Released on February 27, 2026,
on Hand’Solo Records.
Epic, the rapper from the Prairies, is making his presence felt again. Over the past two years, he has resurfaced through several collaborations (Nassau Manor with Rob Crooks, A Library Called Calder with Deadly Stare). And in 2026, he returns with his first solo record in quite some time. The album presents itself as a sequel to Heater On My Truck, a vinyl release issued in 2003 as a precursor to the (very good) Local Only, reminding us of the modest place Epic occupied in the Canadian underground a quarter of a century ago. All the more so since he has gathered here other figures from that small old scene, including Moka Only, DJ Moves (both on production), and the eccentric Noah23.
What sets Epic apart is that he has never really looked like a rapper. Nor have his lyrics ever consisted of the genre’s usual boasts. What the Canadian talks about is the province of Alberta and the trivial details of his everyday life, a glimpse of which the cover art gives us. He tells us about such seemingly insignificant things as his unlikely career as an obscure rapper, a trip to Rome amid the tourist traps (“Rome (Day Job Retirement)”), old junk piled up in his garage (“Old Shit Out In The Garage”), and his taped-up glasses (“Taped Glasses”), all classic nerd stereotypes, delivered with a vaguely jaded, deadpan sense of humor.
Epic, however, has long insisted on one thing: rap is all he cares about. He is a true child of hip-hop. And he proves it once again when he indulges in ego-trip rhymes (“Rapping Phenomenal”) or throws out “check check check” at every opportunity (“Lethal Test Pressings,” “Us,” “Lawson,” “Survey In A Box”). The Canadian pays tribute to hip-hop when he celebrates his favorite formats, cassette tapes and vinyl (“Cassettes”), when he brings out the scratching (“Lawson”), and when he name-checks Heavy D, Mantronix, Guru, and even the Mystik Journeymen, long-forgotten underground favorites.
There is a touch of self-deprecation in Epic’s work, for instance when he talks about the crowd of eight people attending one of his shows… but not that much. Deep down, his rap is serious business. He still delivers. It is simply that this man, who has always looked older than his years with his white hair and the demeanor of a shy accountant, now seems to have finally been caught up by time.
Heater On My Truck II is an album for the old guard. It is mellow. It is laid-back. Aside from standout tracks such as “Lawson” and “Lethal Pressing” — produced by a DJ Moves who has lost none of his touch — it is built around easygoing production. It is minimalist, as on “Epic 109 Noah 23,” the very enjoyable collaboration with Noah23. It may ultimately appeal only to those who knew Epic back in the heyday of gutter rap. Still, it is far from a bad record. Epic is aging rather well.
