More Or Les

Artist Information

Biography

For video of More Or Les, please check the following links:

POP N CHIPS - More Or Les & Fresh Kils feat. Ghettosocks & Timbuctu
now on:
MuchMusic: http://watch.muchmusic.com/video-playlists/rap-city/clip214377
MusiquePlus: http://www.musiqueplus.com/more-or-les/pop-n-chips
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8zIr_Dn4EA

More Or Les with the Herbaliser: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VUIcw8uVcI

More Or Les live performances:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XPUccr8y00
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKlFwE4t2fo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJTBAbD5cjQ

More Or Les and Fresh Kils on CBC Radio 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btynF3-FSOA

With two critically-acclaimed albums, a noted music video, North American and European touring under his belt and a feature on the latest album of UK's The Herbaliser - MC, Producer and DJ, More or Les is a hip hop triple threat. With a new CD released in summer of 2009, The Les Kils EP is a collaborative effort with talented TO musician, Producer Fresh Kils. Since its release, the EP has received rave reviews and a debut #1 spot on CIUT radio. A hilarious ode to Middle School rap, the music video single Pop N Chips (featuring Halifax rap phenom Ghettosocks and London, ON emcee Timbuctu) can be seen on MuchMusic, MusiquePlus and YouTube.

More Or Les’ performance career includes such highlights as showcases at SXSW in 2010 and 2009, 2008 Halifax Pop Explosion, Pop Montréal Festival in ’08 and ’07, ManifesTO Cultural Arts Festival, '09 and '08 Under Pressure Festival, the Luminato Festival, Harbourfront Centre, Wavelength’s 7th Anniversary, Canadian appearances on the Vans Warped Tour, opening for Eyedea & Abilities, a tour of Eastern Canada with the Wordburglar, appearances at The Second City, Style In Progress, a trip to each coast with the Perpetual Motion Roadshow, many local clubs around Toronto, Government of Canada Pavilions at the 2003 World Cycling Championships and the Canadian National Exhibition, as well as busking on the streets.

Music releases for More Or Les include his debut and sophomore albums I only stop for the Red Ants and The Truth About Rap respectively, and appearances on the latest release of The Herbaliser. Appearing on their 2008 album "Same As It Never Was", More or Les connected with the group over three shows (Toronto, Ottawa & Montreal) on their 2005 Canadian tour, a week-long gig in London, UK in November 05 and European & Canadian tours in 2006 and 2008.

With "crates steeped deep in hip hop history," Les is a DJ and host at Toronto's new monthly Hip Hop showcase 5 Dollar Rap Show, and co-host of the media-attention-grabbing Hip Hop Karaoke. He was also the resident DJ at the classic Hip Hop event Never Forgive Action, and Toronto's most influential underground hip hop showcase, In Divine Style, which ran weekly from 2001-2006.

Instrumentation

More Or Les - vocals
Fresh Kils - MPC drum machine
DJ iRATE - turntables

Discography

EPs:
The Les-Kils EP (2009)

ALBUMS:
The Truth About Rap (2006)
I only stop for the Red Ants - shrinkwrap edition (2004)
I only stop for the Red Ants - early edition (2003)

