APCMA 2012 - Best New Artist of the Year

Here it is - the Aboriginal People's Choice Music Awards Nominees for Best New Artist in an RPM Youtube Playlist.

This RPM Youtube Playlist showcases the nominees for the 2012 APCMA nominees for the Best New Artist category. This five video playlist illuminates some fresh new talent and doubles as a list of who to watch out for in the coming years on the Indigenous music culture tip. Consider yourselves informed!

Bruthers of Different Muthrs - Starving Artists (LIVE) Indian City - Supernation (LIVE) JB The First Lady - Get Ready Get Steady Kristi Lane Sinclair - Last Song Lena Recollet - (LIVE)

VIDEO: The Requiremento of 2012 - Native Youth Speak Out for Indigenous Peoples Day

In honor of Indigenous Peoples' Day 2012, these Dartmouth University students had a message to share to mark the "discovery of Christopher Columbus."

Savage Media, the collective behind the short video published on Oct 7th of this year, is comprised of a group of students attending Dartmouth University. Inspired by sketch comedy collective The 1491s during a visit earlier this year to their school, these students are currently running a fundraising campaign to get their vision realized.

As Colorlines noted, in this inspiring clip, "Native students from Dartmouth College respond to The Spanish Requirement of 1513—in which Spain declared that it was ordained by God to take possession of what is known today as the Americas—with their own 'Requiremento of 2012'.”

We love seeing our young people stand up and represent themselves on our own terms—and for reminding us to celebrate that we are, indeed, still here...and still "savage and alive"!

For more information on their campaign, check them out on Facebook: RealSavageMedia.

For now, we here at RPM hope that everyone on Turtle Island has had an enjoyable, energizing, and family-filled long weekend, and the opportunity to think about what this holiday represents.

Lisa Jackson & The Making Of "Pow Wow Wow"

The new Cris Derksen music video, Pow Wow Wow, was directed by Lisa Jackson and RPM talked with Lisa about the experience, inspiration and production of the video.

As a part of the Aboriginal People's Television Network's "First Tracks" initiative, Cris Derksen traveled out to Toronto to work with Big Soul Productions and renowned director Lisa Jackson for her newest video project Pow Wow Wow.

I asked Lisa about her experience and inspirations for making this amazing video.

"When Big Soul Productions approached me to work on Cris' music video for APTN's 'First Tracks,' it was an instant yes. I love Cris' music and her style and could see my film sensibilities blending with her genre-blending approach. Plus, I was just finishing a year doing the Directors' Lab at the Canadian Film Centre where I had intensively trained in straight-up narrative filmmaking, and I was ready to bust out and do something totally creative and experimental.

Making Pow Wow Wow, I was inspired by Norman McLaren's beautiful 1968 dance film "Pas de Deux" as well as Dr. Who. Cris' whole cello-keyboard-pedals setup made me think of a plane's cockpit and I realized the video had to be set in outer space. And what a great place for fancy dancing! I wanted to capture a sense of a child's fantasy world, but with a steampunk edge. In my mind, Cris' playing is fuelling the ship and the dance, like some kind of imagination generator.

Cris and Shyama (the dancer) were great to work with - both in planning and especially as our shoot day stretched past the 12-hour mark. Poor Shyama had to go and go and go, and she's a raw foodist, so we kept her supplied with carrot sticks and fruit so she didn't pass out.

I originally wanted to shoot Cris playing inside a shiny white futuristic pod that was to be built from a complex papier mache plan, but when the pod broke in transport to the studio on shoot day, we switched to Plan B and shot Cris against a green screen. A lucky accident as Luis Almazan's space pod graphics turned out amazing (you can see his effects process on the video in action at youtube.com/watch?v=d1fb7zlAjag).

One of my favourite parts was working with a couple of designers to come up with Cris' supercool spacesuit. Cris was a trooper, as it was a super form-fitting, non-stretchy, hot outfit she was strapped into for hours. She kept it so I hope she at least got to wear it on Halloween or something, but maybe she's too traumatized.

So yeah, it was a great collaboration all around, Cris and I jamming on ideas, Shyama bringing it dance-wise with grace and energy, and Big Soul Productions skillfully facilitating all my crazy ideas. I would do more Cris Derksen videos anytime."

