Northern Cree's New Album "Drum Boy - Mistikwaskihk Napesis"

Famed pow-wow singers Northern Cree are set to release their new album, Drum Boy - Mistikwaskihk Napesis, and it's now available for exclusive pre-sale through Canyon Records.

From Saddle Lake, Alberta, Northern Cree have become the superstars of the pow-wow circuit, having performed together for over 30 years and received great acclaim in the music industry, taking home multiple pow-wow prizes and winning awards across Turtle Island.

Their latest release, Drum Boy - Mistikwaskihk Napesis, was recorded live in Saddle Lake and is guaranteed to keep your toes tapping and jingles jingling. From the first sounds of the album opener, Wanbli—"a virtual super-hit on the 2011 Pow-Wow Trail"—it's clear that the group is in top form and ready to deliver another instant classic collection of pow-wow hits.

Listen to tracks and pre-order the album now at Canyon Records.

Drum Boy — Album Tracklisting:

1. Wanbli (2:05) 2. Humble (5:10) 3. Fass and Grancy (2:04) 4. Kainai Krusher (4:55) 5. Hops-A Lot (3:47) 6. Slickzter (whistled, 9:52) 7. Pride (3:49) 8. Siouxdance (3:50) 9. Styles (3:19) 10. Tea Pot (4:31) 11. The Explosion (3:18) 12. Redman (4:00)

Silver Jackson's New Album: It's Glimmering Now

It’s Glimmering Now, the new album by multi-instrumentalist Silver Jackson (aka visual artist Nicholas Galanin), was recorded in the artist's living room in Alaska. Created during a ‘dark’ period of divorce and loss of loved ones, the project gleams light.

Perhaps it's the number of guest producers, vocalists and musicians that Silver Jackson had contribute to the album, or perhaps it's part of his already varied artistic practice, but the sound is hard to pin down. Which is not to say it's lacking cohesion - the songs on the album keep each other good sonic company in their eclectic mix of electronic and acoustic sounds, samples, sung vocals and spoken pieces.

Download the album now from silverjackson.com. You'll be glad you did.

Tracklisting:

1. On A Boat w/Denise Denherder, Thanny Bean, Nick Polley
2. Elliott w/Denise Denherder, Thanny Bean
3. For Wade w/ Niki Bell, Denise Denherder, Thanny Bean, Nick Polley
4. I Wrote A Red Rose w/Denise Denherder
5. La Lionne w/ Zak D. Wass
6. It's Always Good w/ Micah Middaugh & Trevor Hobbs (of Breathe Owl Breathe), Little Wings, Aeriel East
7. Glad I Found You w/ Nat Baldwin, Little Wings
8. Stones Throw w/Micah Middaugh & Trevor Hobbs (of Breathe Owl Breathe), Little Wings, Denise Denherder
9. Our Love w/ Oc Notes
10. The Life I Live w/ Psmoov, J. Bradley
11. It's Glimmering Now w/ Oc Notes, Reva Devito
12. Grown w/ Oc Notes, Denise Denherder
13. Love Is... w/ Budo, Andrea Moreno-Beals (of Breathe Owl Breathe), Astronomar, friends and family
14. What A Day w/ Denise Denherder, Sonny Smith

Shane Yellowbird's "It's About Time" US Release

From Samson Cree Nation, Shane Yellowbird is a big name in Canadian country music having a Canadian Top 10 Billboard single, an APCMA award, a Canadian Country Music Award and a Juno nomination under his belt - not to mention legions of dedicated fans. Now, his most recent album It's About Time is being released in the U.S.

The debut single, Bare Feet on the Blacktop, is on U.S. radio stations now and Shane is sure to win hearts and ears in the south as much as he has in the north.

It's About Time tracklisting:

1. Bare Feet On the Blacktop
2. Watching You Walk Away
3. I Get That a Lot These Days
4. I Can Help You With That
5. My Kind of Crowd
6. Next Time I Leave
7. Between You and Me
8. Sedona Arizona
9. Pabst Blue Ribbon
10. It's About Time

Watch the official video for Bare Feet on the Blacktop:

"Diverse As This Land Volume II" Compilation CD

Aboriginal Arts at the Banff Centre launches their Diverse As This Land Volume II compilation CD featuring Pura Fe, George Leach, M'Girl and Altai Khangai.

Since 1993, the Aboriginal Arts program at the Banff Centre has been helping Indigenous artists grow their talent with artistic merit and cultural integrity. Many Indigenous artists, musicians, dancers and new media artists have participated in the many programs and residencies at the Banff Centre and have gone on to share their talent around the world. When it comes to the growth of Indigenous artistry, the Aboriginal Arts program at the Banff Centre is one of our greatest resources.

The Aboriginal Arts program has just released a compilation CD that includes some of the greatest Indigenous musicians Turtle Island has to offer. Diverse As This Land Volume II includes music by George Leach, M'Girl, Mongolian music Altai Khangai and legendary blues artist and traditional artist Pura Fe.

