War Party (band)

War Party is a Cree hip-hop group from Maskwacis, Alberta.[1] Its founding members are Rex Smallboy and Ryan Small. The members are ex-wife Cynthia, Karmen "Hellnback" Omeasoo, Bryan Omeosoo and Tom Crier.[2] The band's music combines rap rhythms with aboriginal themes and stories.[3]

War Party
OriginHobbema, Alberta, Canada
GenresCanadian hip hop
First Nations music
Years active1995 — 2004
MembersRex Smallboy
Hellnback
Big Stomp

History

War Party was founded in 1995 by Rex Smallboy and Ryan Small. Three others later became involved.[4] The group won the Canadian Aboriginal Music Award for Best Rap Album in 2001, and was nominated again in 2002 and 2003.[5][6] As well, they were the first First Nations rap group to have a music video aired on Much Music.

War Party performed and recorded together for twelve years.[7] The group then disbanded; Hellnback and Big Stomp of the group went on to form RezOfficial.

The band's song "This Land Was Ours" is featured in Ari Gold's 2008 film Adventures of Power.

Discography
  • The Reign (2000)
  • The Greatest Natives from the North (2003)
  • Exclusive Rez Cuts (2002)
  • The Resistance (20??)

References
  1. "So You Wanna Be a Rap Superstar?". Memewar Magazine, Issue 8, page 68. by Thor Polukoshko
  2. "Aboriginal youth turning to hip hop". Brandon Sun, via Newspaper Archives. November 27, 2002 - Page 7
  3. "Rap goes native". Medicine Hat News, via Newspaper Archives May 09, 1997 - Page 3
  4. "Hip Hop to the Bop Rez Style". The Nation, August 24, 2001 • By Brian Brousseau
  5. "Indigenous trailblazers who helped shape the Canadian music scene". Canadian Beats, By B Hartling on July 1, 2017
  6. "Aboriginal Music Awards launch festival". Medicine Hat News, via Newspaper Archives. November 30, 2002 - Page 19
  7. John W. Troutman (14 June 2013). Indian Blues: American Indians and the Politics of Music, 1879–1934. University of Oklahoma Press. pp. 253–. ISBN 978-0-8061-5002-4.
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