What's In Your Fridge
What’s In Your Fridge is where the Straight asks interesting Vancouverites about their life-changing concerts, favourite albums, and, most importantly, what’s sitting beside the Heinz ketchup in their custom-made Big Chill Retropolitan 20.6-cubic-foot refrigerators.
The world molded me into Kid Filthy, but my mother named me Mica. I immigrated to Canada in the summer of 2002 after spending my years as a toddler in Congo, DRC. Coming to a new country planted a seed of opportunity, and ever since then I have worked towards watering that seed with hard work and proactivity. I am an artist and one that should not be overlooked.
Kanye West: Life of Pablo Tour, 2018. This was my very first time attending an arena show, so it only made sense to me to go alone. Being one of my favorite artists I carried the highest expectations for Mr. West, and surely he exceeded them. I felt an overwhelming wave of inspiration and could not hold back my tears of joy. Kanye set the bar for myself with how I need to deliver whenever I showcase my art live.
Joey Bada$$ 1999 This album changed my life. It was the soundtrack of my coming-to-age experience as a young 10th grader before I ever picked up a microphone. I was always a writer at heart. However, Joey first introduced me to what complex rhyme schemes are, and, more importantly, the power our words hold. The subject matter around Indigosim and thinking outside of self opened my mind to new perspectives of the world around me. A world I once believed was designed for me to fail. 1999 put a battery in my back and steered me into the direction of writing my own music. In my opinion it’s one of the most pivotal albums of my generation.
Lupe Fiasco Testuo & Youth If this is the first time you are reading about this album, please put this article down and listen to it. Testuo & Youth is a direct representation of poetic mastery. Lupe covers all ground when it comes to songwriting—not only are the bars heavy, but the hooks, choruses, and chord progressions are all equally sharp. Lupe is in a realm very few lyricists dwell in, you can find the likes of Daylyt, Black Thought, and Ab-Soul in that same ecosystem.
XXXTentacion 17 What’s understood does not have to be explained.
Chris Brown “Gimme That” I remember watching this video for the very first time and thinking “this guy dances better than Michael and Usher.” Cinematically the video is not groundbreaking. However, it was my introduction to the young phenom and it heavily influenced my own artistic expression through dance.
Stick of butter. One of the most universal items you can have in your fridge. Whether it’s a substitute for oil, spreading on my toast, or lubricating a baking pan, a stick of butter goes a long way.
Orange Juice. My absolute favourite beverage of all time. Pulp/No Pulp, organic or synthetic—it doesn’t matter to me. I spent so much time despising it as a child because I was fooled by the apple-juice hype train. Hopped right off and never looked back.
A Box of Arm & Hammer. If you’re perplexed as to why this is a must for my fridge you most likely have a nasty smelling fridge. Baking soda is the age-old hack for fridge maintenance and quality retaining of products. Do yourself a favour and add it to your shopping list.
Check out Kid Filthy, including his new "Dead & Gone", on Spotify and Apple Music.
Gord Downie of the Tragically Hip once suggested that he would like to fight Mike Usinger. For which Mike Usinger didn't blame him one bit.
It’s been 14 years since I last went to church. And I honestly don’t miss it.
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