NorthSideBenji Essentials

With flexible vocals, stylish soundscapes and stories to tell, NorthSideBenji (born Jaiden Anthony Watson in 1998) is a staple of Canadian hip-hop. Writing his first songs as a teenager, he broke out with his 2019 single “Levels”, a Houdini-assisted single coated in jumpy melodic flows and aspiration. While he often employs a singsong flow, he applies it to varied sonic textures while taking on different tones. For “Clicquot”, Benji trades ominous trap for Spanish guitar riffs and motivational lyricism for easygoing flexes. On “Facts”, he’s once again deadly serious, doling out couplets that evoke loyalty and life-or-death situations. As adaptable as he is raw, NorthSideBenji serves up soundtracks for all occasions, a practice that has only crystallised his status as a Toronto-area mainstay.