Following the release of his multi-award-nominated 2021 memoir SAGA BOY, which offers a deeply enthralling and personal account of a young immigrant’s search for belonging and Black identity amid the long-lasting effects of cultural dislocation, Toronto-based artist John Orpheus unveiled an equally captivating companion album this summer.
While SAGA BOY encapsulated the journey of searching for home, family, and love as a boy, SAGA KING can be seen as the celebration of a man who has arrived at his destination. Combining funky, upbeat and catchy hooks with creative and charismatic lyricism, Orpheus’ latest release offers a noticeably energetic and pop-leaning departure from previous projects.
We recently had the opportunity to catch up with the multi-talented Toronto artist, who took some time to fill us in on his favourite places to eat and drink in his Canadian home base.
Breakfast
Ali’s Roti—doubles for breakfast dawg. If you don’t know now you know! Plus Ali [is] from near where I grew up in Trinidad so it always feels like home cooking.
Lunch
The Irv Gastro Pub—pub grub done right though; innovative, sinful, great cocktails and the staff be like, “where everybody knows your name.”
Dinner
[Rhum Corner] tastes like home. The whole fried fish is my fav but the ox tail also don’t play. And the absolute flyest unisex bathroom in the city. It’s a vibe.
Drinks
Chubby’s Jamaican Kitchen—I mean the food is stunning here also, but not a lot of bars make great rum cocktails (stop with the Barcadi and the white rum ya’ll). The “Everything Nice” with Scotch bonnet issa fyah ting.
