By Isabella Lopes
Meet Snotty Nose Rez Kids (SNRK): the duo of Haisla rappers who express their Indigenous experience through hip hop
Photo courtesy snottynoserezkids via Instagram
Darren “Young D” Metz and Quinton “Yung Trybez” Nyce are Indigenous rappers from Kitimat, B.C. The duo grew up on a reserve near a predominantly white town and bonded over music, writing, and the similar challenges they faced growing up.
In 2016, they sought refuge in hip hop and began making music about the unwelcoming world to Indigenous peoples. This month, they will be headlining at the nearly sold-out Fireside Festival in Kelowna, B.C.
In 2017, SNRK released two albums, a self-titled debut album in January, followed by The Average Savage in September. They started gaining public attention after their single “Skoden” — a phrase used in Indigenous communities meaning “Let’s go then” — made CBC’s list of 2017’s top 100 songs.
The song focuses on Justin Trudeau’s approval of the Trans Mountain Pipeline. Lyrics in the song include, “Put a fist in the sky for the Sioux Tribe. Middle fingers up to the pipelines.”
Video courtesy Snotty Nose Rez Kids on YouTube
Their album The Average Savage was then shortlisted for the 2018 Polaris Music Prize and for the 2019 Juno Award for Indigenous Music Album of the Year.
SNRK aren’t the only Indigenous artists on the rise, which is evident in Juno nominations. There have been several Indigenous nominees and winners outside of the Indigenous music category.
In 2018, A Tribe Called Red, an electronic music band composed of Indigenous peoples and based out of Ottawa, won the Juno for Group of the Year. Buffy Sainte-Marie, an Indigenous singer-songwriter from Saskatchewan, won the Juno for Contemporary Roots Album of the Year in 2016.
Within hip hop, artists like Frank Waln, JB The First Lady, Mic Jordan, DJ Shub, and SNRK, have earned thousands of streams on Youtube, Spotify and Apple Music.
SNRK’s most recent album, TRAPLINE, dropped last spring and has been streamed over 3-million times. The album kept on the Earshot Top 10 Hip-Hop charts for over 20 weeks and was shortlisted for the 2019 Polaris Prize, making them one of three artists to ever be shortlisted in back-to-back years.
Video courtesy Snotty Nose Rez Kids via YouTube
A statement on SNRK’s website says they are spending a lot of time in the studio this year to create new music.
The duo will be playing this weekend at Lot42 in Kitchener, Ont.
