Jonathan Emile 2003 brings message of hope and justice to Selwyn House

The message of Black History Month was never delivered with more style and substance. Jonathan Emile (Jonathan Whyte Potter-Mal 2003) is a Selwyn House Old Boy who beat cancer in 2004 and went on to become a hip-hop artist and found his own record label the following year. Since then he has recorded with Kendrick Lamar, one of the biggest stars of hip-hop, and has opened for artists like Sean Paul and Nelly. He has been named to the long-list for two Grammy awards, one for his solo hip-hop recordings and one as lead vocalist with the Franco Proietti Morph-tet, a group he appeared with at last year’s Montreal Jazz Festival.

 

But he came to Selwyn House on February 26 to deliver a presentation called “Songs of Freedom,” a program he wrote under the auspices of Ouverture With the Arts, a Montreal–based organization that allows young people to “pursue their passion in the performing arts when they wouldn’t otherwise have the finances to afford classes.” Jonathan’s “Songs of Freedom” tour is just winding up its Montreal and Toronto leg, after having done three weeks of bookings in England, his second European tour.

 

“Songs of Freedom” traces the timeline of slavery, how it took root as an offshoot of colonialism and gave rise to racism as a way of rationalizing the inhumane treatment of enslaved peoples. In the case of African slaves, their owners sought to supress them by cutting all cultural and familial threads that united them. But even after their families and their very names were taken from them, the slaves were left with one possession: their music.

 

Elements of African music still can be heard clearly in hip-hop, jazz, blues, rock, pop, in fact in most of the music styles popular today. In addition his own original songs, Jonathan played and sang classics by Sam Cooke, Bob Dylan and Bob Marley that helped give voice to the civil rights struggle in the United States in the 1960s, as they still do today. “Music is a tool for communication and social justice,” Jonathan told his audience.

 

His was a righteous and moving tribute to the eternal striving for equality among all people, and it spoke to Selwyn House students in a language they understand.

 

Jonathan continues to maintain an incredibly busy schedule, studying philosophy and political science at McGill while pursuing his musical career. He has a new album recorded, and is shopping labels for its upcoming release.

 

“I’m happy with the way things are moving forward [in my career],” Jonathan says. “I’m doing what I love and I feel I’m communicating my message, not only in these presentations but also with my music.”

Visit Jonathan's website here.