Kardinal Offishall’s 'Firestarter Vol. 2' took 25 years to get here
He says an early MCA follow-up with Pharrell and Timbaland stalled during a label transition; the 10-track sequel arrived in September.
File photo: Kardinal Offishall at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. Photo by Kevin Payravi, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Kevin Payravi · Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International · Resized for display.
Kardinal Offishall’s Firestarter Vol. 2: Everyday, Sometimes… arrived September 25 as a 10-track follow-up to the album he released in 2001. A new Canadian Press profile recounts how an earlier sequel plan involving Pharrell Williams and Timbaland stalled as MCA’s roster moved into Geffen. Kardinal told the outlet that label executives were pushing him toward a more conventional sound.
A new Canadian Press profile traces the route from a shelved major-label plan to Kardinal’s self-directed sequel.
The report describes the years after that deal as a grind: Kardinal toured with Akon and Gwen Stefani, sometimes sleeping on the tour bus, while trying to rebuild momentum. He says releasing independently now gives him more control. Apple Music’s listing credits the new album ℗2026 to Kardinal Offishall.
The sequel includes BJ the Chicago Kid on its title track and “Top 3” with Buju Banton and Idris Elba. The Canadian Press also reports that Kardinal and Elba are working on an album they hope to release in spring or summer 2027. That is a target window, not a confirmed release date.
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