Pilla B

Pilla B is a new and exciting recording artist emerging from Rexdale, Toronto. He is adept at creating hooks and choruses that stick with his audience. His sound is gritty, visceral, and soulful. May of last year he dropped his project ‘1 Year To Date’ and just a few weeks ago he dropped his first single of 2019 titled “Good For You” featuring Yung Tory. As promised Pilla B returns with the official video. The KB Kutz and Trung Hoang directed clip finds the two rappers in a hazy penthouse as they smoke hookah with a few beautiful women by their side. - Rap Fest

The Toronto Red Bull Music Festival has kept us on our toes for the past seven days, but for their final night, they brought the newest voices of the rap and R&B world together: Yasmine, Pilla B, the Sorority, Ebhoni and Lil Berete.

Stripping down Love Child Social House to its bare bones for one night only, memories of its former years [aka the Hoxton] came flooding back — as did the heat, which layered over attendees as the venue filled up.

Kicking off the night, Scarborough rapper Yasmine, who's part of arts and music collective 88 Days of Fortune, performed songs from her January release, No Squad In The Wild, with a easy confidence to a room that was still packing in. Following a quick changeover, Public Records signee Pilla B brought humour, dancing and melodic deliveries to the stage, engaging a large part of the room rapping back to him bar-for-bar — it became evident quickly that he was the people's champ.

The third act of the night came in the form of four-member rap group the Sorority, who, despite their coast-to-coast tour this year, were perhaps the lesser-known artists in the room last night. Regardless, Pheonix Pagliacci, Keysha Freshh, Haviah Mighty and Lex Leosis not only won over the crowd, but also the weary sceptics who weren't sure what to expect until they heard the effortless deliveries. In the infamous words of Toronto veteran rapper Eternia, "My favourite rapper wears a skirt."

With all the energy in the room, songstress Ebhoni slowed it down with a sensual performance before breaking her set to introduce two new rappers — SooDope and Spadez. It was an interesting move for an artist who's still a new name to many, despite her 63K following on Instagram, but a touching moment nevertheless.

Closing out the night was 17-year old Regent Park rapper and New Gen/XL Recordings signee Lil Berete (pictured). Earlier in the year, Lil Berete was forced to cancel his first major show in Toronto (by police), which created a unparalleled anticipation that led to last night. Performing songs from his debut mixtape Icebreaker, the young artist captivated the crowd with his presence and radiated "kid in a candy store" energy.

What happened last night at the Red Bull Music Festival wasn't so much a "Collision," as they named the event, but rather a cohesive night of good vibes and great music. - Exclaim

Rexdale rapper Pilla B dropped the poignantly banging Yung Dubz collab tabe 6 AM earlier this year, and now he's recently dropped his own solo album 1YTD. The name, which stands for "1 Year to Date," refers to the album coming out on the first anniversary of Yung Dubz' murder. Despite the heavy legacy that informs tracks like "War" ("If it's war, then it's war / cause you took my bro"), there's still time for songs like "You Ain't Outside," which just received a video.

The song itself is menacing, Pilla's taunting sing-song rising above an unfathomably heavy beat. The video is slightly tech-themed, with Instagram live chat bubbles adorning footage of Pilla hanging out with dudes in those Anonymous-associated Guy Fawkes masks. Watch the "You Ain't Outside" video above. - Noisey/Vice

Our Song of the Day is the latest single from budding Rexdale rapper Pilla B representing Public Records.

With his first release of 2019, Pilla enlisted the support of fellow Torontonian, Yung Tory, who was fresh off his European tour.

“Good To You” is available on Apple Music, Spotify, and other digital streaming platforms.

“Pilla B is moving into the new year after having a busy 2018 and he has zero plans of slowing down, stay tuned for the music video coming soon.”

If you’re just getting familiar with Pilla B, be sure to check out his 2018 project, 1YTD, featuring a single guest appearance from Rexdale legend Jelleestone on the album’s “Stone Poet Intro.”

A video for “Good To You” is expected to drop in the near future. - Hip Hop Canada

Pilla B is one of the biggest rappers on the local Toronto scene, which says a lot. The rising star linked up with one of Toronto’s other biggest acts, who had his moment a year and a half ago. Delivering his single, “Good To You,” Pilla B linked with Yung Tory for the feature. - Hip Hop Vibe

Yung Dubz could have been a welcome new voice in the growing Rexdale, Toronto rap scene, but he sadly lost his life last spring. His musical partner Pilla B has slowly been releasing the material that he recorded with Dubz, its exuberance defiant in the face of tragedy. The pair released their 6 AM project last week, and it fulfills the promise of those loosies, a cohesive fusion of the crawling Toronto sound and Atlanta's shiny melodies.

The video for EP single "GANG" is another strong statement both visually and musically. The duo stunt on top of a toy-piano beat that rides walloping, distorted bass, the music recorded at OVO production mastermind Noah "40" Shebib's studios. The song and the project show that death isn't always the end, and that despair shouldn't last forever so long as you have those who are willing to ride with you no matter what. Watch the "GANG" video above and listen to 6 AM in its entirety below. - Noisey/VICE