Josh Martinez and Sleep

The rap duo of the Chicharones is made up of Halifax-born Vancouver-based rapper Josh Martinez and Seattleite (originally from New Mexico) Sleep of the collective Oldominion. After meeting one year in Austin, TX, at SXSW, they decided to start a group, naming themselves after the fried pork skin snack popular in Mexico. Their debut EP, Boss Hogs, which showcased their blend of sung harmonies and quick, melodic rapping, came out in 2003 on Martinez's Camo Bear Records, and received attention both in North America and Great Britain, enough to get the group a distribution deal with Bella Union/V2. The Chicharones released their second EP, Pork Rind Music, in 2005, followed by their debut full-length, When Pigs Fly, later that year.