The proceeds of the CD go to a scholarship fund for indigenous artists to attend the Aboriginal Arts program at the Banff Centre.

For more information on the CD and how to order a copy for yourself, check out the website: banffcentre.ca/aboriginal_arts/Diverse-as-this-land/

The Local Onlyz Release "Kings Among Clowns"

The Local Onlyz out of Regina have a new release out entitled "Kings Among Clowns", switching up the game with their upbeat, live instrumented hip-hop music.

The 4-piece live Hiphop collective the Local Onlyz have been keeping it innovative in the Queencity for the past half a decade. Made up of InfoRed from the Little Black Bear First Nation of Saskatchewan, DJ Merky Waters, Thomas Roussin on guitar and Nathaniel Bowen on drums, this collective brings a deliberate deliverance of Hiphop style and musical skills.

InfoRed and DJ Merky Waters have been bringing out underground-styled Hiphop tunes for the last decade, and now with the Local Onlyz, they transcend the barriers of the genre with a raw style of rap, soul, rock and funk that is accented by InfoRed's technical lyricism, Merky Waters' clean turntablism and the musical stylings of Thomas Roussin and Nathaniel Brown.

In perfect timing for the fall season, The Local Onlyz say they have 'fine-tuned' this release to where they are truly comfortable with it.

You can listen to the new Local Onlyz album Kings Among Clowns on Soundcloud.

Track listing:

1. Next To You
2. Sincerely
3. Like It's Your Birthday
4. Love Dope
5. Old Wood Bridge
6. Going Local
7. Left Or Right (featuring The Cottage Party)
8. The West, A Nest And You
9. Ground Control
10. That's Rap
11. Tar Sands Casino

SPOTLIGHT: The Last Kinection

Our brothers and sisters from down under, The Last Kinection,  just released their ever-deadly new album Next of Kin.

The Last Kinection is a trio made up of brother and sister Joel (Weno) and  Naomi (Nay) Wenitong from the Kabi Kabi mob of South East Queensland and friend Jacob Turier (DJ Jaytee). Their name speaks to the alarming rate that we are losing our elders to the cycle of life and the dire need to maintain that link to our ancestry. Already 5 times over Deadly Music Award winners, they represent the next generation of Australian Indigenous hip hop artists.

As well as producing their own music they have been touring, offering workshops on the music business, production, singing, MCing and DJ techniques, songwriting and performance. It is important to them to "encourage, guide and give confidence to upcoming artists; allowing them to express themselves in a positive way "and through this giving them pivotal opportunities for healing.

In 2008, The Last Kinection was invited to perform with The Herd on a sold-out national tour. After winning legions of new fans, the morning after their last show, they were victims of a life changing car accident.  Nay was in such critical shape that she was declared dead at the scene until Weno noticed the blanket covering her move. Through a lengthy recovery they found the strength to just keep rising higher and higher.

Their opening track Find A Way is a call to flip the victim mentality on it's head. Later on Prove Them Wrong inspires us to be our greatest selves while bumpin away to grimy didgeridoo beats. The general theme throughout is hopeful and proud while still being real about the issues facing us living in colonial capitalism. The album opens with:

We fought so that we could open those doors for you fellas… so you could get inside and change the system, for us, for your people... Now we know that those doors are open and that the biggest employer of Aboriginal people in this country is the government. What we gotta do is get into those young people’s minds ... and say to them, "You’re not changing out the system to suite us. You’re in there and you’re making things comfortable for yourself. You’re failing us and you’re failing your ancestors." That’s something we can do. That’s something we must do.

Listening to their biting, honest lyrics it's clear that the issues facing Indigenous people are worldwide and universal.

The Last Kinection - Next of Kin by Elefant Traks

Support their work by purchasing Next of Kin from independent Aussie hip-hop label Elefant Traks.

Here is the video for the featured track Are We There Yet from their new album.

DOWNLOAD: A Tribe Called Red - "Moombah Hip Moombah Hop EP"

A Tribe Called Red released a new EP entitled Moombah Hip Moombah Hop that takes classic hip-hop on a spin through the style of Moombahton ...and it's available for a free download. The ever-deadly and prolific A Tribe Called Red out of Ottawa, practice the art of giving with this free download of a five song EP entitled Moombah Hip Moombah Hop that mashes up some classic golden-era hip-hop with the dance grooves of Moombahton. Fresh off their country wide A Tribe Called Two Toes Tour with comedian Ryan McMahon, they've released this EP with very little time to even unpack their suitcases .

To download Moombah Hip Moombah Hop by A Tribe Called Red, visit this link at Megaupload.com 

Track list:

Don't Sweat The Technique - Eric B & Rakim (ATCR Remix) Fakin' The Funk - Main Source (ATCR Remix) Public Enemy vs Congo Rock (ATCR Remash) Metropolis - A Tribe Called Red Tequila - The Champs (ATCR Remix)

New Release: Beaatz - "Music Is Me"

Tobique First Nation hiphop producer and emcee Beaatz releases his newest album Music is Me this week as a free download.

