Benny Blacc of Smugglaz Honors Big Apple and Family Legacy With “Bugzy Eye Benny Nostalgia” Teaser

WorldWide Entertainment TV Media continues its Toronto hip-hop archive rollout with a powerful double tribute involving Benny Blacc of Smugglaz, the late Toronto figure Big Apple aka Hozea Massiah, and Benny’s deeply personal new teaser, “Bugzy Eye Benny Nostalgia.”

The release arrives during an emotional week for Toronto rap history. One year after the passing of Big Apple, WWETV revisited Benny Blacc’s words about the promoter, fashion figure, manager, and culture builder who helped shape part of the city’s rap foundation. The tribute also connects to Benny’s own family legacy, as his new teaser draws from his father Milton Douglas’ song “Unity” while honoring the memory of his brother Milton Junior.

For longtime viewers, this is not just another upload. It reaches back to the roots of WWETV’s original SmugglazTV foundation — the era when Toronto’s underground rap stories, neighborhood movements, and street-level voices were being documented before the city became a global hip-hop conversation.

Benny Blacc Remembers Big Apple’s Toronto Rap Legacy

In the WWETV archive tribute, Benny Blacc reflects on Big Apple’s importance to the Toronto rap scene and to Smugglaz history. Big Apple was remembered as a key promoter, fashion mogul, manager, and connector who understood the energy, image, and hustle behind Toronto’s street rap movement.

Big Apple’s legacy was tied to Hardcore clothing, the iconic store near Spadina and Queen, and to Dirty Rotten Entertainment, a name that carries weight for those who remember that earlier Toronto rap era. Benny described Big Apple as someone who did more than stand on the sidelines. He was involved in the movement, connected artists, understood the culture, and helped bring professionalism to Toronto’s rap scene.

The tribute lands with extra weight because WWETV was among the first platforms to publicly acknowledge Big Apple’s passing last year. Now, one year later, the platform is revisiting the story not only as a memorial, but as part of a larger Toronto hip-hop history lesson.

Before the world knew Toronto mainly through Drake, OVO, Pressa, and the modern global wave, there were promoters, managers, crews, clothing stores, DVDs, mixtapes, and local platforms helping build the foundation. Big Apple was part of that foundation.

“Bugzy Eye Benny Nostalgia” Connects Family, Music, and Driftwood History

Benny Blacc’s new teaser, “Bugzy Eye Benny Nostalgia,” adds another layer to the story. The teaser opens with Benny speaking from the Brandon Buckingham “War in Toronto” vlog, standing in Driftwood near Pressa, as he reflects on his father, Milton Douglas.

That moment then transitions into archival-style footage of Milton Douglas on the news in Driftwood, connecting Benny’s personal family history to the neighborhood, the music, and the deeper meaning behind the record.

The teaser remixes Milton Douglas’ song “Unity,” turning it into a generational tribute. It also honors Benny’s late brother Milton Junior, whose memory gives the project an emotional weight beyond music. The result is a teaser that feels like family history, Toronto history, and Smugglaz history all moving through the same frame.

Why This Moment Matters For WWETV and Toronto Hip-Hop

For WWETV, this release is especially meaningful because the original foundation of the platform was closely tied to Smugglaz music and Toronto underground hip-hop coverage. The Media channel’s original handle, SmugglazTV, reflects that history.

That connection matters now more than ever. With renewed attention on Toronto rap culture and the city’s global influence, WWETV is using its archives to remind viewers that Toronto hip-hop did not begin when the mainstream started paying attention. It was built through years of local artists, street-level promotion, independent videos, neighborhood stories, and cultural documentation.

Benny Blacc’s tribute teaser and Big Apple remembrance both speak to that same truth: Toronto rap has a foundation, and many of the people who built it deserve to be remembered.

Big Apple, Smugglaz, and the Foundation Before “The 6”

The phrase “Before The 6” is often used to describe the time before Toronto became globally branded through the Drake era. But for those who followed the scene earlier, names like Smugglaz, Big Apple, Dirty Rotten Entertainment, Hardcore, and Driftwood carry their own history.

Big Apple represented part of the business and culture side of that foundation. Benny Blacc and Smugglaz represented part of the music side. WWETV and SmugglazTV helped document that world while it was still growing.

The new teaser and tribute Short work together as a reminder that Toronto’s hip-hop story is bigger than one era, one artist, or one viral moment. It is a layered history of families, neighborhoods, promoters, artists, losses, survival, and music passed from one generation to the next.

Watch The New Teaser and Big Apple Tribute

Benny Blacc’s “Bugzy Eye Benny Nostalgia” teaser is now available on WorldWide Entertainment TV Media. The Big Apple tribute Short, featuring Benny Blacc remembering Big Apple aka Hozea Massiah and his impact on Toronto rap, is also available on the channel.

Together, the releases honor family, legacy, and the Toronto hip-hop foundation that helped shape WWETV from the beginning.

As the city’s rap history continues to receive renewed attention, WWETV is making one thing clear: the archives matter, the foundation matters, and the people who helped build the culture should not be forgotten.