A Tribe Called Red

A Tribe Called Red
Origin Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Genres Dance music
First Nations music
Years active 2007–present
Website atribecalledred.com
Members Ian "DJ NDN" Campeau
Tim "2oolman" Hill
Bear Witness
Past members Dan "DJ Shub" General

A Tribe Called Red are 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.[1] 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).[2] Former member Dan "DJ Shub" General left the band for personal reasons in spring 2014, and was replaced by Hill.[3]

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;[1] 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.[1]

Music

After releasing a number of tracks online and DJing at various dance and aboriginal events,[4] the band released their self-titled debut album as a free internet download in 2012.[5] The album was named as a longlisted nominee for the 2012 Polaris Music Prize on June 14, 2012.[6] 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;[7] in July, it was named to the prize's final 10-album shortlist.[8] The band also won several awards at the 2013 Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards, including Best Group and Best Album for Nation II Nation.[9]

The band have toured extensively across Canada[10] and the United States,[11] as well as performing festival dates in the United Kingdom,[12] Germany[12] and Greece.[13]

They have been featured on CBC Radio's Q[14] and Canada Live,[15] and have been playlisted on both CBC Radio 2 and CBC Radio 3.

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,[16] winning the award for Breakthrough Group. The band specifically chose not to submit themselves for consideration in the Aboriginal Album of the Year category.[3]

A Tribe Called Red have also collaborated on and produced one of the last known Das Racist songs, called "Indians From All Directions",[17] as well as the song "A Tribe Called Red" on Angel Haze's album Dirty Gold.[18]

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.[19]

Activism

The band has been vocal supporters of Idle No More.[4] 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.[20] Furthermore, Campeau filed a human rights complaint against an amateur football club in Ottawa that was using "Redskins" as its club name.[21]

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.[22]

Discography

Albums

EPs

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "A Tribe Called Red’s urban powwow". National Post, August 23, 2011.
  2. ↑ "Bio of A Tribe Called Red".
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "A Tribe Called Red, Wab Kinew, Tanya Tagaq on the indigenous music renaissance". CBC Music, August 18, 2014.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "A Tribe Called Red". NOW, February 7, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Download A Tribe Called Red’s Debut Album for Free". Indian Country Today, March 29, 2012.
  6. ↑ "Polaris Prize long list includes lots of Toronto bands". Toronto Star, June 14, 2012.
  7. ↑ "Polaris Music Prize Unveils 2013 Long List". Exclaim!, June 13, 2012.
  8. ↑ "Polaris Prize shortlists Tegan and Sara, A Tribe Called Red". CBC News, July 16, 2013.
  9. ↑ "A Tribe Called Red, George Leach and Nathan Cunningham big winners at Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards". CBC Music, August 19, 2013.
  10. ↑ "A Tribe Called Red Book Canada-Heavy North American Winter Tour". Exclaim!, November 18, 2013.
  11. ↑ "A Tribe Called Red touring in support of second album". Aboriginal Music Week, April 9, 2013.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "A Tribe Called Red's dubstep take on powwow music". CBC News, April 18, 2013.
  13. ↑ "Dancing to a tribal rhythm". Times Colonist, November 10, 2012.
  14. ↑ "Pow wow-step with A Tribe Called Red". Q, June 20, 2013.
  15. ↑ "National Aboriginal Day". Canada Live, June 20, 2012.
  16. ↑ "A Tribe Called Red, Monkeyjunk among Ottawa Juno nominees". CBC News, February 4, 2014.
  17. ↑ Listen to an Unreleased Das Racist Track, "Indians From All Directions". Pitchfork, April 16, 2013.
  18. ↑ "A Tribe Called Red team with Angel Haze for 'A Tribe Called Red'". CBC Music, July 19, 2013.
  19. ↑ "Listen to this: A Tribe Called Red's powerful new single, 'Burn Your Village to the Ground'". CBC Music, November 28, 2014.
  20. ↑ "Beats Against Colonialism: A Tribe Called Red". Canadian Dimension, September 7, 2013.
  21. ↑ "A Tribe Called Red's Ian Campeau Files Human Rights Complaint over Redskins Football Club Name". Exclaim!, September 5, 2013.
  22. ↑ "A Tribe Called Red cancels performance at human rights museum". CBC News, September 19, 2014.

External links