Photo Credit: Raphael Mazzucco

Each month, we will speak to an athlete, celebrity, or non-Hip Hop entertainer about what Hip Hop means to them. This feature is intended to showcase how far-reaching the influence of Hip Hop culture has grown in the past 50 years and how much the culture means to so many.

This month, we spoke with Chantal Kreviazuk.

Throughout her illustrious career, world-renowned artist and songwriter Chantal Kreviazuk has won three JUNO Awards and a Grammy Award for her work with Drake, and is a recipient of the Order of Canada and the JUNO Humanitarian Award, in recognition of her deep commitment to philanthropy. Chantal is featured on what is arguably Drake’s most heralded album intro track “Over My Dead Body.”

A highly sought-after songwriter, Kreviazuk has penned tracks for some of the world’s biggest artists: including Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Britney Spears, Shakira, Gwen Stefani, Christina Aguilera, Pink, Avril Lavigne and many more. In February, she signed a co-publishing deal with Anthem Entertainment, following their acquisition of a stake in her catalogue last year.

Kreviazuk is currently putting the finishing touches on her next album, slated for release this year.

So chantal kreviazuk, what does Hip-Hop mean to you?

So Chantal Kreviazuk, What Does Hip Hop Mean To You?

“The thing about Hip Hop is that it’s not just a colour in the palette. It’s different. It’s not a different texture or a different medium. It feels to me like it takes me out of genre and structure, and I get to be free. I am not sure what this even means, but as someone who loves to infuse and do cross-genre and embrace influence, it’s freedom-giving, and I can always default to that creative freedom, and always have a reset.

Hip Hop especially in its purist form always sounds and feels fresh and inspiring to me and makes me find and love music again if i get lost.”

Follow Chantal Kreviazuk on Instagram.