The Halluci Nation facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Halluci Nation
The group in 2018, performing at the Commodore in Vancouver, Canada
Background information
Also known as	A Tribe Called Red (2007–2021)
Origin	Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Genres	Dance, First Nations music, ethnotronica
Years active	2007 (2007)–present
Members	Tim "2oolman" Hill Ehren "Bear Witness" Thomas
Past members	Ian "DJ NDN" Campeau Dan "DJ Shub" General

The Halluci Nation, once known as A Tribe Called Red, is a Canadian electronic music group. They mix instrumental hip hop, reggae, moombahton, and dubstep dance music. They also add sounds from First Nations music, like vocal chanting and drumming.

The group is based in Ottawa, Ontario. Its members are Tim "2oolman" Hill (from the Mohawk Nation) and Ehren "Bear Witness" Thomas (from the Cayuga Nation).

Past members include DJ Jon Deck and Dan "DJ Shub" General. DJ Shub left in 2014 for personal reasons and Tim Hill joined. Ian "DJ NDN" Campeau left in 2017 for health reasons. The group decided to continue as a duo.

Their old name, A Tribe Called Red, was a tribute to the hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest. That group also made songs about social issues.

The group's music is sometimes called "powwow-step." This style mixes modern powwow music with dance club sounds. It became popular as a way to describe the band's unique style.

How the Group Started

The idea for the group came from DJ NDN (Ian Campeau). He was a nightclub bouncer who became a DJ. He saw parties for Korean and South Asian youth in Ottawa. He wanted to create a similar event for Indigenous youth.

He talked about the idea with his friend, Bear Witness (Thomas Ehren Ramon), and another DJ, Dee Jay Frame (Jon Limoges). In 2007, they started their first night at Ottawa's Babylon nightclub. They called it Electric Pow Wow.

The parties were very popular. The DJs then held the event on the second weekend of every month. This continued until December 2017. They played traditional powwow recordings mixed with electronic music. They used styles like dubstep, moombahton, and dancehall.

Bear Witness explained that they started the group to throw parties for their community. He also said their music had a political meaning. He felt that taking over a club space and making it Indigenous was a strong political act.

Their Music Journey

The band first released many songs online. They also performed at various dance and Indigenous events. In 2012, they released their first album, which was free to download online. This album was considered for the 2012 Polaris Music Prize.

In December 2012, they released the song "The Road" on SoundCloud. This song quickly got over 50,000 plays in five months. It has a structure with "drops" and "trap beats." These sounds come from Jamaican sound systems and dirty south hip-hop.

Their second album, Nation II Nation, came out in 2013. It was also considered for the 2013 Polaris Music Prize. It even made it to the final list of 10 albums. The band won several awards for this album at the 2013 Indigenous Music Awards.

The band has traveled and performed a lot. They have played across Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Greece. Their music has been played on many radio stations, including CBC Radio and BBC Radio 6 Music.

In 2014, they were nominated for two Juno Awards. They won the award for Breakthrough Group of the Year. They chose not to be considered for the Indigenous Album of the Year award.

The Halluci Nation has worked with other artists too. They made a song with Das Racist called "Indians From All Directions." They also worked on a song for Angel Haze's album.

In 2014, they released "Burn Your Village to the Ground." This was a protest song about the complicated relationship Indigenous people have with colonialism and Thanksgiving.

In 2015, they released an EP called Suplex, which was about pro-wrestling. They also remixed a song by Buffy Sainte-Marie. They won Best Music Video at the Native American Music Awards in 2015.

Their third album, We Are the Halluci Nation, came out in September 2016. It featured many guest artists like Narcy, Yasiin Bey, Lido Pimienta, Shad, Tanya Tagaq, Joseph Boyden, and Black Bear.

The group won the Jack Richardson Producer of the Year Award at the Juno Awards of 2017. They also won Group of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2018. In April 2018, they performed at a TED talk.

After their 2016 album, they released new songs in 2019. These included a remix of Keith Secola's "NDN Kars" and their first new original song, "The OG'." They also released "Ba Na Na" and "Tanokumbia."

In 2020, A Tribe Called Red released "Land Back." This song supported the Wetʼsuwetʼen First Nations who were against a pipeline project. The song was free and meant to help those working for Indigenous land rights.

On April 5, 2021, the group officially changed their name to The Halluci Nation.

What is Powwow-step?

Powwow-step is a term the band uses to describe their music. It mixes First Nations pow wow music with electronic music styles. The name comes from "pow wow" and "dubstep." Ian Campeau said that they simply matched up two types of dance music.

Music in Film and TV

The band was featured in a 2017 music documentary called When They Awake.

In 2020, their song "Electric Pow Wow Drum" was used in the trailer and soundtrack for the TV show The Good Lord Bird. Also in 2020, their song "Sisters" was in the third season of the Netflix series Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts.

The Halluci Nation also helped create music for the sitcom Rutherford Falls. This show is about relationships between a town and a fictional Native American tribe.

Their Activism

The band's activism started from the very beginning. Bear Witness and Ian Campeau noticed that Ottawa had dance nights for many cultures, but not for Indigenous people. So, starting the "Electric Pow Wows" was more than just fun. It was a way to show their Indigenous culture in cities where it had often been ignored.

They have strongly supported Idle No More. This was a peaceful movement that started in 2012. It protested a government bill that many Indigenous people felt threatened their land and rights.

In 2013, they asked non-Indigenous fans not to wear headdresses or war paint to their shows. This was to prevent cultural appropriation. Also, Ian Campeau filed a human rights complaint against a football club using a disrespectful name. Their song "The Road" also became an anthem for the Idle No More movement. It supported Indigenous people reclaiming their land.

In 2014, the band refused to perform at the opening of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. They were concerned about how the museum showed Indigenous human rights issues.

The group also uses their music itself as a form of activism. Bear Witness said that sampling powwow music and bringing it into clubs was pushing boundaries. They use music to teach people and promote respect for First Nations cultures. They also fight against stereotypes.

Bear Witness said that the conversation about how Indigenous people are shown hasn't changed much. But the band is hopeful for the future. He believes that when people feel the music, they understand the feelings behind the Idle No More movement and Indigenous rights.

In 2020, the band released "Land Back." This song supported the Wetʼsuwetʼen First Nations who were against a pipeline project. The song was free and meant to help those involved in the 2020 Canadian pipeline and railway protests.

Main Albums

A Tribe Called Red (2012) This first album was nominated for the 2012 Polaris Music Prize. It was also named one of the top 10 albums of the year by The Washington Post. After this album, the group toured across North America and Europe.

Nation II Nation (2013) This second album was also nominated for a Polaris Prize. It had a political message about Indigenous rights and cultural appropriation. The album's name has two meanings. First, the band members come from different Indigenous communities. Second, it refers to the relationship between settler nations and First Nations.

We Are the Halluci Nation (2016) The third album came out in September 2016. It starts with the voice of John Trudell, a Native American activist and poet. With this album, the group wanted to celebrate modern Indigenous culture.

One More Saturday Night (2021) The band, now called The Halluci Nation, released their fourth album in July 2021. They worked with artists like Black Bear, John Trudell, and Northern Voice on this album.

Awards and Nominations

Images for kids

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  The group performing in Vancouver.