Kardinal

Kardinal Offishall
Kardinal Offishall at an etalk party in 2008.
Background information
Birth name	Jason D. Harrow
Also known as	Kardi
Born	(1976-05-11) May 11, 1976 (age 41)
Origin	Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Genres	Hip hop
Occupation(s)	Rapper songwriter record producer
Instruments	Vocals keyboard sampler turntable
Years active	1994–present
Labels	MCA Kon Live Geffen Black Stone Colleagues
Associated acts	Black Jays Akon Nottz Glenn Lewis Estelle Sean Paul Karl Wolf Rihanna Keri Hilson Nicole Scherzinger Pharrell

Jason D. Harrow (born May 11, 1976), better known by his stage name Kardinal Offishall /kɑːrdɪˈnæl oʊfɪˈʃæl/, is a Canadian rapper, record producer, and record executive. Often credited as Canada's "hip hop ambassador", he is regarded as one of the country's best hip hop producers, and is best known for his distinctive reggae and dancehall-influenced style of hip hop.

A native of Toronto, Offishall began his career in the city's mid-1990s underground hip hop scene, as a member of The Circle. He released several independent 12" singles, a debut album (Eye & I), and an EP (Husslin'), before signing with major label MCA Records in 2000. The following year, Offishall released his second album, Quest for Fire: Firestarter, Vol. 1, spawning the Billboard hit "BaKardi Slang", which popularized Toronto's nickname "T-dot", and the minor hit "Ol' Time Killin'"; both singles became his signature songs. After failing to release the Firestarter Vol. 2 album in 2003, on MCA, and later Geffen Records (which absorbed MCA), Offishall briefly returned to the underground scene, releasing several more independent 12" singles.