Canada’s underworld is something that’s only beginning to be explored in-depth, especially as it relates to its connection to the Canadian hip-hop scene. Pressa, of course, is someone whose ties have been well-documented over the course of his career, from his early days of touring with Drake in the UK while on bail to recent reports that detail his father’s alleged role in the growing Crip influence across Canada.
Per the Winnipeg Sun, and as spotted by All Hip Hop, Pressa’s father is now being accused of the expanding influence of the Crips in Toronto and British Columbia. According to the Organization for National Gang Information and Awareness head Sergeant Andrew Hammond, the scope of street gangs has expanded greatly in the past decade, largely due to the connection between B.C.’s Brothers Keepers gang and Toronto’s Driftwood Crips.
Hammond said that rapper Certi2x (real name Naseem Mohammed), also known as Wlatt, from Surrey, B.C., has been a key figure between the two gangs. Although he died in January, his alleged relationship with Pressa’s father, Mark Gardner, a member of the Driftwood Crips, has deepened ties. Mark Gardner was convicted of first-degree murder and has lived in B.C. since his release on parole. Hammond said that Mark Gardner’s presence in B.C. has played a role in expanding the connection between Brothers Keepers and Driftwood Crips.
Rap Lyrics Are Still On Trial
Hammond explained that Mohammed’s social media presence and his music helped boost his profile in the criminal underworld. However, much like in the U.S., the use of rap lyrics as evidence has been a contentious topic as defense attorneys argue that it’s merely a form of artistic expression and not an admission of guilt. Of course, this is most noticeable in Top5’s trial connected to a murder, where Hammond spoke as an expert witness.