GUEST APPEARANCES:
2009 - "Unorthodox", Peter Project, album: Fresh EP
2008 - "Game, Set, Match", The Herbaliser, album: Same As It Never Was
2008 - "Words", The Herbaliser feat. Jessica Darling, album: Same As It Never Was (Japanese release and bonus track on ITunes only)
2008 - "Repetitive Stress Injury", Peter Project, album: Peter Project
2008 - "Get Up Remix", Rhythmicru feat. Shad, album: D-Ray's Supertoke Mixtape vol. 3
2008 (as DJ only) - "John Deere Out Here", Rhythmicru feat. Spesh K, Timbuktu, Wordburglar, album: D-Ray's Supertoke Mixtape vol. 3
2008 - "Keep It Moving", Rhythmicru feat. Wordburglar, album: D-Ray's Supertoke Mixtape vol. 3
2008 - "We Have Come For Your Children", Rhythmicru feat. Ghetto Socks, Wordburglar, Odario and Uncle Dropsi, album: D-Ray's Supertoke Mixtape vol. 3
2007 - "Safe No More", Jesse Dangerously feat. Wordburglar and Apt, album: Verba Volant
2007 - "Carnies", Rhythmicru feat. Wordburglar, album: D-Ray's Supertoke Mixtape vol. 2
2007 "Turn It Up", Rhythmicru, album: D-Ray's Supertoke Mixtape vol. 2
2006 (as DJ only) - "Laymen's Terms", Wordburglar, album: Burglaritis
2006 - "Spit Fresh", Wordburglar, album: Burglaritis (also appeared as DJ)
2006 (as DJ only) - "The Route" Wordburglar, album: Burglaritis
2006 - "Time Flies", Rhythmicru, album: D-Ray's Supertoke Mixtape vol. 1
2005 - "Three", Dragon Fli Empire feat. N'didi Cascade, album: Invasion
2005 - "Time and Space Remix", Green TaRA feat. N'didi Cascade, Deanna, Chi Turner, album: Music for a Mixed Nation (vinyl only)
2004 - "Beautiful Mutant", Mindbender feat. 4th Pyramid, Chuggo, Vangel, Fritz Da Cat, Ill Seer, Eternia, album: Beautiful Mutant (disc two)

OTHER APPEARANCES

Video Games
2010 - vocals featured on the soundtrack for "ModNation Racers" - Kart racing game available on Sony PlayStation 3

Film
2007 - song "Emission Admission" featured in Animated Short Emission Admission by Sarah Lazarovic
2007 - songs "Maundoe Flute" and "Maundoe Fun" featured in Animated Documentary Mondo Condo by Sarah Lazarovic

Television
2004 - "MuchEminem" - in-studio freestyle battle on MuchMusic
2004 - "Urban Groove" - in-studio performance on bpm:tv
2004 - "Richler Ink" - featured music video "A Little Too Much Weed" on an episode on Bravo

Music Videos
2009 - "Pop N Chips" - feat. Ghettosocks and Timbuktu from the More Or Les and Fresh Kils release Les Kils EP - directed by Darrell Faria, produced by Mike MacMillan for Lithium Studios
2009 - "We Have Come for Your Children" - by Rhythmicru feat. Ghetto Socks, Wordburglar, More Or Les, Odario Williams, and Uncle Dropsi - directed by Arv Slabosevicius for Ghostmilk Studios
2008 - "Oscillate!" (as "Shoxxx" from the short film series Hot Snack Radio) - directed and co-written by Matt Eastman, music by Fresh Kils
2004 - "A Little Too Much Weed" - directed by Matt Eastman

Literary
2008 - "Get creative for cash: rap edition" - article in the Toronto Star
2006 - "E = emcees2" co-written with Jill Murray for The State of the Arts: Living With Culture in Toronto (published by Coach House Press)

Official Website

http://www.moreorles.ca

Audio

• Pop N Chips feat. Ghettosocks & Timbuctu
  Listen   Download
• Rip Rap - More Or Les & Fresh Kils
  Listen   Download
• Crossbow - More Or Les & Fresh Kils
  Listen   Download

Lyrics

• Sucka Word

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• Smile and Wavelength [+ Show ]
  

  by Liisa Ladouceur (Street Spirit section) Feb. 15, 2007 Do we really need Wavelength anymore? B...by Liisa Ladouceur (Street Spirit section)
  Feb. 15, 2007
  
  Do we really need Wavelength anymore? Between the increase in no-name-band-friendly venues and the rocketing of local indie-rockers to main stages worldwide, does this city's music community still depend on the weekly pay-what-you-can series? The two generations of indie kids who packed four nights of Wavelength's seventh anniversary shows Feb. 8-11 certainly believe so.
  
  As do I, having witnessed the super-fun set from More or Les that kicked off Sunday night's final birthday blast at Sneaky Dee's. While the local MC played directly to the WL crowd – delivering hip-hop 101 lessons clad in a cutesy “Hug Life” t-shirt – it was a satisfying to see rap programming at an indie-rock event. (Someone should revive Sesame Street Canada just to have him on singing about brunch.) And if his strongest socially conscious words flowed more like those of a Media in Society prof than a poet, his set was a refreshing change from the Bad Band Revolution-style art student wisecracking that tends to permeate Wavelength.

