Project Wyze
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1988 in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada |
| Defunct | 2003 |
| Headquarters | Sudbury, Ontario , Canada |
Area served | Canada, United States |
Key people | Yas Taalat, Bobby McIntosh, Adam Arsenault, Tye Thomas, Sasha Kosovic, Brad Dean, Elie Abdelnour |
| Products | Music albums and EPs |
Project Wyze was a Canadian band blending rap and metal genres, active from 1996 until their disbandment in 2003, after which members concentrated on their side project, Dead Celebrity Status.
History
The hip-hop duo of Yas Taalat and Bobby McIntosh originally formed Project Wyze in 1988 in Sudbury, Ontario. While still in high school, they developed a notable underground following by opening for artists such as Dream Warriors, Maestro Fresh Wes, and Michie Mee, and were among the pioneering Canadian acts to open for Public Enemy.
Post-graduation, the pair relocated to London, Ontario and in 1995 merged with a punk rock band, transforming Project Wyze into a rap rock ensemble with new additions Adam Arsenault on guitar and Tye Thomas handling bass. Their debut independent EP, Trapz of Poetic Poison, was released in 1996, followed by a U.S. tour in 1998 alongside bands like Papa Roach and the Step Kings.
The group further expanded its lineup by incorporating Sasha Kosovic (guitar), Brad Dean (drums), and Elie Abdelnour (bass), culminating in the 2000 EP Only If I Knew. Increasing sales and a growing fanbase attracted major record labels, leading to a contract with Sony Music. Their first major label album, misfits.strangers.liars.friends (2001), produced Canadian charting singles "Nothing's What It Seems" and "Room to Breathe," peaking at No. 95 on the Canadian Albums Chart. That same year, they appeared at Edgefest II in Toronto.
Due to internal disagreements, the band eventually dissolved as Yas and Bobby shifted their attention primarily to their side project Dead Celebrity Status.
Discography
- Trapz of Poetic Poison EP (1996)
- Only If I Knew (1999)
- misfits.strangers.liars.friends (2001)