Northern rapper and artist Dylan Jones, aka Crook the Kid, is bringing his new album to NACC on Friday.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 from a small community close to the Arctic Circle on the side of the Mackenzie River called Fort Good Hope or Radilih Koe by its traditional name, meaning SA国际影视传媒榩lace by the rapids,SA国际影视传媒橲A国际影视传媒� said Jones.

He first got into music by playing guitar.

SA国际影视传媒淎 guy named Kenny Shae initially taught me the first things I ever knew about music,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Many people in the 500-strong, fly-in community identified with rap and hip-hop music growing up, including Jones.

SA国际影视传媒淏ecause of the isolation, because some of the socio-economic issues and the general strifes that we share as a community, hip-hop music really resonates among young people there,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

His new album Locals Only is inspired by his life in the Sahtu and the hardships that came with it. But he also touches on the natural beauty of his home and Metis culture.

SA国际影视传媒淚 come from a small community full of people who never really had s*** so I represent them specifically,SA国际影视传媒� said Jones.  SA国际影视传媒淎nd like I said, speak on behalf of those who are my support system and then I try to be that for them. But I also do pursue education as proof that you can take another avenue out of the hood and you can go out and learn something, you can get a normal job, you can get something for yourself. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 not so far-fetched that it canSA国际影视传媒檛 happen.SA国际影视传媒�

ItSA国际影视传媒檚 different for generations now, but when he was growing up in Fort Good Hope, he said there was nothing for youth.

SA国际影视传媒淭here was no reason to expect you were going to leave those same exact dirt roads,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Like many others in his generation, Jones said he began needing an outlet.

SA国际影视传媒淪o for whatever reason, instead of internalizing my story and probably f***ing killing myself with it, I decided to turn it into something,SA国际影视传媒� said Jones.

That something happened to be rap music, which Jones used to bring his story and his home to a larger audience. He just returned from music festival in Ottawa which celebrates emerging artists and connects them with industry professionals.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 actually not even allowed to tell you what ISA国际影视传媒檝e been booked for, but insane things,SA国际影视传媒� said Jones. SA国际影视传媒淚 can tell you that little me from Fort Good Hope is now booked for some of the largest things this country offers, as well as a couple other countries.SA国际影视传媒�

Northern artists have one of the only original stories left in this country and need to be able to compete with artists from the south, he said. A good place to start would be creating a booking agency specifically for Northern artists to even the playing field and help remove some of the economic barriers they face.

SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 two separate Canadas in this country that most people are just starting to realize,SA国际影视传媒� said Jones.

SA国际影视传媒淭he first Canada is where I just flew in from, Ottawa. The second Canada is where ISA国际影视传媒檓 from, which is a third-world country by every single definition.SA国际影视传媒�

Many southerners experience culture shock when they first move North. But Yellowknife is just the tip of that iceberg, said Jones.

SA国际影视传媒淭he only reason you can start seeing that third-world presence in Yellowknife is because thereSA国际影视传媒檚 a lot of people from other communities that left having no f***ing clue, no back-up, no nothing,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

SA国际影视传媒淸They] just knew they couldnSA国际影视传媒檛 stay in a s*** hole place where their housing unit isnSA国际影视传媒檛 a viable place to live. ThereSA国际影视传媒檚 no f***ing jobs to be had, so what are you going to do? Are you going to join the statistics of suicide that we have so high up in our North? Some people leave and they get thinking that SA国际影视传媒榦h the city will be friendly,SA国际影视传媒� but you just have no understanding of what youSA国际影视传媒檙e going to find down there. Up in the Arctic communities, it is truly third-world. Here we touch on it, but itSA国际影视传媒檚 only because Yellowknife interacts with the arctic communities, itSA国际影视传媒檚 not because of Yellowknife itself. Yellowknife is a golden, conglomerated area, itSA国际影视传媒檚 diamonds and government s***, right, this is the f***ing  Northwest Territories Kremlin town. So Yellowknife is not who ISA国际影视传媒檓 trying to save. ISA国际影视传媒檓 trying to help a group of people who want a life and are not just getting a chance, but you donSA国际影视传媒檛 have a f***ing option, you donSA国际影视传媒檛 get one. And thereSA国际影视传媒檚 no help unless you do stuff like this.SA国际影视传媒�

Art is arguably one of the last outlets to truly reach people and affect meaningful change, said Jones.

SA国际影视传媒淚t doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 fall victim to standards and industry,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

SA国际影视传媒淎rt is however you say it is, as the creator of it. You can still make real art. Perhaps you canSA国际影视传媒檛 draft a f***ing bill change request to the government but you can make something that speaks so heavily about your message or where youSA国际影视传媒檙e from, that it causes someone who does change bills and who does have interactions with the prominent, that it will change their mind and get them on your team. SA国际影视传媒�

Crook the Kid will perform at on Friday, February 22.

The show will be different from other NACC shows. Seating is optional and the audience is encouraged to get close to the stage and dance to the music.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for seniors and students.