Dream Warriors (band)

Dream Warriors

Company type	Music group
Industry	Music
Founded	1988
Founder	Louis "King Lou" Robinson, Frank "Capital Q" Allert
Headquarters	Toronto , Canada
Products	Hip hop music, albums, singles

Dream Warriors is a distinguished Canadian hip-hop ensemble celebrated for their multiple awards and as trailblazers within the jazz rap genre, significantly impacting both Canadian and UK hip-hop landscapes. The group’s core members are founders Louis "King Lou" Robinson and Frank "Capital Q" Allert, whom John Bush of AllMusic praised as "a pair of deft, intelligent rappers." Their debut record from 1991, And Now the Legacy Begins, is widely considered among the premier alternative hip hop albums from the golden era.

Prior to releasing their sophomore album Subliminal Simulation in 1994, rapper Spek and DJ Luv became part of the lineup. Their third studio effort, The Master Plan, arrived in 1996 before Spek and DJ Luv exited the group in 1997. Although subsequent albums did not replicate the initial commercial success, the duo issued a well-received greatest hits collection titled Anthology: A Decade of Hits 1988–1998 in 1999. Their concluding studio release, The Legacy Continues..., was launched in 2002.

History

Originating from Toronto’s Jane and Finch and Willowdale areas, King Lou (Louis Robinson) and Capital Q (Frank Allert) established Dream Warriors in 1988. That same year, King Lou made his first appearance on Michie Mee and L.A. Luv’s track "Victory Is Calling," which featured MC Lyte. The duo began working together in 1989 and affiliated with Beat Factory Productions. In 1990, they participated in the single "Can't Repress the Cause," a collaborative effort by a Toronto-area supergroup advocating for increased representation of hip hop within Canada.

Under contract with 4th & B'way/Island Records, their jazz-influenced debut album And Now the Legacy Begins was released in 1991. The record garnered both critical praise and commercial success across Canada, Europe, and the UK, eventually becoming an underground sensation in the United States.

Prominent singles from this album included "Wash Your Face in My Sink," "My Definition of a Boombastic Jazz Style," and "Ludi." The first two singles entered the UK Top 20 charts; meanwhile, the album achieved gold certification in Canada and secured a Juno Award. A notable aspect was that "My Definition of a Boombastic Jazz Style" incorporated a sample from Quincy Jones' "Soul Bossa Nova," famously recognized as the theme for the Canadian TV game show Definition.

In 1992, Dream Warriors contributed "Man Smart, Woman Smarter" to the soundtrack of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Their follow-up album in 1994, Subliminal Simulation, expanded their lineup to include rapper Spek (Hussain Yoosuf) and DJ Luv (Phillip Gayle). Although reviews were varied, the record featured guest appearances by Butterfly from Digable Planets and production work by Gang Starr's Guru and DJ Premier alongside Da Grassroots. Two singles were released: "Day in Day Out" and "California Dreamin'."

The third studio album, The Master Plan (1996), was not distributed in the U.S. Singles supporting this release included "Float On," "What Do You Want 'Ladies'?," and "Sound Clash," which featured Beenie Man. That same year, they contributed a hip-hop rendition of "Edmonton Block Heater" to the compilation A Tribute to Hard Core Logo. Following this period, Spek and DJ Luv left the group in 1997; Spek moved to the United Kingdom.

In 1999, Priority Records issued Anthology: A Decade of Hits 1988–1998, which contained two new tracks performed by the original duo. The compilation received acclaim from critics, with Robert Christgau comparing them favorably to De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest. That year also saw Dream Warriors perform at Showcase '99 held in Hamilton.

Their final album, The Legacy Continues..., was released exclusively within Canada in 2002. Produced by The Herbaliser, it featured the single "Road of Many Signs," previously included on The Herbaliser’s 1999 album Very Mercenary. Other singles from this album were "Breathe or Die" and "Unstoppable."

In 2017, Dream Warriors brought out their second compilation album titled Icon.

Discography

Studio Albums

• And Now the Legacy Begins (1991) – Reached CAN No. 34, UK No. 18, AUS No. 53
• Subliminal Simulation (1994)
• The Master Plan (1996)
• The Legacy Continues... (2002)

Compilation Albums

• Anthology: A Decade of Hits 1988–1998 (1999)
• Icon (2017)

Singles

Year	Title	Chart Rankings										Album
		CAN	AUS	US Mod Rock	NZ	NED	GER	SWI	SWE	IRE	UK
1990	"Wash Your Face in My Sink"	—	57	—	—	38	—	—	—	—	16	And Now the Legacy Begins
	"My Definition of a Boombastic Jazz Style"	—	65	24	—	59	22	15	15	—	13
1991	"Ludi"	56	117	—	—	48	—	—	—	24	39
	"Follow Me Not"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1994	"Day in Day Out"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	99	Subliminal Simulation
1995	"California Dreamin'"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"Float On"	—	—	—	30	—	—	—	—	—	-	'The Master Plan'
"What Do You Want 'Ladies'?"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	-98	-
"Sound Clash"	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

• The symbol "—" indicates singles that either did not enter charts or were not released in those regions.

Awards and nominations

• 1991 Juno Awards
  • Nominated for Rap Recording of the Year with "Wash Your Face in My Sink"
• 1992 Juno Awards
  • Received the Rap Recording of the Year for "My Definition of a Boombastic Jazz Style" (Won)
• 1995 Juno Awards
  • Nominated for Best Rap Recording with Subliminal Simulation
• 1997 Juno Awards
  • Best Rap Recording nomination for The Master Plan

See also

• Canadian hip hop
• Music of Canada