Unlike many rappers who broke out of Toronto in the 2010s, Sean Leon didn’t benefit from a coveted Drake co-sign. Rather, the MC/filmmaker built his own OVO-esque empire, the IXXI Initiative, to pursue his intertwined musical and cinematic visions. Leon celebrated his outsider status with the funhouse-mirrored rap of 2017’s “Black Sheep Nirvana”, and his restless bravado is all the more pronounced on minimalist trap tracks like the 2020 single “Gg”. But Leon’s interests extend beyond hip-hop, as he hooks up with electronic producer Harrison for the smooth, neon-tinged synth-funk of “90 Bpm” and soul phenom Daniel Caesar for the gospel-infused epic “Matthew in the Middle”.