Much like its muse, Cadence Weapon’s catchy “Connor McDavid” anthem is taking off fast.
The mayor is tweeting it, the radio is playing it, and McDavid himself gave the rap jam his stamp of approval over the weekend.
“It’s all right,” McDavid grinned while being introduced to his ode on Hockey Night in Canada. “A few of my buddies from back home were texting me, saying ‘Give it a listen.’ It’s nice.”
Born in Edmonton during the height of the ’80s Oilers dynasty, recording artist Rollie Pemberton — now based in Toronto — was so inspired by the Hart Trophy favourite, he had to write a song about him. One of those rare sports/hip-hop mashups that actually sounds natural and will not make you cringe. Good track.
Pemberton took a quick break from working on his fourth album to explain “Connor McDavid” and his relationship with the Oilers.
SPORTSNET.CA: When and why did you write “Connor McDavid“?
CADENCE WEAPON: Last November. I was back in Edmonton to play a show, and I got to see the excitement around the new stadium and the team firsthand. McDavid’s winning play was so infectious, everyone was hyped up by it. I wanted to harness that energy in a song. I wanted to write something that a fan could blast in their truck on the way to a game. I have a history of writing songs about Edmonton, such as “Oliver Square,” so I felt like if anyone was going to write an Oilers anthem, it should be me.
How would you describe the response the song has garnered?
It’s been unbelievable so far. The fans have been really vocal on Twitter about how excited they are about the song. I felt like it would resonate with people, but it’s definitely been wilder than I anticipated. The mayor of Edmonton, Don Iveson, retweeted it. So many people from the media have covered it, it just feels like it’s getting bigger and bigger.
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Any response from the Oilers themselves yet?
It’s gotten some love from local radio. I haven’t heard from the Oilers at all, but I got to watch Connor hear it for the first time on Hockey Night In Canada “After Hours” last Saturday—that was an amazing experience. My phone was going crazy! I would love to come perform the song at one of the playoff games. Hopefully that can happen.
What are your thoughts on the Taylor Hall trade?
I was pissed about it initially, but sometimes unpopular trades like that need to happen. You can’t always appreciate how moves like that will positively effect your team when they first happen. I guess that’s why they’re the GMs. Sometimes they can see the big picture better than we can.
Best hockey game you’ve seen live?
I’ve been to a few games over the years, but the most memorable one was my first Oilers game back in 2008 when I got to watch them beat Vancouver in a box with the Lowe family and Mark Mattson from Lake Ontario Waterkeeper. I’d love experience an Oilers playoff game during this run.
Your “At the club, girls callin’ me Darnell Nurse” line cracks me up. Has that actually happened?
[Laughs] No. That’s just a little shoutout to the only current Oiler that I share a passing resemblance with.
Lots of Oilers alumni get name-dropped in your verses. Why was it important to shout out Mike Grier and Georges Laraque?
Growing up black in Edmonton, it was very inspiring to have Mike Grier and Georges Laraque on our team. I remember listening to Georges Laraque’s love advice show on the radio back in the day and just seeing the impact he had in the community when he played for the team. I unfortunately didn’t include a shoutout to Grant Fuhr, but I once wrote a poem about the Oilers during my stint as Edmonton’s poet laureate that is heavily influenced by him.
Besides “Connor McDavid,” what’s your favourite sports-themed rap song?
“Kobe Bryant” by Lil Wayne. It definitely influenced “Connor McDavid.” I love how Wayne’s sports fandom shines through with how specific and obscure his references are, such as “Catch me at the game sittin’ next to Goldstein.”
How would you describe the feeling in Edmonton around McDavid’s Oilers versus the team you experienced growing up there?
I was too young to really appreciate the Gretzky years when they were happening, but the impact of that era is still all around the city. I’ve seen some archival footage and all the documentaries about that period, and it’s amazing to see how much life it brought to the city back then. I was living near Whyte Avenue during the last Stanley Cup run in 2006 and remember all the madness that happened. I have so much optimism for the McDavid era. I feel like the sky is the limit for the team under his leadership.
(photo by Corey Kerr via Indoor Recess)
