda Calvert
Duration: 2:26
Cadence Weapon music video: Upper Class Recordings
Last updated:
Dec. 2, 2009
National, The
Cadence Weapon becomes Edmonton's poet laureate.
The CBC Digital Archives Website.
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
Last updated: Dec. 2, 2009.
[Page consulted on Feb. 12, 2012.]