Waxmas 25
Locally Bred Hip Hop Group Holds Annual Christmas Show
By Taylor Onski
High school friends Jarret Schilke, Derek DeSa, and Bryan Johnston share a powerful bond and love of hip hop. With Johnston’s beats and Schilke and DeSa’s MC skills, the trio decided to put on a show at the Apollo in December of 2000. The rest, as they say, is history.
“Right before the first show, we had four songs and I said, ‘Let's wax philosophic on this one,’ And we were like, ‘Oh, that would be a good name,’” says Schilke, a.k.a. MC Reach. Wax Philosophic was born, and their yuletide show Waxmas became an annual tradition.
Currently, DeSa lives in Toronto, while Schilke and Johnston, a.k.a. Beat Producer Jenero, live in Thunder Bay. But like the holidays themselves, Waxmas is a longstanding tradition—and homecoming. “Hip hop and Thunder Bay are the epicentre of Wax Philosophic. We have a good following in Thunder Bay and it's become a good creative outlet for us,” says DeSa, a.k.a. MC D-Cyphur.
“The 25th [anniversary of Waxmas] is significant for us,” says Schilke. “We started when we were relatively young. It makes us feel old, but it's also a testament to our longevity as a musical act and our friendship.”
For DeSa, since living in Toronto, Waxmas and Christmas is an opportunity to express gratitude for the place that created Wax Philosophic and his lifelong friendships. “The Thunder Bay music scene has a lot of camaraderie and support. All the venues we played over the years are now apartment buildings, condos, empty parking lots. It makes me think of the amazing people we've met and supported us along the way.”
In Waxmas tradition, audiences can expect an opening freestyle, Johnston’s vinyl golden-age hip hop beats, performances with local vocalists and bands, and prizes from local businesses. But most importantly, the show is about quality time with friends. “People always say they love coming to it, because they get to see the people who they definitely would not have seen otherwise,” says Schilke. “Waxmas is common ground for that.”
Come out to the 25th Waxmas on December 26 at the Foundry. Doors open at 9 pm and the show begins around 10 pm. Tickets can be purchased at the door. For more information, follow Wax Philosophic on Facebook.
