Give these guys some tickets for Toronto or Los Angeles. They’re good luck!
Back in April, Toronto producer and rapper Azeem Haq dropped a remix of “Let’s Go Blue Jays,” featuring T-dot Hip-Hop pioneer Choclair and the new verses proved empowering and prophetic. The 1983 song written by Canadians Jack Lenz and Tony Kosinec is used in the seventh inning stretch but this new version was commissioned by Sportsnet, as part of their music series.
In an interview with Azeem and Choclair — the former wearing a Jays shirt and the latter a Toronto shirt — they talked to Now Toronto about how excited they are to see the Jays make the World Series again, recalling the back-to-back championships in 1992 and ’93, but would not reveal if they put a hidden motivational message on the song or said a little spell. Whatever they did, their northern touch gave more life to the song post-season. Here’s what we discussed with the pair about their track, as the Jays look to secure a World Series championship against the Los Angeles Dodgers after 32 years.
Your song worked! If I play the song backwards, did you mix in a magic spell to get them to the World Series?
Azeem Haq: We just put real passion into this song. It was just the love of this team, they really inspired me. I don’t know how you feel Chocs, but this team reminds me of ’92, ‘93. That’s why I started my verse with that.
Choclair: Back in the day, from Scarborough, being 16 or 18 years old, I worked at the CNE Grandstand, where the Blue Jays would play before the SkyDome. I was the guy that ran the hot dogs from the kitchen to the concession stand, right before they left, ’88 [season] to move over to the SkyDome [1989]. So, I’ve always had that connection with the Jays, going to the Grandstand, sitting there with my dad and they had these little soft cushions because it was all metal board seats, and then watching ’92, ‘93 and then everything that was going on through the years up until now. It’s a country unifier. You go from West Coast [to] East Coast, everybody’s screaming out the Blue Jays. It’s been a big deal for me and with everything else that’s going in the world, it’s great to see this unity captured by us and being, “This is our team. This is our country.”
Your remix came out five months ago and the added lyrics include, “we’re bringing back the chip, finally,” “it’s ours for the taking” and “30 years in the making.” I’m superstitious when it comes to the Jays, but your remix is prophetic.
Choclair: The crazy thing — and I don’t know if you felt the same way Azeem — is the song was out before The Jays’ season started, so we’ve been emotionally invested in this song from before the season started, and then it started with a little bit of a rocky start, and then you’re saying in your mind, “Oh my gosh, did I just jinx the team? Choclair’s on the song That’s why we’re losing.” [laughs]. They said it with Drake with the Raptors. But then, all of a sudden, we start going and going and then, what was it August? Everybody starts paying attention and Jays are on an 11-game winning streak [a franchise record], and they’re going and they’re going and they’re going. Then we win first place, song gets pushed out again by everybody else, as well as us. Then we win the division championship. Everybody’s now paying attention. They’re like, “ I think I heard this song back in April.” Then we were down to zero and we come back and win the whole thing and now everybody else is putting out a song
We know the song was written by Jack Lenz and Tony Kosinek. How did the remix opportunity come about?
Azeem: Yeah, first of all, respect to [the] original version; the OG version will be timeless. We’re not here to replace that. We love it, getting up in the seventh inning doing the stretch, but this song, I was inspired by this particular team, I’ve been watching the Jays all my life. My dad got me into it. He took me to the World Series in ‘92 and ‘93, which was super special for me. So, for me, it’s a lifetime build up. So, when I got in the studio one day, Vladdy [Vladimir Guerrero Jr.] must have hit a home run. I was just mad inspired. I started making this beat and I knew I just wanted it to be fun that everybody could relate to in the Jays universe.
So, I got on the track and when I made it there was something missing about it. And I’m from Scarborough, just like Chocs, so I was thinking, “Man, this needs that historical Toronto element.” I was just thinking which artist could I get on it that represents Toronto to a full and there’s only a handful of people that I could say that about, and I’m like, “Man, Chocs is perfect for this.” He’s represented Toronto since the beginning. If you listen to his old music, man, he drops references to Toronto all the time. So, I gave him a shout and he was down to do it
I’m very very honoured because I got to put two of my Inspirations, in terms of my favourite sports team and one of my favourite musical artists, and for it to get picked up by Sportsnet and all the media covering it it’s just a huge honour. This has Toronto written all over it. I’m not gonna brag about whether this is the horseshoe or whether we had the good luck charm, but in 2019 I did release a Raptors anthem, too. I’m just sayin’ [laughs].
Well, get cracking on the Leafs one, please, after we win this championship.
Curious what your prediction is…in four, five, six or seven? What do you think is going to happen?
Choclair: I’m going to say six. It’s funny because I saw this meme out today — before everybody goes and takes what I say this way or that way — and it was Kendrick Lamar and Drake standing at the pitcher’s mound and Toronto versus L.A. As much as I love L.A, it ain’t Toronto. It’s Toronto 100 per cent. I say six games. So, Halloween is the sixth, which I hope we take and I hope I’m there, or we’re gonna win it on Halloween and then it’s gonna be the best, scariest, nicest, most flamboyant jovial Halloween that we’ll ever see in the City of Toronto, when we take it on October 31st. That’s my prediction. If I’m wrong, I don’t own you no money. Go talk to the bookie.
Azeem: I like Jays in six, but with the way everything’s going, it’s like a movie; everything’s dramatic with the Jays, so I’m gonna have to say Jays in seven at home.
Are you hoping to get tickets? You are our good luck charms. You should be in the stands.
Azeem: Well, if this clip can get out to the Blue Jays, maybe they’ll invite us. You know what I mean? Hey, maybe we’ll drop the song live at Rogers Centre. Who knows?
Choclair: Oh, yeah, that would be great to go.
Two things to leave you. We need the Leafs song. And be sure to get started on that remix of the remix when we win.
Haq: We’ll do it [in the] studio that same night, out that next morning.
