Cadence Weapon wins the 2021 Polaris Music Prize
CBC
Cadence Weapon has won the 2021 Polaris Music Prize for his album Parallel World.
The record by the Edmonton-born rapper (real name Rollie Pemberton) was selected by an 11-member jury as the Canadian album of the year, based solely on artistic merit. The announcement was made on Sept. 27 during an online celebration hosted by CBC Music's Angeline Tetteh-Wayoe.
Across its 10 songs and 26 minutes, Parallel World makes distinct references to Black experiences and history in Canada and draws inspiration from a wide range of music, literature and art by Black creators to reflect our "dystopian present."
"It is dark," Pemberton told CBC Music, describing the album. "Have you looked outside lately?" He also explained how Parallel World resulted from a pandemic-induced period of self-reflection:
"During the pandemic, everyone in my life who is not Black [said], 'I'm noticing this stuff for the first time.' [But] I've been living with this shit forever. It felt like I used to be a conspiracy theorist. I [would say], 'I swear that was a microaggression.' Nobody believed me. And then, finally, everyone is seeing what I'm seeing. That made me emboldened to just go harder on this album."
This is Cadence Weapon's first Polaris Music Prize win. He had previously been shortlisted for Breaking Kayfabe (2006) and Hope in Dirt City (2012). There has never been a two-time winner of the prize, which has been awarded annually since 2006.
In addition to $50,000, the Polaris Music Prize brings international recognition to the winner's album.
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