• More better - T.O.'s More Or Les seeks Herbal remedy [+ Show ]
  

  By Jason Richards NOW | MAY 25 - 31, 2006 | VOL. 25 NO. 39 More or Les knows how to sell himself...By Jason Richards
  NOW | MAY 25 - 31, 2006 | VOL. 25 NO. 39
  
  More or Les knows how to sell himself.
  
  Last summer, while other artists sweated it out on Queen West hawking "conscious hiphop no guns no violence," the Scartown MC established himself as the city's first rap busker, freestyling through an amp in the downtown core.
  
  The move got him loads of attention, even catching him the ears and business cards of a few major A&R reps.
  
  More or Les is actually so good at putting himself out there in creative ways that he can smell a terrible approach coming from miles away. And it usually ends with the same phrase, one he named one of his new tracks after: "Yo, let my boy rap!"
  
  "That song title was literally what somebody said to me at a show," says Les, chatting on the phone instead of postering for his album release party because of shitty weather.
  
  "I was DJing, and this guy comes up to me (I don't think he really was a manager) and was like, 'I like what you guys are doing.'
  
  "I was like, 'Cool, thanks.' I thought it was gonna end there. Then he kept saying stuff like 'Yeah, you're doing your thing, you're cutting it up, but you should really hear what my man's saying!' I was like, 'Uh-huh,' and finally he goes, 'Yeah -- like -- yo! Let my boy rap!'"
  
  The phrase would haunt him right through to his times hosting In Divine Style, the former hiphop open mic night at Hooch.
  
  Tracks like Yo, Let My Boy Rap or Everybody Outside (The Busking Song) -- recounting the real-life experiences of the rising rapper, who first caught people's ears with 03's I Only Stop For The Red Ants -- really make his second album.
  
  With a Del-reminiscent flow and a comedian's good-natured wit, Les delivers a refreshingly blunt take on being an MC. Or he goofs off and raps about food (quite a bit -- he'd one day like to follow in Cibo Matto's footsteps with an all-food-themed album).
  
  But his candour is underlined by the 1,000-degree rhythm sections tossed out by The Truth About Rap's 10 producers, himself included.
  
  It should boost an already promising career due to his newfound relationship with the Herbaliser. After he was hooked up for some Canadian jazz fest dates, the deadly Ninja Tune hip-hop band invited him to play in London, England, last November, and back to play France and Belgium this summer.
  
  Shortly thereafter, he'll begin recording on their new album, which could lead to some interesting things, as they're pretty buddy-buddy with Jean Grae, among others.
  
  Between major festival gigs in places like Dour and Ghent (Belgium) and Annecy (France), More or Les tells me he'd kill to do some Euro-busking. He's just making sure he's prepared.
  
  "I'm calling everyone I know there, asking, 'Is there any way I can do this without being arrested, beat up or robbed?'
  
  "Having any of those happen to me in Europe would not be great."

• Rap Music review [+ Show ]
  

  By Joshua Ostroff Underground MCs have long griped about the nihilism of their commercial counter...By Joshua Ostroff
  
  Underground MCs have long griped about the nihilism of their commercial counterparts and Scarborough, Ont.-born More Or Les's sophomore album finds him similarly concerned with the "crap rappers talk." But he leavens the critiques peppering tracks like Shooting People & Disrespecting Women with a wonderfully deft flow, old school enunciation and comical couplets. Inspired by rap's pre-gangsta golden age -- when good-natured hip-hoppers like Jungle Brothers and Dream Warriors strode the Earth -- Les doesn't just say "it's about fluency with rhyming ingenuity," he proves it. Over tight, jazzy beats built by numerous Canadian producers, including himself, light-hearted Les lists off his favourite local brunch spots, relates the dangers of busking on Queen Street and reminds us on The Truth's penultimate track, and all over the album, that "rapping is fun."

Setlist

Basic Requirements

Calendar