A Sarnia native is among those taking part in season 12 of The Amazing Race Canada, with the first episode scheduled to air on Tuesday, July 7.
Duane "D.O." Gibson is competing in the challenge alongside teammate, friend, and rapper Maestro Fresh Wes.
Gibson himself is a hip-hop artist, motivational speaker, author, and record-breaking freestyle rapper whose work has reached students across Canada through more than 4,000 school performances, assemblies, youth conferences, and educational programs.
In an interview with Sarnia News Today, Gibson said he couldn't give away too many details but called The Amazing Race Canada a fantastic experience.
"It was an incredible honor to be asked by Maestro Fresh Wes, the Godfather of Canadian hip-hop, for me to be his partner," said Gibson. "I didn't know what I was signing up for, because it was the most challenging experience of my life. But it was great, and it was great to do it with a friend and a mentor."
Gibson said communication was critical during the challenges.
"You don't have a cell phone, you don't have a computer, a wallet, and of course no GPS," he said. "Then when we got lost or stuck, we would have to ask people for directions, but it was so funny when we'd ask people and they'd say, 'oh my goodness, are you Maestro Fresh Wes?' And before they could take a selfie with us or sign an autograph, we had to be on to the next stop."
Maestro Fresh Wes is best known for his hit "Let Your Backbone Slide" and was a regular on MuchMusic.
In 2024, he was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, becoming the first hip-hop musician to do so.
He was featured on a Canada Post stamp in February 2026 as part of its Black History Month collection.
Gibson said Maestro Fresh Wes gave him, and others he spoke with, some great advice.
"I think one of the biggest things is perseverance and sticking to your vision, which is another thing that he says," said Gibson. "But I would notice that when he was talking to me or talking to other people, he would listen to their dreams, but he'd also say, don't underestimate yourself."
Gibson was recently presented with the Order of Canada by the Governor General, something he calls a great honour.
"It's great because being a black Canadian history speaker, I often will go into a school and see portraits on the wall that kids are colouring," he said. "One of them is my great uncle, Isaac Phills. He was the first black person to get the Order of Canada. I always thought that was such a cool thing. I thought it was cool when it got announced this year that I was getting the Order with Michael J. Fox. I think that's what this Order is about, perseverance, and it's so great to be a Canadian and represented."
Gibson said he's hard-pressed to pick a favourite spot in Canada because the whole country is beautiful.
"I have a hard time thinking which is the best place to visit in Canada, because it's great being out in BC. I've had the chance to travel all over BC," he said. "I also love places like Alberta, that's where my godson lives. You gotta love the prairies in Manitoba. I could go on, and my father's from Nova Scotia."
Gibson also holds the Guinness World Record for longest freestyle rap at 8 hours and 45 minutes.
Hosted by Olympic gold medalist Jon Montgomery, The Amazing Race Canada follows pairs of contestants with pre-existing relationships as they race across the country to compete in various mental and physical challenges.
The race is broken into multiple legs.
Teams of two receive clues that direct them to different destinations where they must complete various tasks.
According to a news release, season 12 kicks off atop Whistler Mountain in British Columbia with "one of the biggest twists in the show's history."
The first episode will air at 9 p.m. ET on CTV and will be available to stream on Crave on July 8.
Gibson was a recent guest on the Sarnia Lambton Beyond the Headlines podcast. You can hear the entire interview below.
