'Hip hop is the connection to youth': Canadian rapper continues to turn heads with powerful, educational music

An Ontario Guinness World Record-setting rapper continues to turn heads with his powerful and educational music.

For more than 20 years, Duane Gibson has used rap as a fun way to teach kids about Black history.

"Black History Month has been a really busy time for me over the last few years and I love getting a chance to visit schools and talk about Black Canadian history," said Gibson, during an interview with CTV Atlantic's Katie Kelly.

To date, Gibson has visited thousands of schools across Canada delivering presentations on Black Canadian history.

Gibson calls his conferences 'Black Canadian 365,' which is part of his Stay Driven program.

Gibson says the conferences allow him to teach students about Black history all year round.

"Black history isn't just important one month of the year, but I think it's something we can learn about every single day," said Gibson.

Not only is Gibson a rapper, he's also an author and a motivational speaker. He says education has always been important to him and he enjoys using his music to get through to the younger generation.

"Hip hop is the connection to youth," Gibson said.

"I just love to combine Black history with hip hop and, of course, we have so many great Black Canadian success stories in hip hop."

Gibson says the stories about incredible Black Canadians are endless and many have East Coast connections.

"For instance, I talk about how Dwayne the Rock Johnson is a Black Canadian. His dad was born in Nova Scotia and he has a lot of ties to Nova Scotia," he said.

Gibson himself also has strong ties to the Maritimes, with family from Cape Breton.

He says Nova Scotia's former Lieutenant Governor Mayann Francis inspired his latest song called 'One woman can change the world.'

"I went to my grandmother's funeral in Nova Scotia and I had a chance to meet the lieutenant governor, Mayann Francis," said Gibson. "We were talking hip hop and she told me about how she liked the song 'One man can change the world.' So, one day I was just revisiting that song, playing the beat and I just started talking about Viola Desmond and the $10 bill, and thinking, 'What would my grandmother say?'"

Gibson said that inspired him to dig deeper into Black Nova Scotians that deserve recognition.

"In my song, I'm talking about women like Wanda Robson, Viola Desmond's sister, who helped make that possible. Rest in peace," said Gibson. "And Mayann Francis who gave her that pardon, or Carrie Best, a Black publisher that brought awareness."

"So, there's so many Black women, particularly in Nova Scotia, that have changed the world and I wanted to highlight them on that song because, as you can see in my video, I have a daughter... and I want her to know her history and Black Canadian history."

Gibson also recently released a book called 'On this Grind' that highlights the life-lessons he learned from the music business.

(SOURCE: Instagram/ D.O. Gibson)

His newest album, called 'Stay Driven,' is also now available for purchase.