Xav Trudeau to play show in Ottawa’s ByWard Market alongside local rapper Taz Bentii

XAV & his friend TAZ are set to perform at the 27 Club this Friday.

Two Ottawa rappers are taking to the stage in the ByWard Market this week.

Xavier “Xav” Trudeau and Taz Bentii are set to play at the 27 Club on York Street on Friday.

Xav is the eldest son of former prime minister Justin Trudeau and launched a music career earlier this year.

Xav and Taz spoke to CTV Morning Live Monday morning.

“Since I was a kid, I always loved music. I always loved creating it. I was always playing instruments like the drums, the guitar, the piano, that type of stuff,” Xav said. “I was always known as Justin Trudeau’s son. That’s something I’ve been dealing with my entire life. I want to become my own person. I want to create my own path. I want to do cool things because I created it.”

He says he is often criticized because of who his father is, but he finds a way to rise above it.

“I just do what I love,” Xav said. “I know the people that are supporting me are always going to support me. I’ve been dealing with criticism my entire life and I’ve been able to just block that stuff out. It doesn’t really faze me.”

Xav got into rap despite his parents’ musical tastes, he says. His mom Sophie Grégoire Trudeau listened to artists like Celine Dion, while his father listens to bands like The Tragically Hip.

“I don’t hate it. I like that music. My first tracks were really singy, but (rap) is the music I listen to,” he said. “I was like a rebel kid. I wouldn’t break rules, but I would like to do my own thing. When I have my eye on something, when it’s set, I’m going to do it, I’m going to achieve it. So, I was like, ‘I want to try it out.’ and I really fell in love with it, and I got pretty good at it.”

Taz says he’s been a fan of rap since he was a kid and decided he wanted to make his own music.

“It means a lot to me. Ever since I was young, my dad used to always play rap in the car, and I just sort of gravitated to it slowly,” he said. “I originally wanted to start recording other artists, but then I realized I’ve been singing since I was young so I kind of got to the point where I’m like either I record people or I record myself and I sing, so I’m at that point now.”

While Xav says he’s not as good at freestyle rap, Taz said that’s how he got his start.

“I started freestyling with my best friend, every day for like three years, and that’s how I learned how to record and write. My creative process is I either go to the studio and freestyle or I sit down and take my time, and I write,” he said.

The pair say they work together well.

“We’ve had a couple rehearsals, and we’re just hyped up,” said Xav.

“There’s no better feeling than being on that stage when you’re an artist,” Taz said.

Tickets for Friday’s show are available on Eventbrite.