Canadian PM Mark Carney's viral dance with 'Down With Webster' steals the show: All about the band

After securing a landmark win in the elections and winning a fourth consecutive mandate for his Liberal party, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney celebrated his political success in the most unexpected way. As the frantic campaign trail came to an end with an emphatic win, Carney chose to celebrate it not with a speech alone, but with a hoodie, hand signs, and a full-blown jam session alongside Canadian rap-rock icons, Down With Webster. Netizens can't seem to get enough of his victory jig which has quickly gone viral.
The Liberal leader's affection for the Toronto-based band is widely known as he had expressed his love for them in an interview with Canadian music journalist Nardwuar. The two shared a “hip flip,” and Carney gushed about the first time he heard DWW live. He admitted to being “hooked from the first tuba sounds” of their breakout hit Time to Win. The song has often closed his rallies and even followed his Liberal Leadership acceptance speech, where he reportedly “threw up the W like an absolute legend.”

However, Carney's victory uncovered a different side of the newly-elected PM as he was seen dancing and rapping along to Whoa Is Me. Donning a hoodie emblazoned with the DWW logo and “PM” stitched on the chest, the sight left fans enchanted.

For those unfamiliar with the group that had the Prime Minister in full party mode, Down With Webster or DWW is a Canadian rap-rock band that hails from The Beaches neighbourhood of Toronto. Known for blending genres like hip-hop, rock, funk, reggae, and jazz, the band first broke into mainstream success in 2009 with the release of their EP Time to Win, Vol. I, which featured charting singles like Rich Girl$, Your Man, and Whoa Is Me.

The band's journey began much earlier in 1998, when founding members Patrick Gillett and Tyler Armes formed a jazz group at Glen Ames Senior Public School. They named the band after Webster, a beloved sitcom character from the '80s, and began experimenting with sound in Armes’ dad’s garage. Over time, they added hip-hop elements thanks to Martin “Bucky” Seja, evolving into a genre-bending act with high-energy live performances and catchy, rebellious anthems.
By 2006, they independently released their first self-titled album - a DIY project recorded with borrowed gear, burned on CDs, and sold at shows and out of backpacks. Not discouraged with their early rejections from labels, soon DWW’s hard work paid off when they finally signed with Universal Motown in 2009. What followed were major releases like Time to Win, Vol. II and Party for Your Life, Juno nominations, and a devoted fan base.

After a brief hiatus, Down With Webster returned to the stage last year and are now touring again, with summer dates set, including a stop at The KEE to Bala on Lake Muskoka. The current members of Down with Webster include Cameron Hunter, Martin "Bucky" Seja, Patrick Gillett, Tyler Armes, and Andrew "Marty" Martino, each contributing a unique blend of rap, vocals, and instrumentation to the band's dynamic sound.