By Tim Collins

Snotty Nose Rez Kids are a force to be reckoned with.

The duo of Darren SA国际影视传媒淵oung DSA国际影视传媒� Metz and Quinton SA国际影视传媒淵ung TrybezSA国际影视传媒� Nyce, originally from Kitamaat Village, produce some of the most exciting hip-hop music of their generation. They have become internationally recognized for their work, and although the awards keep coming, the group remains true to their core values and the lessons they learned growing up on the reservation.

SA国际影视传媒淭he greatest award we could get is that the next generation hears our music and gets inspired to be the best versions of themselves,SA国际影视传媒� Metz said.

SA国际影视传媒淲hen we first started performing, we wanted a name that would tell people who we are without having to explain it. The symbolism is that it is rough out there but that thereSA国际影视传媒檚 always love there too.SA国际影视传媒�

Winners of the 2023 Prism Prize, and shortlisted for the Junos, the duo has also been shortlisted for the Polaris Music Prize, nominated for Best Hip Hop Album at the Indigenous Music Awards and for Indigenous Artist of the Year at the Western Canadian Music Awards.

In short, the hip-hop duo has had an amazing rise to success.

The First Nations Haisla rappers are now based in Vancouver, but itSA国际影视传媒檚 the SA国际影视传媒渞ezSA国际影视传媒� that molded these remarkable artists into who they are today.

SA国际影视传媒淣o matter where we are, we always carry the rez with us,SA国际影视传媒� Nyce said. SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 a real sense of community (on the reservation) and everyone takes care of one another. WeSA国际影视传媒檙e one big family.SA国际影视传媒�

And although rap and hip-hop have often been viewed as the music of the oppressed, characterized by a sort of rough anger, Nyce has a different perspective.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 not all about street life, and itSA国际影视传媒檚 not all about anger. ThereSA国际影视传媒檚 love and compassion there. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 about life experience,SA国际影视传媒� Nyce said. SA国际影视传媒淚f you live on the street, you express that, but if youSA国际影视传媒檙e and artist and you have love in your heart, you express that as well.SA国际影视传媒�

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The duo has produced six albums to date and is poised to release their seventh this spring.

SA国际影视传媒淥ur next album has sort of an Indigenous futurism theme with hints of an apocalypse and how living in the old ways can be the answer,SA国际影视传媒� Nyce said.

Metz said when they put out an album, SA国际影视传媒渋tSA国际影视传媒檚 like us checking in on the world.SA国际影视传媒�

That was certainly the case when the group released their SA国际影视传媒淟ife AfterSA国际影视传媒� album in 2021.

SA国际影视传媒淭hat album came out after the pandemic and it reflected the tragedy and emotional pain that we all experienced during that time, but it also reflected the love and the hope that would allow us to go on.SA国际影视传媒�

Snotty Nose Rez Kids is now in their seventh year performing professionally, and although they are both now married with Metz expecting his first child, the duo still pursues a gruelling performance schedule.

SA国际影视传媒淲e do about 80 to 120 shows a year and weSA国际影视传媒檝e toured all over North America, and weSA国际影视传媒檝e toured the Netherlands, the U.K., Mexico, and Australia. Our next album actually has some big-name Australian artists as part of it, so weSA国际影视传媒檙e definitely branching out,SA国际影视传媒� said Nyce.

Metz added their music has changed as they gather more growth and maturity.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檇 never travelled outside B.C. before and now weSA国际影视传媒檝e been all over. But no matter where we go, we try to find the best of the situations and we grow and mature. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 like our education.SA国际影视传媒�

That education began, however, back on the SA国际影视传媒渞ez.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淲e definitely grew up at a young age,SA国际影视传媒� said Metz. SA国际影视传媒淎nd what inspired us most was family. I remember watching my mom taking the mike at a feast and how she was always confident and composed. Those moments shaped us as artists.SA国际影视传媒�

And being an Indigenous artist can be a challenge, to be sure.

SA国际影视传媒淚 think we probably had to work three times as hard to get as far as we have compared with the average white dude, but that struggle made us who we are,SA国际影视传媒� said Nyce. SA国际影视传媒淭he truth is that now is a good time to be an Indigenous artist, in part because of the work that weSA国际影视传媒檝e all put in before. Rez dogs roll in packs, and so do we.SA国际影视传媒�

Their background continues to inform their approach to music and may well be the secret to their success.

SA国际影视传媒淚 feel that what weSA国际影视传媒檝e always wanted to do is make music that makes us feel good. If it makes us feel good, then someone out there hearing it will feel good as well,SA国际影视传媒� said Metz. SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 like a modern-day medicine ceremony SA国际影视传媒� all good vibes. If itSA国际影视传媒檚 healing for us, then we know it will help others too.SA国际影视传媒�

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