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Snotty Nose Rez Kids: Indigenous Resurgence through Hip Hop 

SNRK.jpeg
Review by Eric C. Nelson
Major:  English, B.A.

Canadian Hip Hop Duo Snotty Nose Rez Kids use their quick-witted lyricism to call out the harmful narratives surrounding the First Nations of Canada. (Guagliardi) . Their third album, Trapline, is as much a celebration of the self as it is a collection of politically charged verses that force the listener to pay ample attention. Their message: resist, revive, indigenize, is a rallying cry that has spurned and refuted the racist rhetoric surrounding Canada’s first people and, in its place, provides anthems to inspire a resurgence of oppressed cultures.

 

Hailing from the Haisla Nation in Northern British Columbia, SNRK is the creation of childhood friends Quinton Nyce and Darren Metz, better known as Yung Trybez and Young D. In 2017 they gained notoriety for their debut album The Average Savage, which played off the media's aspersions and caricatures for and of first nations. From the fragments of disparaging rhetoric, the team created a discography that stressed the empowerment and pride of their roots and would see them front Canada’s indigenous hip hop scene, then proceed to tour across the globe. The two have traveled across Canada, America, the UK, and Australia on tour received Best Indigenous artist at the Western Canadian Music Awards, Best Album and Songwriter of the Year at the Indigenous Hip Hop Awards, and Best Indigenous Artist at the Canadian Indie award (Grier, 2019). In that time that has amassed a following the world over and made significant Landfall as pioneers in an emerging sub-genre of hip hop.

 

Where the average savage brought history into the present, Trapline is a critique of the contemporary. In the words of Metz, “we wanted to show where we’re standing today, in the present, whereas the average savage was about the past and stereotypes” (Rudy Blaire). The two are a contrast between retribution through lyrical annihilation and glorification of the current trajectory in regard to what the future holds. The latter release is a refusal to give in to the trope of the “pissed off generation who haven't gotten over colonization” (March 21, 2019, Jordan Darville). It embraces not only indigeneity but what it means to be Haisla by paying homage to the community that raised the artists to succeed through perseverance. If anything, their music is a testament to the failure of North Americas attempts of assimilation by means of killing the Indian to save the man. (Simonson & Nadeau, 2016) In their own words, “we don't die we multiply cry me a river” (SNRK, Rebirth)

 

This music stands as a reclamation of pride in what was once considered derogatory or unaesthetic, be it through vernacular or appearance. It does not boast of material wealth but of culture and knowledge. It seeks to uplift and embolden that which was looked upon with disgust. What better way to do that than to flip the meaning of a slur from being that which is insulting to a label carried with dignity. For SNRK the term savage is not a mark of shame but of honor.  

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We call ourselves savages, red skins, and Indians. Some people hear this and underestimate us. They don't think we understand the origin and weight of these words. We have reclaimed these words and stripped away the harm they were intended to carry, the hate and ignorance they thought we didn't notice. When we say Average Savage, you better believe that means that we are the bravest indigenous warriors out there and there's nothing average about us. Our people are survivors by force. We've injected clips of movies, cartoons, and media into our tracklist to point out how this racist shit is engraved into our minds as kids - how normalized it was for us to hear 'Stupid Indian' and 'Kill the savages'. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 
 

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When we interact with these slurs, we are confronting them, deconstructing them, and regurgitating them to create our own impressions that exemplify us as the strong, creative, and intelligent Savages we know ourselves to be. 

Hip hop seeps resistance. It operates as an impediment to neo-colonial forces under the guise of rhetorical sovereignty. As the operators of the medium, and having experienced racism firsthand, SNRK has every right to whatever terminology they see fit. It is “the inherent right and ability of peoples to determine their own communicative needs and desires in this pursuit, to decide for themselves the goals, modes, styles, and languages of public discourse”. (Lyons 2000, as referenced by Mays 2016, as cited by Kibort 2020). By eliminating any connotations of prejudice and replacing it with reason to celebrate, SNRK effortlessly manages to reconcile with terms of slander and reestablish savage as a their own. (Kibort, 2020)

 

Rebounding off the success of their 2017 tracklist and into Trapline, SNRK delivers decisive blows with songs like Bougee Natives that diverge from the Average Savage. Both the song itself and the music video that accompanies it are quick to highlight affluence, not by parading around riches but by acknowledging the wellspring of activism, tradition, and the arts found in indigenous communities. The song encapsulates the purpose of the album; it upholds and retains heritage with a contemporary blend designed to exemplify revitalization through music. In this way it pivots from Creator made an animal, a mimicry of the way in which society depicts the 7th generation as hopelessly downtrodden and irate. Mind you there is little to pity about Boujee Native or the album itself. It salutes resilience and the colorful array of bourgeoning native artists finding their voice across the country.

