Members of the popular Indigenous hip hop group, Snotty Nose Rez Kids chatted with high school students at Revelstoke Secondary School on Wednesday (Jan. 31).
The group spoke with students at The Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre prior to their performance later in the evening. The conversation was moderated by Stacey Byrne, the executive director of Arts Revelstoke and Dana Reaume, a learning support teacher at Revelstoke Secondary School (RSS). RSS students filed into the auditorium Wednesday afternoon to listen to the duo.
The group is made up of Darren “Young D” Metz and Quinton “Yung Trybez” Nyce who hail from Haisla First Nation.
One of the first questions asked was how the group got their name. They explained that a big part of the duo’s name comes from their childhood, running freely around the reservation which represents the “snotty nose” part of their name, and “rez kids” is to let everyone know they’re proud of their community.
Metz and Nyce also touched on how their community helped inspire them to become artists.
“We come from a community that has an open-door policy throughout the whole reservation. Everyone just looks out for one for one another,” said Nyce.
Growing up on the reservation came with a lot of freedom, which helped the rappers develop into the artists and people they are today. Nyce explained how this atmosphere and community approach to looking out for one another allowed them to have a free spirit and an ability to explore.
“Our community’s the backbone of our inspiration,” said Metz.
Reaume asked about the inherent connection between Indigenous hip hop and politics and referenced how some classes at RSS will be discussing how music aligns with marginalization, colonization and the ongoing policies.
Quinton explained that you can’t separate politics from their identity and how it is shaped by history, tradition, language, revitalization, and reconciliation.
They further explained how this sense of identity was emboldened by creating music. Through their sense of community and commitment to artistry, the duo have been able to use music to create positive change within themselves and for their fans.
“Each album that we’ve made is healing,” said Metz.
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