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Yeah, yeah, I know what you’re asking yourself. “Another Canadian on the cover?” Before you revive the “USA USA USA” chant, hear me out.

In an ever-shrinking world, the independent music community has experienced exponential growth. Would it have been conceivable 20 years ago that Mid-East hip-hop could have reached kids in the Midwest? Probably not. So while Performer will always fiercely support independent music from artists in the States, it would be narrow-minded and downright ignorant of us to ignore independent music coming from other corners of the globe. It’s important that we open our ears to what artists in other cultures are producing; you may be surprised at how relatable their stories are. You might also learn a thing or two along the way…

This month’s cover story focuses on The Narcicyst, an Iraqi/Canadian rapper whose brilliant lyrics and impeccable flow have landed him at the forefront of the Arab hip-hop movement. He’s an artist, a musician, an educator and a journalist, utilizing a sharp sense of humor and socially conscious messages to give the Western world a glimpse of what it means to be Muslim in hip-hop culture.

In other news, by the time this issue hits the streets we will have launched the brand new performermag.com. The new website will not only give us an online facelift, but will also allow us a lot more freedom when it comes to posting news, reviews, videos, mp3s and local coverage. If you are interested in contributing as a blogger to the new site, please email us at editorial@performermag.com. We can always use great reporters to cover their local music scenes.

-Benjamin Ricci
Editor

P.S. – This issue marks my 12th, a full year at the helm of Performer. It’s been a great year for me, and for music. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the interns, writers and photographers who contribute each month. Without you guys and gals there’d be no magazine. If any of you find yourself in the Boston area, swing by the office for lunch and to say hello – I’ll buy the pizza. Well, technically, I’ll pay for the pizza and expense it, because I’m super cheap. But there will be pizza…probably.