Native Hip-Hop

Native Hip-Hop:

Definition:
Hip-Hop created by Native American as well as First Born Canadians (indigenous); especially that embraces their heritage/culture. It can often be mistakenly veiled under the umbrella of Latino/Hispanic artists, which does not actually refer to a specific race, although the category title would seem to indicate that it does. Some Native artists call their music "Rap-ajo Music", playing off native terms such as Arapaho, Navajo, and others.

Predominant Native Artists include: 
-Melle Mel, of the Furious Five and legendary as one of the forefathers of Hip-Hop is actually Cherokee Indian. (right)

-Ernie Paniccioli is a Cree Indian who is a famous photographer of Hip-Hop culture. (below)

  

-Litefoot, Being the first/most famous Native American Rapper who references his heritage so largely. Also an actor, playing such roles as "little bear" in Indian in the Cupboard, and Night Wolf in Mortal Combat Annihilation. (And has been Reppin' Washington since 97' Woopdie Woop!)

-Other groups/artists include "War Party", "Kemozabi", "War-Dub", "Maniac: The Siouxpernatural"
 and "Apache"

Obove, we have a video and rap song by a group called "War Party." I think this is a perfect example of what Native hip-hop strives for, more diligently than hip-hop overall or any sub-culture within Hip-Hop. The combination of the video and the lyrics together are great because lyrically they are saying to stand together and promoting unity and peace, and to support the community as a whole because "united we rise, divided we fall." While the video shows a community at their backs, with short clips of their heritage and culture, and with signs that say things like "No Alcohol" "No Violence" "No Drugs" "Honor," etc...

Another interesting track by "War Party" is one called "feelin' reserved." In this video, and on the track, they talk about how life on the reservation is a deteriorating environment, and about how family and heritage has changed over the years, primarily due to separation of families, family values, and the introduction of drugs and alcohol into their communities.
Both of these videos I feel address many of the issues mentioned in the reading, and have an overarching goal to "restore pride," and to do so behind good messages, and as an entire community of elders, middle/working age, and youth; something that Native Indians have been struggling with since reservations were really implemented.

Discussion Topics:
-Most of Native Hip-Hop though is underground, rarely ever getting any bigger than regional hits. (Why do you think this is?)
-Many Native Hip-Hop artists are working on ways of articulating and communicating methods of healing, resistance, and reformation of positive identities. (Do you think Hip-Hop is a good medium to attempt this?)
-Hip-Hop is a way of constructing a positive identity among underprivileged adolescents across the globe. (What positive identities do you think they are trying to create? Do you think Hip-Hop CAN help in this reformation? What barriers do you think stand in the way? And do you think those will ever be overcome, or that Hip-Hop will ever be able to make any headway?)
-There is a large difference between Native Hip-Hop and 'normal' hip-hop. (What do you see as some main differences/discerning aspects?). As mentioned in the reading, and it seems to me to be so, Native Hip-Hop has more artists that talk about commUNITY, and heritage more prevalent, while 'normal' or 'other' hip hop is focused more on individuality.
-The reading essentially says at one point that Hip-Hop, or at least African American Hip-Hop or culture, is fundamentally, and sometimes somewhat arbitrarily opposed to/opposite of white culture, or the culture that they feel is being pushed onto them from an authoritarian entity. And that it is against assimilation. I do not fully agree with this, and wanted to hear/see any thoughts that y'all had on this.



More Videos/Native Music to listen to/watch.