NEW RELEASE!

SYNOPSIS

Jackson Smith is not your average entrepreneur. He is a compassionate professional and the proprietor of a unique business he calls the Thano Spa. The base of Jackson's operation lies high above the city in a luxury suite that boasts spectacular views and provides a sanctuary where individuals are given the privilege to end their lives in a safe, comfortable environment. Jackson's rather macabre service becomes strained when he must choose between his business or his amorous desires for a special woman. Thano Spa is a new short film written by bourgeoning filmmaker Jonathan Balazs, directed by Peter Guzda and a Lamba production.


NEWS

Thanks to all the kind folk who saw Thano Spa at the Edmonton International Film Festival! I could not personally make it to the festival as I was working on my new film The Ludibrium...seriously. Just got word that it will be showing sometime between November 12-15 as a part of the Queens Film Festival in the "Rotten Apple" a.k.a. New York City! More details as I receive them. Watch the sneek peak here!

UGSMAG

Please send all press inquiries to jonb@ugsmag.com

RELEASES

TMP_poster "Khari 'Conspiracy' Stewart was already a legend in the subterranean depths of Canada's hip-hop underground as one half of Supreme Being Unit with twin brother Addi 'Mindbender' Stewart prior to his notoriety, gained from freaking out Roots drummer ?uestlove and posting random, rambling pronouncements on hip-hop message boards. The Mars Project, a five-minute documentary short from new Canadian filmmaker Jonathan Balazs, gets to the root of it all with an examination of the life-changing moment in Khari's life when, in the summer of 1997, he first opened H.P. Lovecraft's infamous occult book The Necronomicon and found himself cursed by an intergalactic being named Anacron. This otherworldly presence has since informed his music at every turn; his recent solo album, Sex is the Key to Immortality, discusses his fight to be free of this influence with songs like "I'm Cursed by a Demon" and "Demon Slayer," and helps to explain his possibly psychotic online outbursts. While Khari emphatically denies this haunting has anything to do with his massive drug consumption or potential mental illness, they are certainly possibilities that should have been given serious consideration but are only touched upon in the doc. And that's where The Mars Project falls short. Khari is an interesting individual with a lot to say, so five minutes is not enough time to do the subject justice. Investigations into the possibilities of possession and the probable alternatives would be a good addition to a longer study of the same subject. Still, it serves as a great introduction to the topic and goes a long way in offering insight into what makes this oddball MC tick. The DVD release also contains an even shorter tour documentary with DJ Weez-L, the man manning the two turntables for Edmonton MC Cadence Weapon, plus an artsy film short I still don't understand and a hard copy of a Conspiracy interview Jon did for UGSMAG." ­ Exclaim!, Thomas Quinlan
Watch the trailer!
"Disregard the juvenile title that is Beat Diarya--producer Jon b (a.k.a. Jonathan Balazs) has already come up with his fair share of clever titles in the past, including "Get Ripped and Try Dying" on his eponymous Hardly Novices featuring Max Prime. It turns out that ingenious rappers are not yet completely extinct, but rather a bunch of them are thriving in Edmonton, much like most guest artists on Beat Diarya. Jon b successfully produced an aural piece of art that transcends hierarchy. He didn't reinvent the wheel, but Beat Diarya is packed with unique beats, nice grooves and skillful, no-show-off rapping. About half the tracks are Jon b-flavoured remixed or "warped" (basically alterations of pitch and tempo) pieces, classics from Mobb Deep to Lord Finesse, which are slightly redundant, but connoisseurs should be keen on the many references thrown in there. It gets better: collaborations with Canadian rappers such as Mindbender and Touch. Jon b should continue to pursue this vein in his upcoming productions. Let him age a bit-he's only 21 and already demonstrates what an accomplished producer he can be. Balazs admits he would perhaps sign with a record company if an offer comes up, but simply not at the price of changing his music. Damn right, Jon." ­ Discorder Magazine, Maude Lachaine

LISTEN
  • Beat Diarya Podcast
  • CBC Radio 3
  • virb.com

    • PRESS
  • Hip Hop Canada Review
  • Discorder Magazine Review
  • Cream Interview (English)
  • Ugsmag.com
  • Exclaim!
  • The Hero Hill
  • The Eyeopener
  • The Edmonton Journal
  • VUE Weekly
    • "Edmonton, AB's Max Prime and Jonb might be Hardly Novices, but only now are they debuting with a tight little EP of scientific and braggadocio raps. Although the rapid-fire lyrics scattered throughout the album -- and most apparent on "Rapper's Koto" -- could have better enunciation, Max Prime has solid flows and interesting concepts. On "Backward Polaroid" he relates an engaging tale of a boy with seven genetic mothers over a fun, piano-loop beat, and "Get Ripped and Try Dying" not only wins the award for best song title of the year but also serves to criticise thug rappers over a hard drum and violin production; the duo also have success with more drum and violin for "Take a Breather" a classic flexing of mic skills. "Have At You!" another catchy battle track, continues Jonb's modus operandi of a simple, catchy loop over slamming drums, this time with an oboe-like woodwind. While the production is minimal and the sound a little lo-fi, Max Prime and Jonb show a lot of raw potential with Hardly Novices." ­ Exclaim!, Thomas Quinlan


    Go to the Hardly Novices Website

    PHOTO BLOG

    Yeah, I take pictures too, peep the gully-butter!