5. LightningCloud
Coming in fifth place, I simply had to give it to the indigenous duo of RedCloud and Crystal Lightning. While RedCloud's freestyle skills alone are worthy of putting him on this list, LightningCloud would be incomplete without Crystal Lightning. Not only does Lightning's smooth flow and swagger make it easy for her to play a male-dominated game, but her career provides much needed representation to women in the Native community. RedCloud is known for his Chicano identity and influence in his music, yet still effectively draws attention to Native American issues, such as when he broke the world record for the longest freestyle while rapping about the epidemic of missing/murdered indigenous women in Canada (as suggested by Lightning). The combination of RedCloud and Crystal Lightning is the very definition of intersectionality, their reach extending to those effected by poverty, California natives, and the indigenous people of not only just the United States, but of Canada and Mexico as well due to their respective Cree (Crystal) and Huichol (RedCloud) roots.
4. Tall Paul
Tall Paul is next on my countdown due to unapologetic use of Anishinaabe native language in his music and his efforts in giving back to his community in Minneapolis. After graduating high school, he continues to go back and tutor children at the Anishinaabe Academy through the American Indian Math Project in order to help more Native American children do well in school while also staying in touch with their culture. His music has a great beat to it that can be appreciated by those outside of the culture as well, while also using songs such as Prayers in a Songto speak to those whose language has been diminishing for centuries. These are the lyrics to that song, which is a great mixture of old and new; the ancient language and the modern music:
Gichi-manido wiidookawishin ji-mashkawiziyaan // Mii dash bami'idiziyaan // Miizhishinaam zaagi'iiwewin // Ganoozh ishinaam, bizindaw ishinaam // Mii-wenji nagamoyaan // Nimishomis wiidookawishinaam ji-aabajitooyaang anishinaabe izhitwaawin // mii-ji-bi-gikendamaan keyaa anishinaabe bimaadiziwin
Translation: Great Spirit help me to be strong // So that I can help myself // Show us all love // Talk to us, hear us // That is why I am singing // Grandfather help us to use the Native ways // So that we'll know how to live the good life
3. Nataanii Means
If you want to talk about fighting for Native visibility, look no further than Nataanii Means. He comes from a long line of Native American activism, his father being the famous Russell Means, who has worked tirelessly for Native American rights and was even featured in the bridge of Nataanii's song The Radical. On that same track Nataanii also proudly states "I'm not a rapper, I'm an activist that rhymes', which is a statement that he seems to be living up to as of late by standing in solidarity with Standing Rock against the Dakota Access Pipeline. His album is rightfully entitled "2 Worlds" because his music focuses on bringing two worlds together to create music that shows what it's like to be Native American in the 21st century.
2. Frank Waln
Coming in as the first runner-up on my list is the amazing Frank Waln! He is a three-time NAMMY winning Sicangu Lakota rapper that heavily focuses on issues effecting Native Americans today such as assimilation, fracking on native lands, educating native youth, and stereotypes surrounding the Native American community. Waln also travels around the U.S. performing and doing workshops that focus on self-empowerment and following your dreams. He is one of the most passionate and active rappers on this list, which is why I ranked him so highly. Every song from Oil 4 Blood, to AbOriginal, to Hear My Cry takes the listener into Frank's world and offers them the perspective of the modern day Native American, as according to him. Waln even went as far as remixing a popular Disney song to expose and draw attention to the vicious and 'savage' treatment and mockery of the Native American people in the United States.
1. Supaman
And here he is! The very best Native American rapper, in my humble opinion. What I love about Supaman is that he creates his music from scratch, which you can see for yourself in the music videos for Prayer Loop Song, Why, and Somewhere. Due to the sheer talent and artistry that it takes to do that, I felt like he belonged toward the front of the list. Like several others on this list, Supaman draws inspiration for his music from his real life, which is heavily influenced by his culture as a member of the Crow tribe. But Supaman has the age and the experience that some of these other rappers lack, which is what drove him to his first place slot on this list.
During an interview with NPR, Supaman talks about his love for rap, and about the messages in 'gangsta rap' leading him down a dark path that could have ultimately cost him his wife and daughter, at which point he then decided to turn to his religion to lead a more positive life and rap about more positive things. I think that is what I value most about Supaman's music: he is a Native American man rapping about every day life and every day struggles. He doesn't need a 'hard' persona, he doesn't need to rap about drugs, or crime, or sex. He draws attention to issues that affect his people and his life without disrespecting anybody or influencing his listeners to participate in unhealthy behavior and habits.
This is a lesson that I think a lot of rappers should learn from because, yes, bad things happen in the world. Negativity and crime and drugs are everywhere, and young people should not be sheltered from that. But at the same time, kids look up to these rappers, especially if they represent a group that typically lacks representation. With poverty and alcoholism and broken families already plaguing so many Native American communities, it's nice to see somebody rapping about family ties, peace, and Native American pride for a change. Supaman is the best of both worlds: a talented musician and a positive role model. What more can you ask for?
