This past May, Edmonton rapper Rollie Pemberton, a.k.a. Cadence Weapon, released Hope in Dirt City, the third record in an incredibly diverse catalogue. It earned a spot on the Polaris Music Prize shortlist, and he toured in support of it all over the world this past summer.

In advance of his appearance at the Park Theatre this coming Friday, Oct. 19, Pemberton answered some questions via email.

The Uniter: Three LPs and a few mixtapes into your career, you’ve always kept it insanely diverse. Each disc is a totally new sound, while the mixtapes are a chance to go and do something like Tron, which is just so off the chain and freeform. What does it for you: a studio project, a mixtape project or the live show?

Cadence Weapon: I feel like they’re interconnected. The mixtapes allow me to cleanse my palette between an album and a tour. Recording an album directly informs how my live show will be afterwards. I mean, I started off as a purely studio musician so the creative part of music is what got me into it but performing has been something I’ve worked at tirelessly for the past few years. I love it all!

“ I remember that show at the Royal Albert. I had red Nikes on and I spent most of the show lying down on the ground, screaming into the mic.

Cadence Weapon

You’ve been touring all over to promote this new record. What have been some standout cities and shows for you?

Earlier this year I had the opportunity to play Primavera Sound in Barcelona. What an amazing city that is. You can really see how your surroundings affect your mood and your life being in a place like that. Everyone I saw that lived there was incredibly happy, which probably has a bit to do with the fact that they live in a paradise where the people who run the city said, “Let’s make every building a piece of art.” I really like LA too. There’s just so much to explore there. My best shows were probably in Montreal, Portland, Cleveland and Boston. I’m looking forward to coming back to the prairies though. DJ Co-op and I are bracing ourselves for the stretch from Winnipeg to Edmonton. It’s always a rap party over there.

You’ve mentioned that the move from Edmonton to Montreal has made you more competitive. Who are some of your contemporaries in Montreal that are pushing you?

My peers in Montreal include TOPS, Blue Hawaii, D’Eon, Mozart’s Sister, Karneef, Mac DeMarco and Doldrums, among others. It’s a great community to be a part of. Everyone is very supportive and open to new ideas. It’s a privilege to have such talented people around to inspire me.

You’ve mentioned that the idea of Hope in Dirt City is “finding a silver line in the darkness.” Aside from the constant “does Alberta have a scene?” discussion, was there any other darkness going on with you, or was it strictly regionalism?

It was a period of time where I was experiencing major transitions in my life. Regional changes, personal changes. A lot of it had to do with winter and not having the proper infrastructure to make the art I wanted to. Much of the album is me working these issues out through songs. I wanted the songs to have edge and a darker feel, but I wanted there to be a triumphant undertone as well.

I remember seeing you in maybe 2005 or 2006 at the Royal Albert in Winnipeg and my friend turned to me and said, “This is punk rock,” so it’s funny to me that so many people, now that you’ve done a live band record, are thinking that your live show is so different when it always has been different from other hip hop artists. I haven’t seen you since the Buck 65 tour at the West End Cultural Centre so maybe it has evolved a lot since then. Thoughts?

I remember that show at the Royal Albert. I had red Nikes on and I spent most of the show lying down on the ground, screaming into the mic. The show has changed a bit since those days. It’s a lot more measured and focused on routines and specific transitions. I dance more. There’s a lot of action in the transitions between songs. It’s not like any other rap show you’ll see today.

Lastly, you’re a tastemaker, so who are you listening to right now?

I’m really into Ty Dolla $ign right now. I think he’ll be all over the radio soon. I’ve been obsessed with Future all year. Eclectic mainstream R&B is gonna be even bigger than it is now next year. Guys like Miguel and Jeremiah are seriously pushing boundaries. The new Tame Impala album is a masterpiece.

“Conditioning” by Cadence Weapon.