I’ve thought a lot about this, maybe I’m still thinking. I’m not entirely for sure yet, but this may be the final time I ever use facepaint.
Today I am performing for the Rock The Rez youth girls & LGBT music camp at the Oglala Lakota Artspace . I’m going to express to them how I navigate this world with music & my MPC, do a live face painting demonstration for the first time, and hopefully encourage them that they are amazing young people w/ ability to do great things.
Released this song in 2017, but have been sharing it out every year since. “No Custers” means be aware, Custer’s spirit lives on. Deceit, fake allies, even within our own. It’s actually easy to be Custer, he was an ally who gained trust only to eventually expose his ego and fall by us and our Cheyenne & Arapaho relatives. Look at what happens still, not just to us, but especially our relatives in the Middle East, Palestine, Mexico, South America, across man-made borders and documented by undocumented invaders since well before 1492.
Today, I’m performing for Rock The Rez’s lunch session as part of their youth camp. It feels wonderful to celebrate the day with that.
This weekend at Oglala Lakota Artspace : one of the first of the new trainings for performing artists. This means music, too! Attend this weekend - for those who attend both days, I’ll throw in a free usb drive that has all my *personal* planning templates & a list of radio stations and newspaper emails that I send press releases to. Don’t matter if you’re completely new or well-established, these trainers are good ppl with something for everyone!
From First Peoples Fund’s post:
🌟 Native Artist Professional Development Training!
🎭 Join us for a FREE two-day in-person Native Artist Professional Development Training designed just for performing artists like you! Presented by First Peoples Fund, this empowering workshop will equip you with real-world tools to grow your career and thrive as an entrepreneur in the arts industry.
Led by expert trainers, you'll:
➕Express your personal vision and values that will become the principal foundation of your business.
➕ Determine your art marketing, business and financial management abilities using a series of self-assessment tools.
➕ Learn how to create budgets and various pricing structures.
➕ Identify how to market your business using a variety of approaches and tools.
➕ Create your mission statement and a brief pitch about your performance work.
📅 June 28–29, 2025
🕘 9:00 AM–4:30 PM
📍 Oglala Lakota Artspace | 7904 Lakota Prairie Dr, Kyle, SD 57752
🔗 LINK IN BIO or formstack.io/A8479
🌱 Whether you're emerging or established, this training is your next step toward a sustainable performing arts career. Space is limited – reserve your spot today!
#FirstPeoplesFund #NativeArtists #ProfessionalDevelopment #IndigenousCreativity #Entrepreneurship
Now available at @blackhillsvinyl - “Creator Bless The Underground” CDs! Get yours before they sell out. Thank you to Black Hills Vinyl for putting this in your store!! This is a place I get a good amount of my records from already, very excited 💜🙏
As much as I should be making videos of new* songs, in this time I feel it’s important to bring back something from 2017/18. So coming soon, gonna be filming a video for “Taco Trucks” - on location and in collab with @thehangrybuffalo605 !!!!
Shout out to @sophy_b1 & the whole crew, it makes so much sense to do this with them, and in the future hopefully other features in music vids! If you have never gone to Hangry Buffalo before, two words: BISON TORTA 🔥🔥🔥🔥💜💜💜💜🫠🫠🫠🫠 THE BEST OMG
So for relatives in Rapid City, if I shared the date we end up deciding on, would anyone be interested in joining us?
THANK YOU to everyone who’s supported this album!!!! Physical copies are going out to Philly, Portland, Minneapolis, SD & LA - lots of good feedback and esp about this track, produced by my production-idol: Franc Castle (formerly known as Genocide of Crime Central)
Artwork by @z0mb1emed1a , with shirts available at TeePublic.com/user/bazille - all sales go to the visual artist!!!!
Today someone at OLA said “Hey! You’re on Native Sun News!” Chun lol - thank you so much & thanks to @ameliaschafers for interviewing me for it!!
12 years ago @nativesunnewstoday covered an album of mine, it was the first I’d ever been on a newspaper for music 💜 Wopila @ecoffeyb for doing that one then.
I didn’t get to make it to the powwow in time to sing with the OLA drum circle crew 😞 but I still got to see Santee Luke Witt & his son Tehan dance!! 😃😁
Next weekend, I hope I didn’t let the boys down today. I just couldn’t make it and had to work 💜
Another collab project that’s been in the works for a long time coming: BDX & The Derelict full project coming soon!!!!
Derelict is without a doubt one of my rap idols, period. Never thought back in 8th grade I’d be doing this with him. Here’s a snippet of something!
The other week I was grieving my cousin a lot and made this. Feels good to transmute & express out. Excited for many collab projects coming soon, including Part 2 to “SOULED OUT” w/ one of my top idol producers from my rez, Franc Castle (formerly known as Genocide)
What “underground” means for me & my approach to music. Super appreciative of the Indian Country Today team for having me on their Newscast on Friday!! You can watch the full clip on YouTube.
Wopila @indiancountrytoday for having me on your platform to talk about my album, my work & meanings behind things like my facepaint.
Very thankful to the team and their uplifting coverage!!
Wopida tanka @indiancountrytoday - really appreciate the article and excited to see the broadcast tomorrow!!!!
D R. W E R E W O L F 🌕🌖🌗🌘🌑🌒🌓🌔🌕
Wopida @sadieredwing for this video and for showing so much support!!!! Leading up to this show I debated doing this song and glad I did. I’ve been told to just be myself, and it’s a blessing when that works out.
Nina Wopida tanka Travis Bush for these clips & all the love at the event!!!!
When I got off stage, bro gave me an official welcome home and that made my heart feel really good!
One last time, shout out to Rock The Rez! I believe they still have copies of the album, so if they’re ever nearby and you want one, buy from them to support the RTR camps!
Dang. I never knew I had so much love in Minneapolis! You never know.
Wopida tanka to @rocktherez for putting on an amazing show & for inviting me to this wonderful event, giving such great hospitality.
Pidama to all the relatives, friends, colleagues for coming out, supporting and showing love. & to new friends, listeners/supporters, thank you! 🙏
Hey Maiki Rose check this out:
After the show here in Minneapolis I headed to a random Raising Canes to try it out for the first time. At the window the guy goes “Hey!! That shirt is amazing!!! The artwork on it is so dope!! Where did you get that??”
I ejected my personal CD copy and handed it to him. And that’s not even the first compliment today about this artwork!!
If you haven’t already, go follow z0mb1emed1a y’all - truly great work!!!
Tonight!!!! Echoes of Resilience ~ A Fundraiser For Rock The Rez at The Hook & Ladder in Minneapolis. Here’s the lineup tonight, I’m grateful to be on this card with all these awesome artists! If you’ve been wanting a copy of the new album, Rock The Rez has 20 copies on sale at their table tonight - all proceeds from those go to Rock The Rez, so please come snatch em, I’ll sign!!
SUNDAY/MAY25TH: @rocktherez fundraiser event - Echoes of Resilience!!!!
Really excited to perform there and share space with this amazing lineup! Wopida @slatercimmone for this invitation
