By: Ana Staskevich, Staff Writer
Snotty Nose Rez Kids, composed of Darren “Young D” Metz and Quinton “Yung Trybez” Nyce, are a Haisla hip hop/rap duo currently based in Vancouver. They recently released their third studio album, Trapline, on May 10, in time for their Trapline Tour starting in the Netherlands and crossing through Canada.
Having risen in popularity all across Canada after the debut of their 2017 album The Average Savage and subsequent tours, the two have established a name for themselves by highlighting issues of racism and marginalization in their music, where they centre Indigeneity. Snotty Nose Rez Kids are known for their lyricism and catchy beats, and the pop culture references in their songs tie up their self-image as artists.
Trapline is an overall strong album, with a focus on lyrical structure in songs such as “Creator Made An Animal.” The lines “500 years my people been humble / 500 years we dealt with the struggle / 500 more years for all of the my youngins / For 500 years we been drumming and drumming” speaks not only to the impact of ongoing colonialism on Indigenous peoples, but also, more importantly, of Indigenous resistance and resilience.
Tracks such as “Mama’o Su’Ames” are part of The Skits in Trapline, which are all delivered in the Haisla language and are performed quite differently than the rest of the songs. They give us a better glimpse of the cultural values that are embedded in the album.
Finally, one of the more jarring and creative tracks on the album is “I Can’t Remember my Name,” which is my favourite of mine after “Boujee Natives.” It offers us an upbeat track that transitions into a harder rhythm, and it emphasizes keeping true to one’s Indigeneity despite society’s attempts to stifle it.
Trapline is an amazing follow-up to Snotty Nose Rez Kids’ previous work, and delivers to us energetic and refreshing pieces that tackle Indigenous generational livelihoods and the importance of empowering First Nations identities. You can catch them live on their tour on May 30 at Fortune Sound Club.