 

Snotty Nose Rez Kids are a provocative match. Uncompromising and enlightening the two have retained a prominence that has consistently proven to be refreshing both in sound and spirit. Traplines stay true to the roots of SNRK while exploring and refining the beats and rhythm that draw the listeners deeper into the track.  

 

 

 

       

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  1. Blair, R. (2019, September 17). Chat w Snotty Nose Rez Kids on 2019 Polaris Music Prize Short List Album Trapline

    1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBJPYYmrpLE 

  1. Cemm, R. (2019, June 7). On The Rise: Snotty Nose Rez Kids.  

https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/features/interviews/snotty-nose-rez-kids-on-the-rise 

  1. Change the Story Change the Future Insight and Action. (n.d.). Illuminative. 

    1. https://illuminatives.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Insight-Action-Guide.pdf?x18008 

  1. Davies, G. (2021, May 29). 215 bodies discovered at former residential school for Indigenous children in Canada. Abc  News. 

    1. https://abcnews.go.com/International/215-bodies-discovered-residential-school-indigenous-children- canada/story?id=77979045 

  1. Elliot, A. (2018, December 27). The Indigenous renaissance was truly here in 2018—And it’s not going anywhere Social  Sharing.  CBC. 

    1. https://www.cbc.ca/arts/the-indigenous-renaissance-was-truly-here-in-2018-and-it-s-not-going- anywhere-1.4955973 

    2. ​

  1. Grier, C. (2019, April 29). SNOTTY NOSE REZ KIDS USE THEIR VOICE TO EMPOWER. W&M Words And Music. 

    1. https://www.socanmagazine.ca/features/snotty-nose-rez-kids-use-their-voice-to-empower/ 

  1. Guagliardi,  kassandra. (2018, August 2). Snotty Nose Rez Kids Move Quickly From Polaris Prize Short List to NewAlum“Rez Bangers & KoolaPops.”Exclaim.Ca  

https://exclaim.ca/music/article/snotty_nose_rez_kids_move_quickly_from_polaris_prize_shortlist_to_new_albu m_rez_bangers_andkoolapops 

  1. Kibort, K. (n.d.). An ‘Electric Pow Wow’: Indigenous American use of Music Videos to Discuss Identity and Reclaim Visua Sovereignty. Ethnographic Encounters, 11. 

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  1. Mays, K. (2018). Modernity and Hip Hop in Indigenous North America. 196. 

Ottenhof, L. (2019, May 15). Snotty Nose Rez Kids Are Laying the Groundwork for Future Generations. Bandcamp Daily. 

https://daily.bandcamp.com/features/snotty-nose-rez-kids-trapline-interview 

        Rama, D. (2021, March 25). Jeremy Dutcher, Snotty Nose Rez Kids, Silla & Rise participate in new Kanata teaching  program.  Toronto

    1. Star. https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2021/03/25/jeremy-dutcher-snotty-nose-rez-kids- silla-rise-participate- in-new-kanata-teaching-program.html 

  1. Schilling, V. (2021, June 9). Millions taking notice" Snotty Nose rez Kids. Indian Country Today. 

    1. https://indiancountrytoday.com/lifestyle/millions-taking-notice-snotty-nose-rez-kids 

  1. Sheffield, C. L. (2011). Native American Hip-Hop and Historical Trauma. Studies in American Indian Literatures, 23(3),  18. 

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  1. Simonson, K., & Nadeau, G. (2016, December 3). Truth and Reconciliation:’Kill the Indian, and Save the Man’. Native  Times.

    1.  https://www.nativetimes.com/archives/46-life/commentary/14059-truth-and-reconciliationkill-the- indian-and-save-the-man 

  1. Usinger, M. (2021, June 16). In an ongoing journey, Snotty Nose Rez Kids continue to make a massive statement on the  value of  hard work. The Georgia  Straight https://www.straight.com/music/in-an-ongoing-journey-snotty-nose- rez-kids-continue-to-make-a-massive-statement-on-value-of 

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  1. Vincent, M. (2019, May 7). Snotty Nose Rez Kids explain every track on their new album, TRAPLINE. On The A Side. 

    1. https://ontheaside.com/music/snotty-nose-rez-kids-explain-every-track-on-their-new-album-trapline/ 

  1. Snotty Nose Rez Kids (2019) Trapline, Rebirth

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