Q with Tom Power

By CBCSociety & Culture

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Q with Tom Power episodes

August 25, 2023 Hip-Hop Week: bbno$ & Yung Gravy a.k.a. Baby Gravy
Yung Gravy and bbno$’s friendship all started with a SoundCloud DM, and now the viral rappers are headlining major festivals together around the world. They sit down with Tom to talk about their humble beginnings, supporting each other from day one, and their third studio album, “Baby Gravy 3.”
19 min
August 24, 2023 Hip-Hop Week: Legendary choreographer Buddha Stretch on the evolution of hip-hop dance
Buddha Stretch has left an indelible mark on hip-hop dance since “breakin'” (get it?) onto the scene decades ago. He's worked with everyone from Eric B. & Rakim to Will Smith, and pop legends like Mariah Carey and Michael Jackson. Buddha Stretch talks to Tom about his life in dance, how he approaches hip-hop from a Buddhist standpoint of balance, and what keeps him so passionate for the craft after all these years.
34 min
August 24, 2023 Hip-Hop Week: Charmaine on her unexpected rap career
When Charmaine wrote her first song, she was living in a run-down Motel 6, crammed into a single room with her parents and three siblings. Now, less than a decade later, Charmaine has her first record deal and has received a Juno Award for rap single of the year for her song “Bold.” Charmaine tells Tom about her early influences, how her family inspired her to pursue a music career, and how she’d never rapped before recording her Juno-winning song.
20 min
August 23, 2023 Hip-Hop Week: Michie Mee on breaking ground as a woman MC in hip-hop’s early days
Michie Mee's impact on Canadian music and culture can’t be overstated. She was the first Canadian hip-hop artist to get signed to an American record label, which created a gateway for other Canadian rappers to enter the U.S. hip-hop market. In the process, she proved that Canada is a strong contender in the genre. Michie Mee joins Tom to talk about being one of the only woman MCs in hip-hop’s early days, blending her Jamaican roots with her music, and the challenges of creating a hip-hop career in Canada.
16 min
August 22, 2023 Hip-Hop Week: Musician, producer and Fugee Wyclef Jean
Grammy-winning rapper and producer Wyclef Jean (Fugees) joins Tom Power to reflect on his career and the big hits he’s produced for some of the most influential artists of the last three decades.
26 min
August 22, 2023 Hip-Hop Week: Photographer Janette Beckman + hip-hop pioneer Fab 5 Freddy
Janette Beckman is a photographer who’s captured some of the most iconic moments in hip-hop history, from LL Cool J and his boombox, to Flavor Flav’s first clock, to Run-D.M.C. on the streets of Hollis, Queens. Janette’s work has been shown in galleries all over the world, and now her work is part of the permanent collections of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, and currently on exhibit at The Seaport in New York City. She tells Tom Power the stories behind some of her most famous photographs.
Plus, legendary graffiti artist, filmmaker and hip-hop pioneer Fab 5 Freddy joins Tom Power for a chat about the movement's early beginnings and the role he played in its evolution.
26 min
August 21, 2023 Hip-Hop Week: Ron Nelson on dropping his first rap album at age 60
DJ Ron Nelson is considered to be the godfather of hip-hop radio in Toronto. Now, at the age of 60, he’s released his first rap album. Ron joins Tom Power for a look back at his journey as a pioneering hip-hop radio host and concert promoter, and explains why it was the right time to put out a rap album.
29 min
August 21, 2023 Hip-Hop Week: Rapper Haviah Mighty on her “most personal album yet”
Haviah Mighty is an award-winning Canadian rapper known for calling out injustice in her rhymes. She’s just released a new album, "Crying Crystals," but instead of looking outward for inspiration, she decided to look inward. Haviah sits down with guest host Talia Schlanger to share what that experience has been like for her.
19 min
August 18, 2023 Sugar Sammy will make you laugh in more than one language
A decade after changing the face of stand-up with his bilingual tour “You're Gonna Rire,” Montreal comedian Sugar Sammy brings his multicultural humour back with a new tour, “You’re Gonna Rire 2.” He shares why raising eyebrows in this hotly political time is more fun — and more important — for him than ever.
23 min
August 18, 2023 Laysla De Oliveira on her role of a lifetime + an oral history of “Northern Touch”
Growing up, the actor Laysla De Oliveira was drawn to on-screen portrayals of tough women who reminded her of her mother. She now gets to play one in the new series "Special Ops: Lioness" alongside some of her acting heroes.
Plus, an oral history of “Northern Touch,” one of Canada’s most iconic rap songs.
27 min

