DJ Kookum's Indigenous Day Eve

Indigenous Artists for this Event!

• Dakota Bear

  Dakota Bear

  DAKOTA BEAR IS a Saskatoon-born, Vancouver-based Indigenous hip-hop artist and activist. His melodic rhymes carry stories of Indigenous peoples across Canada leaving listeners enlightened, inspired, and instant fans of his music and message. His performances range from audiences of 30,000 (Global Climate Strike with Greta Thunberg, Vancouver, October 2019) to inspirational performances for youth in remote communities in Northern Canada. His work with Idle No More, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirited Peoples and the Global Climate Strike movement has intertwined his music with international social-justice movements and connected him with fans across the country. He’s shared stages with legendary greats like Bone Thugs n Harmony, Redman & Methodman, TechN9ne and more. His music has been shared by Noisey, Exclaim!, Hip Hop Canada, Digital Drum and numerous grassroots-news outlets, while his online videos have collectively amassed more than 1 million views. His quest for love, justice and peace is unwavering, with his melodic rhymes and iconic beats carrying his message to the masses and beyond.

• Dem Rosé Boys

  Dem Rosé Boys

• DJ Kookum

  DJ Kookum

  [Alexis Nakota Sioux]

  Kookum is an Indigenous DJ and videographer from the Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation, and Cold Lake First Nations, their maternal Denesuline traditional territory. Based out of Vancouver BC, Kookum has been making a name for their self across the country and is no stranger in the community.

  Kookum is an open format DJ but grew up listing to EDM and Hip Hop music. This diverse mix diva slays on the decks and always keeps it hype, fresh, and unpredictable.

  [Alexis Nakota Sioux]

• MzShellz

  MzShellz

  [Cree]

  Michelle Lee Runns AKA MzShellz is an emerging Cree Hip Hop artist and owner of “Native by Nature” Apparel hailing from Regina, Saskatchewan. Since relocating to British Columbia, the mother of 4 has been rocking stages from Vancouver all the way to Albuquerque, NM. MzShellz has taken her new platform through her music to send messages of strength to the Youth and seeks to empower Women & girls around the world to know that anything is possible if you truly believe in yourself. She hopes to further these goals with her next album, “Boss Lady”, currently in progress.

  [Cree]

• Sekawnee

  Sekawnee

  [Squamish/Tla'amin/Kwakwaka’wakw/Musgamagw/Dzawada'enuxw/Tɫingit/Xaayda

  SEKAWNEE is one of Canada’s newest rising artists on the west coast. Emerging out of Vancouver, BC. The 23 year old songwriter and producer has been dropping records that perk the ears of the industry. This Afro-Indigenous artist, producer and engineer comes from the Squamish, Tla’amin, Kwakwaka’wakw/Musgamagw Dzawada’enuxw, Tɫingit, and Xaayda Nations. He also has dual citizenship with the United States.

  He has spent years focusing on his talents as an artist and music producer perfecting his craft in order to produce his own records as well as producing for some of the best rising talents in the Vancouver area. His music reflects his life and personality with every song. He brings a new energy to the industry with his sonically captivating productions and smirky yet energizing lyrics that will keep you coming back for more. Whether he’s singing, rapping or producing Sekawnee strives to have no limitations on his craft as a musician.

  Growing up Sekawnee was introduced to a wide variety of music from his parents. His mother played a lot of 80s, 90s hip-hop and R&B with her favourite artists being Michael Jackson and Prince.
  His father played a lot of 2000’s and 90’s hiphop as well as alternative rock, punk, medal, rock n’ roll with some of his favourite artist being Rage Against the Machine, Jimi Hendrix, and DMX. As Sekawnee grew older he started developing his own taste in music. he began getting into the Electronic Dance Music listening to a lot of EDM based producers Like David Guetta, Calvin Harris, Flume and Deadmau5. Once Sekawnee had a good understanding of the production in Electronic Dance Music his focus shifted into Hip-Hop Favouring producers such as Dr Dre, Pharrell Williams, Kanye West, Travis Scott, Metro Boomin and Southside from 808 mafia. Sekawnee talks about a time when he didn’t have a laptop to perfect and practice his music. “I told myself I was going to get a laptop and start producing music one day, It was just something in my heart that I felt like I needed to do.”

  [Squamish/Tla'amin/Kwakwaka’wakw/Musgamagw/Dzawada'enuxw/Tɫingit/Xaayda