Plex unveils new single, “Great Ones (E’s Up)” featuring Kryple from his upcoming LP
Edmonton-born Indigenous hip-hop artist, Plex is back after a long hiatus with his tribute to the city that made him who he is today. Growing up on Edmonton’s 118 Avenue, Plex witnessed the city’s beloved Edmonton Oilers win 5 Stanley Cups, as well as push to game 7 in the 2006 finals against the Carolina Hurricanes.
“Great Ones (E’s Up),” is an upbeat ode to the City of Champions and features Edmonton artist, Kryple, who many may recognize from the popular hip hop group, Doom Squad.
The song shares tales, both good & bad, from Plex’s formative years, living on the “Northside.”
The timely single from Plex’s soon-to-be-released album coincides with the Edmonton Oilers’ 2022 Stanley Cup run and reminisces of “The Glory Days,” while relishing in the excitement of what lies ahead.
Watch the video for “Great Ones (E’s U)” below, and find out more about Plex via our mini-interview.
First off, care to introduce yourself to our readers?
My name is Doug Bedard, but since about 1994, I’ve used the pseudonym, Plex. I was born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, which is where I began my career in music. After about 12 years, I made the decision to relocate to Toronto to set up a home base for our indie record label, New Leaf Entertainment.
You have unveiled your new release, “Great Ones (E’s Up)”, what can you tell us about the writing process behind the single?
I will always identify as an Edmonton artist. The 30 years I spent there shaped who I am today, both as a father & a husband, but also as a recording artist. I’ve had to experience Edmonton remotely, and even more so since the lockdowns began and I think it was hard. It was hard on the businesses, it was hard on the community and I just wanted to see Edmonton thrive again. Like the Glory Days of the old Oilers dynasty.
So I made numerous references to those old Oilers and some of the businesses that also thrived during that time. It just so happened that the current Edmonton Oilers were entering the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs as we were beginning production on the music video. This was all very therapeutic for me as well, as making music has also been a source of good mental health for me.
The single features fellow Edmonton-based artist, Kryple from Doom Squad. How was the experience working with him?
I’ve been following Edmonton hip-hop since it began. From Quick Trouble, The Maximum Definitive & Task Force in the late 80’s/early ’90s, to Fatty Jones, Dangerous Goods Collective & Politic Live in the early 2000s.
But Kryple is in a class of his own. I’ve been fortunate to witness his evolution with Doom Squad, and it’s inspiring and almost nostalgic to see how hungry and driven he is. He’s a businessman and he takes it very seriously. I feel like, even with almost 30 years of experience in this business, I was able to learn a lot from this collaboration. And the thing is, if you’re going to be on a song with Kryple, you better be bringing some heat.
You have also unveiled a music video to accompany the release, what was the highlight of the shoot?
There were so many moving parts to producing this video. There were times when I figured we should just shelf the video or give up. But sometimes struggle brings more value to the end result. In hindsight, I would have to say the biggest highlight for me, was the new friendships & connections made with the film crew. I had to describe exactly what I wanted and it was cool to see how each filmmaker interpreted that vision.
What else can we expect from you in 2022?
I feel like it’s time to start performing again. The pandemic definitely showed us why we shouldn’t take the ability to perform for granted. It’s about human connection and this is how artists connect. As my 3rd album drops this summer, I feel like there couldn’t be a better opportunity to connect again.