Watch Cris Derksen, Pow Wow Wow here:

Pow.Wow.Wow Cris Derksen Video from Lisa Jackson on Vimeo.

Winnipeg's Most Kicks Off Cross-Canada Tour

The award-winning and hugely popular rap group Winnipeg's Most starts their first Western Canadian tour this month and have released a promotional video to tell us all about it.

Next week Winnipeg's Most,  along with DJ Dow Jones, will start their tour from their hometown of Winnipeg and head west from there. The boys have already sold out shows and will continue to add dates to the tour so keep an eye out if your town isn't on the itinerary yet, and let them know you want them to come to you!

Official tour dates and cities:

March 23rd - Winnipeg MB - Venue: Maquee - 18+ March 24th - Regina SK - 306 Hip Hop Skate Shop (All Ages) March 25th -Prince Albert SK - Union Events (All Ages) March 26th - Saskatoon SK - Odeon Events Centre (All Ages) March 27th - Calgary AB - Dickens Pub 18+ March 28th - Edmonton AB - Empire ballroom 18+ March 30 - Williams Lake BC - Diamonds & Dust 19+ March 31st - Prince George BC - Ramada Hotel (All Ages) March 31st - Prince George BC - Ramada Hotel (All Ages) April 1st - Dawson Creek BC - George Dawson Inn April 4th - Surrey BC - Ephin Store CD signing - - (All Ages) April 4th - Chilliwack BC - Echo Room 19+ April 5th - Langley BC - Troubadour NightClub 19+ April 6th - Nanaimo BC - The Queens NightClub 19+ April 7th - Nanaimo BC - Vancouver Event Centre (All Ages) April 8th - Campbell River BC - The Paramount 19+ More dates TBA

To celebrate and announce the tour, Winnipeg's Most  released this video - check it out:

Blueprint for Life Drops Gems in the North

DJ Creeasian traveled to Nunavik in Northern Quebec with the Blue Print For Life organization and shows us some amazing video.

Blueprint For Life is an organization that runs "Social Work Through Hip-hop" programs through Canada's northern region and inner cities. Founded by Stephen Leafloor aka "Buddha" from the legendary Canadian Floor Masters breakdance crew, Blue Print For Life has been taking hip-hop to places that may not have ever experienced it outside of television or the internet.

A member of the Blue Print For Life crew is DJ Creeasian, whom we have featured in our RPM Podcast #007: “Native Hip-Hop”. While traveling with the organization, DJ Creeasian teaches hiphop culture to both youth and elders in his journeys. On his last trip to the Aupaluk community, in Nunavik (Inuit), DJ Creeasian was able to share some of his award-winning turntablist skills with some elders there, even getting them to participate in the art of 'scratching' on the 'ones and twos'.

Here we have some video of the occasion that we felt should be shared.

Props go out to DJ Creeasian and Stephen "Buddha" Leafloor for making hip-hop into a medicine that is crossing generations!

Also check out RedWire mag's recent post for more on DJ Creeasion on redwiremag.com.

VIDEO: Hobiyee 2012 Ts'amiks Edition

Nisga'a New Year, known as "Hobiyee," was celebrated in Vancouver at the Agrodome last week and we have some video.

Hobiyee is the new year celebration of the Nisga'a First Nation that celebrates the first crescent moon that is shaped like "hoobix," which is the the shape of the Nisga'a spoon. This special crescent shaped moon with its bowl facing upwards indicated that the following season would be a bountiful harvest of oolichan, salmon, berries and other resources.

From Hobiyee 2012 Ts'amiks Edition, here's an explanation on the meaning of "Hobiyee":

The Simgigat-Nisga'a Chieftains in past centuries studied the celestial heavens. They were knowledgeable in the behaviours of the stars in proximity to the moon which forecasted the weather patterns. They studied the astrology not from text books but by years of observing the heavens.

The Halayt-Simgigat (Spiritual Leader- Chief) studied the "Buxw-laks" moon, The Moon of February. Over time, they observed that whenever the first crescent moon is in the shape of a "Hoobix"- the bowl of a Nisga'a wooden spoon, thin shaped and the ends pointing upward- that in the following seasons the resources of our lands would be plentiful, the oolichan, salmon, berries and various other resources, bountiful.

