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Kardinal Offishall
artist

Kardinal Offishall

Kardinal Offishall is a hip-hop artist from Canada formed in 1996. 35 releases are catalogued on Riffiter.

Hip-Hop · Canada · Best hip-hop albums

35
Releases
1997–2026
Active years
1996
Formed

Discography

8Rank them 1 vs 1 →Two covers at a time. Pick the one you rate higher, we build the order.Every record on one board, your ratings already placed. S to D, then save it as a list.
Not 4 Sale cover

Most popular

Not 4 Sale

2008 · 16 tracks

Singles & EPs

27

Appears on

19

Releases by other artists featuring Kardinal Offishall.

Featured tracks

25

Collaborators

24

Community

More about Kardinal Offishall

Kardinal Offishall at a glance

Born in
Scarborough
From
Canada
Active since
1994
Instruments
voice
Labels
Universal Music Group, Geffen Records, Konvict Muzik, KonLive Distribution, MCA Records
Educated at
York University

Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Children listed are those with their own public record, so the list may be incomplete.

About

Kardinal Offishall (born Jason Harrow on May 21, 1976 in Scarborough, Ontario) is a Canadian hip-hop MC and producer of Jamaican descent.Kardinal is often viewed as “Canada’s hip-hop ambassador”, and along with MC’s such as Saukrates and Maestro Fresh Wes, he’s arguably the most popular. Kardinal blends soul, dancehall, reggae and hip-hop to create a truly unique sound. Kardinal started rapping at the age of eight, and was winning competitions by the time he was 12. Also at the age of 12, Kardinal performed live and on stage for the first time, with Nelson Mandela in attendance during his first visit to Toronto. By 1993, he decided to drop his alias “KoolAid”, and went by the moniker Kardinal Offishall after being inspired by the great 17th century French politician Cardinal Richelieu.

Read more

Kardinal was signed to a publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Music Canada at the age of 20. In 1996, he released his first single “Naughty Dread”, which was featured on the Rap Essentials Volume One compilation and earned him a Juno Award nomination for Best Rap Recording. In 1997, Kardinal released his debut album Eye & I on Capitol Hill Music. The only single from the album, “On Wit Da Show”, had considerable video play on MuchMusic. Kardinal was also credited as a major contributor to the late 90’s renaissance of Canadian hip hop. In 1998, he was featured on the Juno-winning single “Northern Touch” with the Rascalz, Choclair, Checkmate and Thrust.

Kardinal Offishall in brief

How many Kardinal Offishall releases are on Riffiter?
35 releases are catalogued, spanning 1997 to 2026.
When was Kardinal Offishall formed?
Kardinal Offishall formed in 1996, in Canada.
What genre is Kardinal Offishall?
Kardinal Offishall is catalogued under Hip-Hop.
What is the most recent Kardinal Offishall release on Riffiter?
My Brother's Keeper Part 2 (feat. NESTA), released in 2026.

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