Beaatz is a young, talented emcee and hiphop producer based out of New Brunswick who has taken pure hiphop styling into the Indigenous music scene in a big way over the last year. Keeping his nose to the grindstone in his home community, he has honed his skill as both a rapper and producer.

Now after a putting in some solid time with producing and recording, Beaatz and his colleague Cameron Paul present the new Beaatz solo project Music is Me. With eleven tracks, this album is an awesome grab for free download of a complete album.

The music of Beaatz came across our desks via his YouTube Channel, and we were very impressed, to say the least. At the age of nineteen, and from a part of Turtle Island not really known for Indigenous hiphop, it was refreshing to see a young brother hit it so hard with a pure style rarely found in the current market of commercial-style rap and pop music. Staying true to the format and style of east coast hiphop music, his sampling and drum hits are all of a professional calibre.

The new Music is Me album is supported by a great catalogue of beats and rhymes that cover subjects of intellectual rhyme and socially conscious inspiring lyricism that is a good addition to the hiphop music of Turtle Island.

To acquire your free download of the fantastic album, go to megaupload.com.

Track Listing:

1. Never Lookin' Back
2. Where The Days Go
3. Keep Shining
4. Freedom of Speech
5. Never Know
6. You Feel Me
7. Life's Calling
8. Music is Me
9. By Now
10. Broken Promises
11. Outer Limits

VIDEO: Young Kidd - "Care For You"

Sagkeeng First Nations rap artist Young Kidd shares real family love in the new video for his song Care For You.

In this Boogey the Beat produced track, Young Kidd of Winnipeg raps about his dedication to his role as a father – his real-life daughter is also featured in the video.

Directed by Reign Wapioke of CN5 Films and Records.

Do you have a video you would like to see featured on our site? Drop us a line: info@rpm.fm

Murray Porter's New Album "Songs Lived & Life Played"

Turtle Clan Mohawk of the Grand River Murray Porter releases his newest project Songs Lived & Life Played - an album filled with his classic style of blues music.

With 11 songs, the album is a full range of blues mastery that only Murray Porter can deliver. It includes heartfelt songs dedicated to the women who have suffered tragic fates on the "Highway of Tears" and to survivors of the Indian residential schools, and songs like Rez Bluez - the theme song for the APTN series Rez Bluez - and Is Sorry Enough? capture the essence of an Indigenous history and viewpoint on the blues genre.

The project is robust with collaboration. Co-written songs with Elaine Bomberry, backup vocals by Renae Morriseau, musical additions by Helene Duguay on bass and harmonies, harmonica from Chris Allen and David Hoerl, and of course accompaniment by his band Rick Boulter on guitar and Chris "The Wrist" Nordquist on drums, round out the formidable contributing artists that Murray brings together.

Anyone into blues music, especially Indigenous blues music, should get a copy of this album for their collection. Murray let's us know that being real and playing from the heart is a strong driving force in the art of music. The result is a timeless creation.

Tracklisting:

1) Rez Bluez Words & music by Murray Porter

2) Since She Went Away Words & music by Murray Porter Dedicated to the Murdered & Missing Women and Their Families

3) Not So Far Away Words by Elaine Bomberry; music by Murray Porter

4) Set My Love Free Words & music by Murray Porter

5) That Man Was Me Words & music by Murray Porter

6) The Way She Loves Me Words & music by Murray Porter

7) Call You Baby Words by Elaine Bomberry; music by Murray Porter

8) Dog House Words & music by Josh Miller and Murray Porter

9) Time Will Come Words & music by Murray Porter

10) I Feel Lucky Words & music by Josh Miller and Murray Porter

11) Is Sorry Enough? Words by Elaine Bomberry and Murray Porter; music by Murray Porter Dedicated to the Indian Residential & Boarding School Survivors

Find Murray Porter on Facebook and CBC Radio 3 to keep up with his latest news and tour dates.

VIDEO: Crown P - "Criminal Mind"

From Crown P of the Flying Dust First Nation, for his song Criminal Mind off his upcoming album Table Of Contents, here's a brand new video that takes an intimate look into his life and environment.

DOWNLOAD: Young Kidd - "Wonderful Winnipeg" Mixtape

DJ Dow Jones presents Young Kidd's Wonderful Winnipeg Mixtape.

Young Kidd of CTL Records and the Sagkeeng First Nations shows us his love for his hometown with his new mixtape Wonderful Winnipeg. Winnipeg has become a hub for Indigenous music in Canada and North America -for rap and hiphop music especially - and Young Kidd has been playing a large part in this musical movement.

Enjoy the mixtape and keep your eye out for Young Kidd, a prolific creator of audio and video.

DOWNLOAD: Young Kidd - "Wonderful Winnipeg" Mixtape

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