In 2008, a young actor from Forest Hill named Aubrey Graham was still finding his footing as a rapper. That year he stepped into a Toronto studio alongside two hometown veterans, producer Saukrates and King Reign, for a piano-driven track called “Fades Away.” Eighteen years later, Drake is one of the biggest artists on the planet, King Reign is gone, and Saukrates is bringing the song back. “Fades Away (2026 Remix),” credited to Saukrates featuring Drake, King Reign and The BLK LT$, is out now worldwide on Frostbyte Media/SRG-ILS through Virgin Music and Universal Music Group.
To understand why this song matters, you have to go back to the beginning of Toronto hip hop as the world now knows it. Saukrates, born Karl Amani Wailoo, released his first single, “Still Caught Up,” in 1994 while still a teenager, writing and producing it himself. It earned him a JUNO nomination for Best Rap Recording in 1996, back when Canadian rap barely had a foothold on radio. He went on to sign with Warner Bros. and later Def Jam, and co-founded The Circle, the Toronto collective that includes Kardinal Offishall, Choclair and Jully Black. Long before anyone called the city “the 6,” these were the artists proving the “Tdot” could hold its own with New York and Los Angeles.
The original “Fades Away” appeared on King Reign’s 2009 EP, ‘Reign Music,’ with Saukrates behind the boards and Drake still months away from becoming a household name. For hip hop historians, it’s a fascinating snapshot: a pioneering generation passing the mic to the artist who would carry Toronto to global domination. Saukrates and Drake share more than a song, too. Both came up in the orbit of Toronto producer and mentor Noel “Gadget” Campbell, the same studio lineage that shaped Drake’s longtime producer Noah “40” Shebib.
The remix also arrives as a tribute. King Reign, born Kunle Thomas, died in June 2016 at just 40 years old. A member of Scarborough crew BrassMunk and a respected solo artist, he worked with everyone from Kardinal Offishall to Pharoahe Monch to K-os.
“This is Toronto personified… I have always approached music production with a ‘sharing’ sentiment and, with our city being underdogs, we find strength in talented numbers. Quality + Quantity!” says Saukrates, also known as Bigg Soxx. “RIP to my brother in soul, Kunle ‘King Reign’ Thomas.”
Producers Walter Milsapp III and XMan reworked the track, blending its late 2000s soul with a sound built for today. Saukrates, Drake, King Reign and The BLK LT$ share the songwriting credit.
“What an honor to connect with my Canadian brothers and sister on such a classic. Bringing that nostalgia together with today’s culture created something truly unique and timely,” says Milsapp, a close associate of Dominique Zgarka. “XMan and I had an incredible time creating for this record, and it was a privilege to be a part of reimagining something so special for a new moment.”
Few artists have touched as many corners of Canadian music as Saukrates. He produced for Redman and co-produced “Heaven” on Nas’s ‘God’s Son.’ He has collaborated with Method Man & Redman, toured with Nelly Furtado, and fronts the funk and soul band Big Black Lincoln. He also wrote “On The Run” with K-os and Furtado, the song K-os later turned into “I Wish I Knew Natalie Portman.” He’s a multiple JUNO nominee and MMVA winner, an Emmy nominee, and this year he won Best Rap Single for “Who’s Drivin You” with TOBi and Jully Black, plus Best Children’s Album with Canadian hip hop godfather Maestro Fresh Wes.
Sports fans know his voice, even if they don’t realize it. Saukrates has narrated Toronto Blue Jays content since 2007, including the documentary for Roberto Alomar’s Hall of Fame induction. He went on to become a voice of the Toronto Raptors through Rogers and Sportsnet, right through the 2019 NBA championship run. He also composed the theme and score for the History Channel and Stack TV documentary ‘Sounds Black,’ directed by Cazhmere Downey, where he shares his perspective on Black music history in Canada.
His roots in music reach back even further than hip hop. Saukrates trained classically on violin and played with the Scarborough Schools Symphony Orchestra, performing at Roy Thomson Hall four times. Now known affectionately as “Uncle Scarborough,” he’s paying that forward with the Saukrates Youth Electric Symphony Orchestra (SYESO), a 60-piece orchestra of student musicians, in collaboration with Community Music Schools of Toronto (CMST).
Before 2026 fades away, Saukrates is preparing a collection of his classics, including a revamped 2026 version of “On The Run” with K-os and Nelly Furtado. It will also feature the SYESO and a few new songs from his vault. In the new year, he’ll follow it with a collaboration album with DJ Nana.
Back in 2008, “Fades Away” captured Toronto hip hop’s past and future in one room. In 2026, it’s a reminder of how far the city has come, and of the people who built the road.
All In One Streaming Link I YouTube | Instagram