Black Music 365 Includes Week-Long Residency in Burnaby, BC
Today, two-time Guinness World Record-setting rapper Duane “D.O.” Gibson has kicked off his annual Black Canadian history school tour, titled Black Music 365.
Black Music 365 offers students insight into musical contributions from notable Black Canadian talent and is taking place back in person after last year’s completely virtual tour. The 2023 tour will also include a week-long residency at the acclaimed Michael J Fox Theatre in Burnaby, BC starting on January 16th.
“I’m excited to be back in person at schools talking all about Black history,” says Gibson. “As a hip-hop artist and motivational speaker, music is always central to my presentations. This year I will highlight the contributions of great Canadian musicians and artists, including Maestro Fresh Wes, Oscar Peterson, Jully Black, Portia White, and Drake.”
Gibson is also announcing the return of his second annual virtual Black 365 Conference on February 1, 2023, in support of Black History Month. The conference is expected to draw audiences of students from school classrooms across Canada, where Gibson will rap, motivate, and speak about the contributions of Black Canadians throughout history. To launch this year’s event, Gibson will also release his forthcoming music video, “Black Music 365,” on February 1 and the single via all streaming services on February 3.
“2022 was the inaugural virtual conference, and we reached over 250 schools nationwide and hundreds of thousands of students, all the way from Victoria, BC to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia to up to the Northwest Territories. This year I look forward to connecting with more students from coast-to-coast and sharing Black Canadian history with them,” says Gibson.
Fresh off delivering a sold-out sixth edition of his annual music conference Northern Power Summit in November 2022, Gibson is excited to provide opportunities to elevate Canadian talent. It will be a busy start to 2023 for the rapper. In addition to the tour, he is attending the Grammys in Los Angeles, where he is organizing a Canadian artist and industry networking event.
Born in Watrous, Saskatchewan, with Cape Breton, Nova Scotia roots, Gibson grew up in Southern Ontario before settling in Toronto. He has defied the odds as a rapper from Canada, becoming an international artist, a successful record label executive, and an active community ambassador. He set a Guinness World Record when he freestyled for nearly nine hours in 2003, sold tens of thousands of albums, hit #1 on U.S. college hip-hop radio charts, and traveled the world performing for sold-out crowds.
To learn more about D.O. Gibson, please visit www.iamdogibson.com.
D.O. GIBSON – BLACK MUSIC 365 TOUR
*note: presentations are for students of each respective school and not open to the public
January 10, 2023 – Chilliwack, BC – Imagine High Integrated Arts and Technology School
January 10, 2023 – Langley, BC – Gordon Greenwood Elementary
January 11, 2023 – Chilliwack, BC – GW Graham Secondary
January 11, 2023 – Chilliwack, BC – Chilliwack Secondary
January 12, 2023 – Aldergrove, BC – North Otter Elementary
January 12, 2023 – Fort Langley, BC – Langley Fine Arts School
January 13, 2023 – Port Coquitlam, BC – Maple Creek Middle School
January 13, 2023 – Maple Ridge, BC – Samuel Robertson Technical Secondary
January 16 – January 20, 2023 – Burnaby, BC – Michael J Fox Theatre
January 25, 2023 – Toronto, ON – Our Lady of Victory
January 26, 2023 – Woodbridge, ON – Guardian Angels
January 27, 2023 – Markham, ON – Cornell Village
January 27, 2023 – Aurora, ON – Devins Drive
February 6, 2023 – Woodbridge, ON – St. Emily
February 6, 2023 – King City, ON – Holy Name
February 9, 2023 – Mississauga, ON – Fallingbrook
February 10, 2023 – Waterloo, ON – St. Kateri Catholic
February 15, 2023 – Newmarket, ON – St. Elizabeth Seton
February 16, 2023 – Toronto, ON – Ursula Franklin
February 17, 2023 – Midland, ON – St. Theresa’s Catholic High School
February 21, 2023 – Richmond Hill, ON – Macleod’s Landing
February 23, 2023 – Maple, ON – St. Clare CES
February 23, 2023 – Markham, ON – St. Michael Academy
February 24, 2023 – Brampton, ON – Castlemore
March 29, 2023 – Richmond Hill, ON – Richmond Rose
April 11, 2023 – West Vancouver, BC – West Bay Elementary
May 1, 2023 – Oakville, ON – St. Mary Catholic
May 2, 2023 – Richmond Hill, ON – St. John Paul II
May 3, 2023 – West Hants, NS – West Hants Middle School