About Q with Tom Power

From the publisher's feed

Five days a week, Tom Power brings you candid conversations with the artists shaping our culture. Whether he’s chatting with A-listers or rising stars, his disarming warmth and meticulous research…

always gets below the surface, bringing us deeper into the art and lives of today's most compelling musicians, writers, actors and filmmakers.

As a Canadian institution, Q has attracted the biggest names in the world. But it's never been about the fame. It's always been about the art.

Since becoming the host of Q in October 2016, listeners have come to know Tom for his in-depth interviewing style (asking founding Wu-Tang Clan member RZA what was inside his teenage notebooks), his mischievous sense of humour (jokingly chiding actor Catherine O'Hara for her parenting skills in Home Alone), and his genuine enthusiasm and fearlessness (singing a duet with Mavis Staples).

You’re just as likely to hear from celebrities and cultural icons as you are to hear from emerging artists at the beginning of their career. Tom gives each and every artist the space to tell their story in their own words. He also has a track record for interviewing artists on the precipice of stardom, like Lizzo, Billie Eilish and Daniel Caesar, who appeared on Q well before they hit the mainstream.

On Q, we cover arts and culture in all its forms, including music, movies, film, TV, comedy, painting, photography, theatre, cinema, Broadway, fashion, dance, opera, documentaries, books, fiction and memoirs.

Look to our archives to hear some of Tom’s award-winning artist interviews, including his moving and insightful conversation with the Canadian actor Michael J. Fox, which was awarded the prestigious gold medal for best interview at the 2021 New York Festivals Radio Awards.

In 2022, Tom spoke with Friends star Matthew Perry in front of a live audience. Their warm and frank conversation about the actor's struggles with substance abuse struck a chord, leading to millions views on TikTok and Instagram, while also being picked up by news outlets internationally, including Vanity Fair and CNN.

Tom’s impactful discussions with top talent have included Adele, Bono, Chappell Roan, Pamela Anderson, Cate Blanchett, Dua Lipa, Cher, Denzel Washington, Mick Jagger, Florence Pugh, Francis Ford Coppola, Kristen Stewart, Emma Stone, Jim Carrey, Billy Porter, Tom Hanks, Jerry Seinfeld, Tyler Perry, Alicia Keys, Alan Moore, Bruce Springsteen, Dolly Parton, Barbra Streisand, Darren Aronofsky, Harry Styles, Simu Liu, Sean Penn, Sandra Bullock, Michaela Coel, Ryan Reynolds, Katy Perry, Neil Young, Shakira, George Clooney, Ava DuVernay, Omar Apollo, Trixie Mattel, Orville Peck, Big Sean, Anil Kapoor, Jane Fonda, Robert DeNiro, Antonio Banderas, Elton John, Celine Dion, Kerry Washington, Chuck D, Steven Soderbergh, Mikey Madison, Cillian Murphy, Sean Baker, Steve McQueen, Paris Hilton, Taylor Tomlinson, Gwen Stefani, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Kylie Minogue, Stanley Tucci, Rufus Wainwright, Caroline Polachek, Hans Zimmer, Denis Villeneuve, Alex Garland, Alan Ritchson, Britt Lower, Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, David Blaine, Brian Tyree Henry, Perfume Genius, Deepa Mehta, Tracy Chapman, Chloë Sevigny, Josh Hartnett and many more.