Writes about music, books and politics. https://linktr.ee/richieassalyhttps://bsky.app/profile/rdassaly.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/rdassaly.bsky.social/post/3mvkyl2kxk22qthis is exactly what complicity looks like brother [contains quote post or other embedded content]15 Sep 2026 15:59 +0000at://did:plc:lfn2ztey2o7rr537s3jqg7a2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvkyl2kxk22qhttps://bsky.app/profile/rdassaly.bsky.social/post/3mvkq5m4pqs2sHad a quick catch up with @charlottecornfield.bsky.social ahead of the Polaris Prize to discuss "Hurts Like Hell," one of my favourite albums of the year. @polarismusicprize.bsky.social https://www.thegrindmag.ca/polaris-prize-spotlight-charlotte-cornfield-basks-in-the-ragged-glory-of-grown-up-love/15 Sep 2026 13:28 +0000at://did:plc:lfn2ztey2o7rr537s3jqg7a2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvkq5m4pqs2shttps://bsky.app/profile/rdassaly.bsky.social/post/3mvj5epoq6s2yLarge crowd forming at Nathan Phillips Square to protest Mark Carney’s CEO summit in Toronto. Lots of police here and throughout the downtown core.14 Sep 2026 22:19 +0000at://did:plc:lfn2ztey2o7rr537s3jqg7a2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvj5epoq6s2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/rdassaly.bsky.social/post/3mviujc2rbc2lSome thoughts on Erykah Badu's concert at the amphitheatre last night for @exclaimdotca.bsky.social An excellent show, though we could have used a bit less Alchemist and a few more dips into the early catalogue. https://exclaim.ca/music/article/erykah-badu-and-the-alchemist-before-the-world-blows-toronto-concert-review14 Sep 2026 19:41 +0000at://did:plc:lfn2ztey2o7rr537s3jqg7a2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mviujc2rbc2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/rdassaly.bsky.social/post/3mvisybjqj22l [contains quote post or other embedded content]14 Sep 2026 19:13 +0000at://did:plc:lfn2ztey2o7rr537s3jqg7a2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvisybjqj22lhttps://bsky.app/profile/rdassaly.bsky.social/post/3mvg4qhru5c2zWhat will it take for the Alberta separatists to go away? Experts warn that unless they're handed an "overwhelming loss" in the October referendum, the movement will continue to haunt the province. My latest for @forwardcanada.bsky.social: https://forwardweekly.ca/stomp-the-vote13 Sep 2026 17:30 +0000at://did:plc:lfn2ztey2o7rr537s3jqg7a2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvg4qhru5c2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/rdassaly.bsky.social/post/3mvg2xmr5gk2s“Family, religion and violence collide to create a blood-soaked portrait of America as a dying empire being overrun by grifters pretending to be men of God.” https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/your-mother-your-mother-your-mother-review-mahershala-ali-1236699560/13 Sep 2026 16:58 +0000at://did:plc:lfn2ztey2o7rr537s3jqg7a2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvg2xmr5gk2shttps://bsky.app/profile/rdassaly.bsky.social/post/3mvb4v432o22iFirst couple tracks on the new This Is Lorelei sounding a lot like Alex G11 Sep 2026 17:49 +0000at://did:plc:lfn2ztey2o7rr537s3jqg7a2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvb4v432o22ihttps://bsky.app/profile/rdassaly.bsky.social/post/3mvazmxpnns2iNext up in our Polaris Prize spotlight series, an interview with Vincent Roberge, AKA Les Louanges, about his politically-charged album Alouette! @polarismusicprize.bsky.social https://www.thegrindmag.ca/polaris-prize-spotlight-les-louanges-alouette-is-an-invigorating-love-letter-to-quebec/11 Sep 2026 16:51 +0000at://did:plc:lfn2ztey2o7rr537s3jqg7a2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvazmxpnns2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/rdassaly.bsky.social/post/3mvasg4gsek2gExcellent, in-depth profile on @dianachanmcnally.bsky.social by @emmapaling.bsky.social. In the @thelocal.to https://thelocal.to/diana-chan-mcnally-parkdale-highpark-council-race/11 Sep 2026 14:42 +0000at://did:plc:lfn2ztey2o7rr537s3jqg7a2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvasg4gsek2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/rdassaly.bsky.social/post/3mv6ttakw722v [contains quote post or other embedded content]10 Sep 2026 20:02 +0000at://did:plc:lfn2ztey2o7rr537s3jqg7a2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mv6ttakw722vhttps://bsky.app/profile/rdassaly.bsky.social/post/3mv6i6blid22tHad a nice chat with the High Priestess of Electroclash, Peaches for @thegrindto.bsky.social @polarismusicprize.bsky.social https://www.thegrindmag.ca/polaris-prize-spotlight-peaches-didnt-start-the-fire/10 Sep 2026 16:33 +0000at://did:plc:lfn2ztey2o7rr537s3jqg7a2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mv6i6blid22thttps://bsky.app/profile/rdassaly.bsky.social/post/3mv3sgjssis25For the third instalment of The Grind's Polaris Prize spotlight, we spoke to Bibi Club about their darkly poignant 'Amaro,' an album "that should leave you with a taste of dirt." @polarismusicprize.bsky.social @thegrindto.bsky.social @bibiclub.bsky.social https://www.thegrindmag.ca/polaris-prize-spotlight-bibi-club-grapples-with-death-on-the-darkly-poignant-amaro/09 Sep 2026 14:59 +0000at://did:plc:lfn2ztey2o7rr537s3jqg7a2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mv3sgjssis25https://bsky.app/profile/rdassaly.bsky.social/post/3muze3djzps23Next up in our Polaris Music Prize spotlight series, I chatted with the talented and hilarious Begonia about her shortlisted album 'Fantasy Life.' @polarismusicprize.bsky.social, @thegrindto.bsky.social https://www.thegrindmag.ca/polaris-prize-spotlight-begonias-fantasy-life-is-an-iridescent-pop-album/08 Sep 2026 15:37 +0000at://did:plc:lfn2ztey2o7rr537s3jqg7a2/app.bsky.feed.post/3muze3djzps23https://bsky.app/profile/rdassaly.bsky.social/post/3muy44tfkhs2nWow @ericwickham.ca just sang a Macklemore song at Toby’s karaoke and got booed off the stage08 Sep 2026 03:42 +0000at://did:plc:lfn2ztey2o7rr537s3jqg7a2/app.bsky.feed.post/3muy44tfkhs2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/rdassaly.bsky.social/post/3muxo5vzpwk2nCheck out this photo I took last night07 Sep 2026 23:32 +0000at://did:plc:lfn2ztey2o7rr537s3jqg7a2/app.bsky.feed.post/3muxo5vzpwk2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/rdassaly.bsky.social/post/3muwvw7s2cc2aFormer BC MLA Selina Robinson is doubling down on the racist propaganda that led to her resignation. I wrote about that controversy — and about settler colonialism, the doctrine of terra nullius and other enduring myths — for @ricochetmedia.bsky.social: https://ricochet.media/politics/a-closer-look-at-the-racist-myth-at-the-heart-of-robinsons-comments/07 Sep 2026 16:18 +0000at://did:plc:lfn2ztey2o7rr537s3jqg7a2/app.bsky.feed.post/3muwvw7s2cc2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/rdassaly.bsky.social/post/3mungjxu55s2tAs our planet heats up, are Canadian cities doing enough to armour themselves against the impacts of flooding? “There’s always a bigger storm,” one expert told me. “And we cannot outbuild the sky." My first piece in @thewalrus.ca is a timely one. https://thewalrus.ca/edmonton-niagara-toronto-are-we-ready-for-epic-flooding/03 Sep 2026 21:49 +0000at://did:plc:lfn2ztey2o7rr537s3jqg7a2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mungjxu55s2thttps://bsky.app/profile/rdassaly.bsky.social/post/3mupkrfxlfc2jNEW: Four Jewish community groups — @ifnotnowtoronto.bsky.social, @jews4tikkunolam.bsky.social , @jewssayno.bsky.social and @indjewishvoices.bsky.social — say they are "relieved" that Olivia Chow is not participating in the Jesse Brown-hosted "debate" on antisemitism.04 Sep 2026 18:10 +0000at://did:plc:lfn2ztey2o7rr537s3jqg7a2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mupkrfxlfc2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/rdassaly.bsky.social/post/3mungjxu55s2tAs our planet heats up, are Canadian cities doing enough to armour themselves against the impacts of flooding? “There’s always a bigger storm,” one expert told me. “And we cannot outbuild the sky." My first piece in @thewalrus.ca is a timely one. https://thewalrus.ca/edmonton-niagara-toronto-are-we-ready-for-epic-flooding/03 Sep 2026 21:49 +0000at://did:plc:lfn2ztey2o7rr537s3jqg7a2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mungjxu55s2thttps://bsky.app/profile/rdassaly.bsky.social/post/3mun5fl6po22aThe @polarismusicprize.bsky.social is just a few weeks away. Over the next couple weeks, I'll be chatting with (hopefully) all 10 of the nominees for @thegrindto.bsky.social. First up is Aquakultre, whose '1783' is an ambitious dive into the overlooked history of Afro-Nova Scotians https://www.thegrindmag.ca/polaris-prize-spotlight-aquakultures-ambitious-exploration-of-the-afro-nova-scotian-history/03 Sep 2026 19:05 +0000at://did:plc:lfn2ztey2o7rr537s3jqg7a2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mun5fl6po22ahttps://bsky.app/profile/rdassaly.bsky.social/post/3mul6zmlbpk25🚨 Power is out at both Fancy Induced Burger and Pizza Pizza on Bathurst and Bloor 🚨03 Sep 2026 00:29 +0000at://did:plc:lfn2ztey2o7rr537s3jqg7a2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mul6zmlbpk25https://bsky.app/profile/rdassaly.bsky.social/post/3mukypbi3r22fMan, this is sinister... [contains quote post or other embedded content]02 Sep 2026 22:36 +0000at://did:plc:lfn2ztey2o7rr537s3jqg7a2/app.bsky.feed.post/3mukypbi3r22f