Hobiyee is about the point in time when our "Gal-ha'ink" Cedar Bent Boxes of the Nisga'a are near empty of their winter provisions and they have begun to ration the last of their provisions. The Nisga'a are hoping and praying for a bountiful season of oolichans (saviour fish) and a fruitful year.

So the Nisga'a say, "Hobiyee" meaning "the spoon is full".

Hobiyee is celebrated with a potlatch filled with traditional song and dance. This year in Vancouver, the Hobiyee celebration was taken to a new level when it was hosted by the Nisga’a Ts’amiks Organization at the PNE Agrodome and streamed live onto the internet.

The event included hundreds of drummers, singers and dancers from around British Columbia and lasted 2 nights. Although this event has already passed here in Vancouver, there is an even more traditional event happening in the traditional territory of the Nisga'a in Gitlaxt'aamiks, which is the capital of the Nisga'a Nation 97 kilometers of Terrace, British Columbia. For more info on that event, visit: nnkn.ca/content/hobiyee-2012-feb-24-252012-gitlaxtaamiks-bc-rec-centre.

The archived live stream of the Vancouver Hobiyee celebration is some of the best footage capture of the event. Here is the grand entry:

Watch live streaming video from broadcastliveca at livestream.com

4 Indigenous Musicians to Watch in 2012

What a year 2011 has been for Indigenous music! From new music by time-tested artists to surprising new splashes on the scene, here's four artists we're keeping our eye on as we move into the New Year. You'll want to pay attention to these artists for great new things in 2012.

Ali Fontaine From the Sagkeeng First Nation in Manitoba, Ali Fontaine is a 17-year old country artist, mentored by Indigenous music legend Errol Ranville. She made waves this year with her debut eponymous album and single Say it to Me. The track's music video, a slick and colourful trip through New York city, was directed by Strongfront A/V Productions founder Jesse Green. Indeed, Ali has been quickly drawing the attention of big hitters and fans alike - she took home Best Country CD and Best New Artist at the Aboriginal People's Choice Awards. With all of this under her belt before she's even graduated high school, we know Ali is just getting started and look forward to what the young star will create next.

Here's Say it to Me:

Beaatz Hailing from the Tobique First Nation in New Brunswick, Canada, Beaatz is also a remarkable young artist who popped up on the scene in 2011. At 19, he's proven to be a prolific emcee/producer this year, establishing off the bat a clean cut production style and sharp rap abilities.  That, putting New Brunswick on the map for Indigenous hip-hop, and being an innovator of style, are why we recommend you look out for Beaatz in 2012.

Here's Never Lookin' Back:

Cris Derksen Classically trained but futuristically innovative, Cree cellist Cris Derksen has been a hardworking musician for a few years now. However, 2011 was surely a red letter year and a sign of Derksen's trajectory. She was on tour most of 2011, including two European tours, as a solo artist and as a member of the Beat Nation Live Collective, the band Lightning Dust and the band E.S.L.; she released her first music video, her second - a First Tracks selection - will be released in the New Year;  the CBC documentary series The 8th Fire, due for release in January, features an original score compose by Derksen and her debut album, The Cusp, won Best Instrumental Album at the Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards in Toronto. See what we mean? She's surely in her element and on a roll.

Here's 2 Hours Parking:

A Tribe Called Red Who knew about these guys one year ago? In just one year, the electronic chiefs of the Electric Powwow have made huge leaps and bounds with an international touring schedule, mainstream press recognition and the pioneering of a new style of Indigenous electronic music "Powwow-step" that has taken the music world by storm. The trio of DJ NDN, Bear Witness and DJ Shub have been rocking dance floors at major festivals and parties as well as their own weekly nights in their hometown of Ottawa, Canada, and it's been catching on like wildfire. We know it will continue to grow in 2012 and are excited to see what new artistic heights these three men reach.

Here's Red Skin Girl:

Keep your eyes on RPM for the latest and greatest from these artists, and others in 2012.