"Jamaican Funk - Canadian Style":Diasporic Dialogue and Hybridized Identity in the Music of Michie Mee

Michie Mee is a hip-hop artist who came to prominence in Toronto’s hip-hop scene in the 1980s. Michie Mee is an important figure in Canadian hip-hop for several reasons. She is a successful female rapper in a male-dominated performance sphere. Furthermore, she was the first Canadian rapper to gain support from established New York hip-hop acts such as Boogie Down Productions. Michie Mee was also the first Canadian rapper signed to an American record label (First Priority Music). However, what makes her especially unique is her expression of a distinct Jamaican/Canadian hybrid identity. From her earliest recordings “Run For Cover” and “Jamaican Funk: Canadian Style,” to 2012’s “Bahdgyal Bubble,” Michie Mee has promoted a strong Jamaican identity within her lyrical and visual style. By using theories of hybridity and third space, my thesis investigates Michie Mee’s articulation of a recognizable hybrid identity that projects both Canadian and Jamaican sensibilities.