"Gurba need not worry. His legitimacy stems from the integrity and scope of his creativity. And besides, Ut Oh is really good. Gurba's appetite for mile-a-minute lyricism can leave your head spinning if you're not prepared to keep up with how smart he is, and how much weight he can pack in a rhyme, whether he's "re-thinking the 'battle rap' problem" or calling out the absurdities of a white-Canadian, middle-class upbringing. His collective creativity results in an infectious, hilarious examination of a post-Facebook existence, candidly (w)rapped in his sincerest geek-rap sensibilities. While hip hop and Old Ugly may provide a safety-in-numbers for Joe the rapper, Gurba the artist possesses all the talent and skill to go it alone."
- Mike Angus, VUE Weekly
"Combining emcee Paul Barman's esoteric wit with Aesop Rock's baroque rhyme schemes and Busdriver's vocalese flow, Gurba is easily the most technically impressive independent rapper in Alberta's small-but-growing hip hop scene this side of Cadence Weapon."
- Kyle Francis, FFWD
"Gurba is quickly cementing himself not only as one of the city's most gifted rappers, but also a top ambassador for the local music scene."
- Kevin Maimann, Edmonton SUN
"This is the universe that Gurba occupies. He's a tireless artist whose creative output is outpaced only by his ideas and excited chatter."
- VUE Weekly
"Listening to him, you can hear the i …
"Gurba need not worry. His legitimacy stems from the integrity and scope of his creativity. And besides, Ut Oh is really good. Gurba's appetite for mile-a-minute lyricism can leave your head spinning if you're not prepared to keep up with how smart he is, and how much weight he can pack in a rhyme, whether he's "re-thinking the 'battle rap' problem" or calling out the absurdities of a white-Canadian, middle-class upbringing. His collective creativity results in an infectious, hilarious examination of a post-Facebook existence, candidly (w)rapped in his sincerest geek-rap sensibilities. While hip hop and Old Ugly may provide a safety-in-numbers for Joe the rapper, Gurba the artist possesses all the talent and skill to go it alone."
- Mike Angus, VUE Weekly
"Combining emcee Paul Barman's esoteric wit with Aesop Rock's baroque rhyme schemes and Busdriver's vocalese flow, Gurba is easily the most technically impressive independent rapper in Alberta's small-but-growing hip hop scene this side of Cadence Weapon."
- Kyle Francis, FFWD
"Gurba is quickly cementing himself not only as one of the city's most gifted rappers, but also a top ambassador for the local music scene."
- Kevin Maimann, Edmonton SUN
"This is the universe that Gurba occupies. He's a tireless artist whose creative output is outpaced only by his ideas and excited chatter."
- VUE Weekly
"Listening to him, you can hear the inspiration from a bountiful ingestion of prolific writers, art house films and indie rock. The amount of ideas compacted into each of his songs is the blood infusion that the anemic hip-hop industry desperately needs more of these days. His wisdom is palpable through rhymes saturated with enough reference material for you to gain an entire university degree via a library card. His angle is rich and unique in the genre and his fast spoken words engulf the listener."
- Melissa Bishop, Beatroute Magazine
"A truly gifted lyricist with a talent that will surprise, amuse and downright move you. Forget what you thought about Alberta hip-hop -- The Joe will renew your faith in not only the art of rhyme, but in all forms of popular music."
- Chris dela Torre, CBC Radio
"Edmonton based rap artist, Joe Gurba, a.k.a The Joe has paid his dues tirelessly promoting gigs, producing tracks and performing along the way with his unique style that maintains an authentic tone and timbre - an increasingly difficult task outside the ghettos of NYC or LA.
A true performer at heart, he takes his method seriously enough to spit smart and yet create an ambiance of fun around his live shows and recordings. Not afraid to rip apart the cliches of his genre, he seamlessly blends prankster and gangster without ever losing his charm. A venerable enigma, The Joe is a lyrical machine finely tuned to seduce you with his slick spiritual stanzas, just before blind siding you with a cheap shot to your ego.
Look for this sophomore MC to have a break out year in 2009 with his forthcoming release, 'Uh Oh'."
- Jordan Schroder, Jam Union Creator: Podcast, Events, and Promotions
"The Joe is of the more intellectual variety, although not to be mistaken for pretentiousness... The lyrics showcase a passion for the English language, something Joe carries with him above all else."
- Edmonton SUN
"...garnering an audience in a scene that swoons for synth, he released two albums and won a Covenant Award..."
- VUE Weekly
"...the biggest misconception you can make about the hip-hop scene in Edmonton is that a rapper should be anything like what you would expect. The Joe is living proof of that rule."
- HYPE Magazine
"He's a real poet. He knows what words are for."
- Alice Major, Edmonton's First Poet Laureate
"Every The Joe show is memorable — high-energy, enthusiasm, positive vibes. His interaction with the crowd is very personable, so no matter how many times he performs a certain song, it feels different every time it's live."
- Omar Mouallem aka AOK, VUE Weekly Writer
"Joe Gurba AKA The Joe brings a level of erudition to his flow that is simply not business as usual in hip-hop. This man reads the classics of literature and philosophy, and it shows in spades. Keen psychological observation, sardonic irony, blistering expression and exceptional on-stage panache collide in the Joe."
- Cecil Frena, Push Pins Events
Pigeon John, Edan, Busdriver, Aesop Rock, Camp Lo, The Microphones, Mount Eerie, Múm, Pier Giorgio Di Cicco, Rainer Marie Rilke, Will Smith, Ludacris, Napoleon Bonaparte, Kurt Vonnegut Jr., Italo Calvino, Camilo José Cela, Annie Dillard, Sean Nicholas Savage
