Glen Road to Cordoba

Refusing to follow rap industry standards, Toronto hip-hop lyricist Arabesque (born Steven Kawalit) decidedly created his own path by writing songs unafraid to explore controversial issues or distressing emotions. The Canadian-born Palestinian, who also goes by the alias Aramaic, launched his rap career when he was young in his mid-teens. In the early 2000s, he cut his teeth in Canada's rap scene with several self-pressed singles, including his first release, "The Reason," in 2002. However, his biggest...