Jason Drew Harrow (born May 11, 1976), better known by his stage name Kardinal Offishall ( kardi-NAL ohfi-SHAL), is a Canadian rapper and record producer. Often credited as Canada's "hip-hop ambassador", he has been regarded as one of the country's most prominent hip-hop producers during the 2000s and is distinctive for his reggae and dancehall-influenced style of hip-hop.
A native of Toronto, Ontario, Harrow began his career in the city's mid-1990s underground hip-hop scene, when he formed the hip-hop group the Circle. He released his debut studio album, Eye & I (1997) and extended play (EP), Husslin' (2000) independently before signing with MCA Records in 2000. His second album and major label debut, Quest for Fire: Firestarter, Vol. 1 (2001), moderately entered the Canadian Albums Chart and was supported by his first Canadian Singles Chart entries: "Ol' Time Killin'" and "BaKardi Slang"—the latter of which popularized Toronto's nickname "T-dot". He failed to release the album's sequel on MCA, in part due to the label's absorption by Geffen Records prior to its release.
