The struggle for marriage equality in Canada ultimately succeeded, but the heated debate provoked a spike in hate crimes in 2005, especially in Alberta. Responding to an increasingly intolerant society, Chris Craddock and Nathan Cuckow used hip-hop — a genre often associated with misogyny and homophobia — to condemn the political fallout. Their song's impact spawned BASH'd, a "rap opera" that chronicles a gay wedding's bloody aftermath. As it unfolds, the show sheds its ironic stance and reveals the medium as a weapon against struggle. Energetic and witty despite its gloomy subject matter, BASH'd doesn't shy away from stereotypes — even those in the community that it represents.