Terrible at taking photos, but I truly am grateful for the Gregorian cycle, the new one coming up, and everyone/everything that blessed my life during it in any way imaginable.
I hope to do more of the things next year and fulfill some more full circle goodness.
Dakota 38+2 song. Last week, @dwhitehawk gave me the opportunity to join her and other collaborators on a panel at the Walker in Minneapolis - so I wanted to play my song about the #Dakota38 #Dakota38plus2 as close to the homelands as possible. As a descendent of Dakota exiles on my Crow Creek side, there's a mix of emotions I feel about that history - but the weather kept me from being there to present it physically. I still got to put together a quick video for it - here's a snippet and lyrics for that song: "Like 38"
History matters ultimately because I believe our memory can help understanding, not just for ourselves, but to also see where we need to be relatives to other communities and movements too - especially when the same tactics of starvation, demonization and genocide are present.
Wopila Dyani!
Maaaannnn tysm @j.h.tattoo !!!!
I’ve been wanting some more ink for so long, and I’m so grateful that these ones were booked with you! Wopila tanka fr
The Wonahun Waste Logo on my hand, to remind me always of the way to be. Bomberman on my arm, because June Chikuma inspired me to dream of sound when I first heard her work on the game soundtracks when I was a kid.
💜💜💜💜💜💜💜
Wopila ndncollective for hosting the event!
#rapping #live #onair at KIPI Radio - always fun when I can jump in there and be interviewed by @siouxpernatural_kipi in my hometown Eagle Butte on the Cheyenne River Rez. #Lakota #hiphop
📸: @razellebenally
Wopila Razelle for capturing this moment! Yesterday, for my Skate Comp set at LNI, I was inspired by the skaters to try something new. I did half the set as @bazilledx , and then let @freemarionettes premiere & do the rest! Always an honor to perform here, Wopila tanka @lakota_skateboarding_605 & @groundcontrol605 💜🙏🔥 amazing work being continued
More free marionettes songs coming soon, “MOVE MY LIMBS” music video now on YouTube
Tomorrow! So honored to be on this panel. Can’t say Wopila to Dyani enough for the way she brought me & empowered me into the collaboration of RELATIVE w/her and Leya - getting to create the sound element meant a lot to me & has been a process I’ve been eager to share about. So excited to share space with them and Tom!
Performing here tomorrow for the LNI Skaters! Wopila @lakota_skateboarding_605 for the invite. Some as @bazilledx , but the rest, I’ll be premiering songs of the @freemarionettes 💜🙏 So many youth each year are BRAVE to skate, play ball, compete in archery and knowledge amongst other things, so I’ll take a scary leap into singing post-punk songs with a mask on lol
One more LaPlant photo dump. Truth be told, I’m quite the mutt lol! My dad’s side is from Cheyenne River, and while I had lived in Eagle Butte a lot, I’d catch the bus to Tiospaye Topa almost my whole time when living there. Seeing Mrs. Gray/Brenda made me feel like I was in 4th grade again and man that got me in the feels! Mrs. Smith said, “You know, this is the exact stuff I thought you might be doing later on, when you were in my classroom” 🥹 - she took these photos!
Wish I remembered to grab more photos of my own, but it meant so much to just experience it and reconnect with teachers/mentors, older kids who’d I’d looked up to - now being in that role too, and seeing so many young people excited for a photo, some who’s parents I went to school with or even was on the drum with back then.
Stuff like that to me means more than I can even overshare about lol
Reposting from @racingmagpie @firstpeoplesfilmlab - be sure to check this out if you’re in Rapid!!!! I’m so excited, I get to work as an apprentice in sound for the film project Directing Charlie! Super excited and extremely grateful - I can’t wait & hope to see you audition and attend 💜 Surreal that I get to be a part of this team of amazing folks
Tonight’s performance w/parents & community at Tiospaye Topa School has been postponed due to weather, but man my heart is full after getting to still come to the school, talk with the students & teachers & staff and still give them a set. This school truly cradled me when I was young & I’m thankful to everyone there and who was there. So many memories. I got emotional being there lol
The plan is to not only make this up, but to come back more & I can’t wait for that.
5pm today tune into KIPI Radio 935 on 93.5FM or stream online!
Full interview with Troy EagleChasing - playing some brand new songs and an unreleased track from Mara Howe & Keya Kirkie!!! Even got a live performance in there-
5pm MT today then I’m guest appearing on tomorrow morning’s classic country hour!
Created this lyric video for the song “Like 38” and just posted to YouTube.
Later this month I’m really excited to be part of a panel in Minneapolis (more details when I get the okay to share!), with opportunity to share a piece of my solo work during it. This is the one that feels right.
Full circle moment! I don’t think I’ve ever been played on KLND before, but I remember at 13 when I started recording w/uncles & cousins, that was the dream. When we finally had a song ready, whatever rap show that was happening had ended that week 😭🤣 & I’ve been thinking about it almost 20yrs since.
Thanks so much Gilbert Kills Pretty Enemy III for playing so many of the songs tonight & making that dream reality!
Tonight’s performance & tomorrow’s class visits at Tiospaye Topa School have been postponed to early Dec due to weather. Heart still feels full though, reflecting getting to take part in the Oceti Sakowin Youth Conference in Eagle Butte that CRYP put on last weekend.
I don’t see myself as anything special, and if you’re from where I’m from, you understand how hard it is to get that nod of approval wheit comes to this - so aside from being happy seeing youth & elders doing awesome things, it was surreal to get so much love & requests to come back. This was probably one of the best full-circle trips back home I’ve had, and it’s made me excited to work towards coming back more often!
“I just wanna see my people shine”
Star quilt sewn custom by my Ina/Mom!
prod by @atticstein
“SATIN QUILT”
Filmed during a quick stop at the #badlands otw home #rap #starquilt is a big honor to receive - I wish I could buy satin ones for so many ppl, but made this song instead~
#dakota
#lakota #southdakota
Hearing good feedback from the young people & elders alike about my music at an event is soul food. Nothing like that honest handshake. Wopila Cheyenne River Youth Project for this opportunity to come home and do this! 💜🙏 glad so many stayed late~~~
Esp with the elders, I know sometimes it’s like new territory. For the youth, I’m battling not being corny lmaooo. So when it can be positive like this & the messages can come across, I’m extremely grateful.
Shout out to Breanna EagleFeather closing out rn!
Happy Friday! Today, I’m on my way to the artspace to host a quick session at the studio. Then, I’m off to Cheyenne River homelands to perform tonight & present workshops on beatmaking over the weekend (turns out there’s a lot interested in that already!!).
Then next week I’ll be back that way to do the same in Laplant. Very thankful and excited to do this stuff, wopila to all of the support that gets me there 💜🙏
Creator Bless The Underground still available on all streaming platforms~
This weekend I’m performing & presenting back home in Eagle Butte for @lakotayouth ‘s Youth Conference 💜🙏
Performances tomorrow then beatmaking & songwriting workshops over the weekend!!
For the next few days at the #OglalaLakotaArtspace , we’re hosting @luuhh.mara & @keyamarleneee who will be working on music in the #WicahpiOlowan studio 🙏💜🔥
Already some great songs tracked. My heart feels so happy that they’re here and showcasing their sounds!! Wopila tanka to @playingforchangefoundation & @1stpeoplesfund for making this possible.
