I’m an independent recording artist from Canada. Born of first nation ancestry, I faced the same problems growing up that are plaguing native youth today within regards to substance abuse issues. My parent’s divorced when I was 13, and I felt like I didn’t have a family at the time, so this made me want to search for that elsewhere. It was at this time that I fell in love with hip-hop, and it consumed me. I was always freestyling or writing raps, and I ended up spending all my time with people who liked hip-hop as much as me but liked to do drugs once in awhile. It wasn’t long before I was trying things I swore I’d never do. Some time after, I went from being an occasional dabbler, doing drugs once a month, to selling cocaine to support my habit of doing it. Thankfully, with help from my family, I was able to overcome my addictions and ended up going to college to play baseball. Now my goal is to try and inspire people to face and overcome their own demons, and to follow their dreams.
Where are you from?
-I’m from Rama First Nation, a small native reservation an hour or so north of Toronto, Canada.
When did you start making music?
I started freestyling and writing lyrics when I was 13, and I recorded my first song at age 15 when an older friend of mine, Steeve, had a school project where he needed to produce a song, and invited me to record a few of my songs in our high school music studio. Done with reel-to-reel which was dope.
How do you describe your music?
My music is about real life. I write songs about things I’ve went through or seen others go through, whether that be relationships, or the trials and tribulations we face as individuals, with lyricism being of significant importance. It’s not like anything you hear nowadays.
Favorite moment from your career?
I’ve had a lot of amazing moments, but I think my favourite and the most significant to me was when I released one of my first mixtapes online and almost immediately after was invited to perform, internationally, in New York, for a lupus benefit concert and got to share the same stage as EPMD and other hip-hop legends. Mind you, I performed early in the day when the venue was 1/4 full, haha, but it meant the most to me being so young and being recognized outside of my bubble. That moment gave me validation, and motivated me to continue working on my craft and pursuing a career in music.
Who is your biggest musical inspiration?
- My biggest musical inspiration is 2pac. He was bigger than just music. He had a message. He spoke about real issues. He was trying to empower his brothers and sisters through his art. He would make a record for the street and then could make you cry with a record like dear mama. He was the greatest artist of all time in my opinion.
What is your producing software?
It depends who with/where I record but I like logic and pro tools.
What other things do you do besides making music?
Video games! I’m definitely a gamer. I love baseball. I’ve played my whole life and still spend most of my summers playing. Went to college to play, got to go to the U.S to play. And I really love traveling. I’ve spent two winters living in California years ago, and the last few years I’ve been living in Cuba half of the time.
What is your favorite track of all time?
I’m Not A Player by Big Pun.
What is your best-producing tip?
Pay a professional to mix and master your tracks, at least at first. I wish I had someone tell me that when I first started a long time ago. If you want to mix and master your own work: practice, study, learn how to do it amazingly first. It’ll go a long way into how everyone else perceives the music that you created and you feel is worth listening to.
Why did you start making music?
I fell in love with hip-hop. At the time I couldn’t do anything without constantly thinking about rhymes. Thats why I first started. Whether it was listening, or freestyling or writing, or just thinking about it, I was consumed with it. Infected by the hip-hop virus haha. I still make music because I want to inspire other people to make positive changes in their lives, and to follow their own dreams.
What are your goals for the future?
My goals for the future are to make more music. I have a new album releasing August 4th (my birthday) called “The Lost Tapes” and it will be available on Spotify, Apple Music, etc. I also have a youtube show I’m planning on doing, which I have hours of footage for called “My Life In Cuba”, to show people what Cuba is really like, and what it’s like living there as a foreigner. From a personal standpoint my goal is to fall in love, get married and have children haha. I don’t care if that’s not “cool”.
What advice could you give to young artists/producers/dj’s?
Practice. Work on your craft every day. In order to truly be great at something, you need to put in the time. And study those who came before you, learn from some of the greats that have been doing it and have done it before you.
Please write a message to your fans.
Thanks to everyone who has shown me support in the past. It means the world to me. New album “The Lost Tapes” available now on Spotify, Apple Music, and everywhere else you listen to music. Hope you check it out!
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