Years active 2007 (2007)–present Past members Dan "DJ Shub" General | Website atribecalledred.com | |
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Origin Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Genres Dance music
First Nations music Members Ian "DJ NDN" Campeau
Tim "2oolman" Hill
Bear Witness Albums Nation II Nation, We Are The Halluci Nation, A Tribe Called Red, Trap Line Profiles | ||
A tribe called red ft black bear stadium pow wow official video
A Tribe Called Red is a Canadian electronic music group, who blend instrumental hip hop, reggae, moombahton and dubstep-influenced dance music with elements of First Nations music, particularly vocal chanting and drumming. Based in Ottawa, Ontario, the group consists of three DJs: Ian "DJ NDN" Campeau (of the Nipissing First Nation), Tim "2oolman" Hill (Mohawk, of the Six Nations of the Grand River), and Bear Witness (of the Cayuga First Nation). Former member Dan "DJ Shub" General left the band for personal reasons in spring 2014, and was replaced by Hill.
Contents
- A tribe called red ft black bear stadium pow wow official video
- A tribe called red indigenous electronic music
- Music
- Activism
- Albums
- EPs
- Songs
- References
The group's name is an homage to A Tribe Called Quest, a 90s hip hop group that also had songs that tackled ethnic African American social grievances.
The group's music has been described as "powwow-step", a style of contemporary powwow music for urban First Nations in the dance club scene; popularized by the media as a description of the band's unique style, the term originated as the title of one of the band's own earliest singles.
A tribe called red indigenous electronic music
Music
After releasing a number of tracks online and DJing at various dance and aboriginal events, the band released their self-titled debut album as a free internet download in 2012. The album was named as a longlisted nominee for the 2012 Polaris Music Prize on June 14, 2012. Their second album, Nation II Nation, was released in 2013 and was named a longlisted nominee for the 2013 Polaris Music Prize on June 13, 2013; in July, it was named to the prize's final 10-album shortlist. The band also won several awards at the 2013 Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards, including Best Group and Best Album for Nation II Nation.
The band has toured extensively across Canada and the United States, as well as performing festival dates in the United Kingdom, Germany and Greece.
They have been featured on CBC Radio's Q and Canada Live, and have been playlisted on both CBC Radio 2 and CBC Radio 3 as well as BBC Radio 6 Music.
In 2014, they garnered two Juno Award nominations at the Juno Awards of 2014, for Breakthrough Group of the Year and Electronic Album of the Year, winning the award for Breakthrough Group. The band specifically chose not to submit themselves for consideration in the Aboriginal Album of the Year category.
A Tribe Called Red have also collaborated on and produced one of the last known Das Racist songs, called "Indians From All Directions", as well as the song "A Tribe Called Red" on Angel Haze's album Dirty Gold.
In 2014, they released "Burn Your Village to the Ground", a non-album protest song about the complicated aboriginal relationship with the colonialist connotations of Thanksgiving.
In 2015, they released a pro-wrestling themed EP Suplex, with appearances from Smalltown DJs, as well as a remix of Buffy Sainte-Marie's song "Working for the Government".
In 2016, they released LP "We are the Halluci Nation" in September.
Activism
The band has been vocal supporters of Idle No More. In 2013, they issued a public statement asking non-aboriginal fans to refrain from cultural appropriation by not wearing headdresses and war paint to their shows. Furthermore, Campeau filed a human rights complaint against an amateur football club in Ottawa that was using "Redskins" as its club name.
In 2014, the band withdrew from a scheduled performance at the official opening ceremonies of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, citing concerns about the museum's depiction of aboriginal human rights issues.
Albums
EPs
Songs
Electric Pow Wow DrumA Tribe Called Red · 2012
REDWe Are The Halluci Nation · 2016
Stadium Pow Wow2016