Presumably in solidarity with Standing Rock reservation, the North Dakotan site of an ongoing protest against the Dakota Access Pipeline, Native American MC and actor Litefoot has rereleased his 1993 single, “Native Tongue,” which is described as the “first conscious Native American Hip Hop song ever recorded.” Lyrically, the track represents the Native American struggle over a hard-hitting blend of tribal drums (oh—and it’s dope).
Born Gary Paul Davis, Litefoot is of Cherokee and of Chichimeca decent. He’s released 14 albums, appeared in several films, including 1995’s The Indian in the Cupboard and 1997’s Mortal Kombat: Annihilation and won numerous Native American Music Awards. Since 2005, Litefoot has also hosted and produced his own nationally-distributed Hip Hop and R&B radio show, Reach The Rez Radio, which broadcasts weekly through Native Voice One Satellite Network.
In addition, every year he spends months of his time working on various reservations across the United States and Canada. His most recent music and speaking tour was the Reach The Rez Tour, which lasted one year, and covered 54,000 miles and 211 events across the United States. Listen to the single above.
