Beatroute Magazine BC Print Edition December 2017

BPM
SNOTTY NOSE REZ KIDS
FLIPPING THE SCRIPT WITH WIT AND WORDPLAY
CHRIS DZAKA
Snotty Nose Rez Kids are sick of hearing
the grim narrative in the media about
suicide, drug abuse and substandard
housing among First Nations people.
The self proclaimed “Rez” kids have
honed their skills as hip-hop emcees to
create a new narrative that they’re eager
to share: First Nations kids are more
than statistics in the highway of tears or
Photo by Blaire Russell
Darren (Young D) Metz and Quinton “Yung Trybez” Nyce are SNRK.
suicide numbers. Aboriginal youth are
survivors and creators.
“Our goal is to be a voice of the
voices. There are so many things we’ve
been through and have to say but
haven’t necessarily been said,” says
Darren (Young D) Metz. “We have
to lead the next wave and the next
generation and keep on fighting.”
A rap duo hailing from Kitimat, BC
and part of the Haisla Nation, SNRK is
made up of childhood friends, Metz
and Quinton “Yung Trybez” Nyce. Fresh
off tour dates in Montreal and Toronto,
SNRK recount each coming from great
families who fostered tight relationships
with their community. Nyce smiles as
he reminisces, “As far as the Rez goes,
we had it great. We had the ocean in
the summer and 10-foot snow banks in
the winter.”
Though problems like deplorable
housing, substandard drinking water,
and drug and alcohol abuse are a part
of the environment many First Nations
youth face growing up, SNRK are
flipping the script, drawing attention
to issues such as these while radiating
positivity for the youth of today.
“We’re not just speaking for
ourselves, we’re speaking for our youth,”
says Nyce. “Whether they’re in a good
situation or a shitty situation. This is
why we do this, for our indigenous
youth.”
The duo may be young but they’ve
seen enough to know what is and
isn’t worth fighting for. Since their
inception, SNRK has released three
full-length albums this year alone and
have plans to drop another collection
of songs in the new year. Their songs
are a thoughtful mix of classic and
modern hip-hop inspired lyrical
content and beats, alongside traditional
First Nations singing, seasoned with
thought provoking interludes. Each
album illuminates issues facing their
community while underscoring the
lighthearted relationship with family,
friends and the Rez they love.
The group feels music can provide
some insight into their politics on
songs like “KKKanada” and “Savages”
off their latest record, The Average
Savage. Together, Metz and Nyce
attempt to stomp out stereotypes with
unapologetically truthful and positive
music as only they can deliver, via quick
witty word play.
“When we write music, we don’t
always try to focus on the negative,
we try to focus on the positive even if
there’s not a whole lot of positive in a
situation,” Metz says.
SNRK deliver timely and current
lyrics with beats that resemble a
nineties tip. But both men have
definitely created their own distinct
voice. Metz breaks it down like this,
“I was into 2pac and Biggie, then in
the 2000’s I was into southern rap.
Something about that accent got me.
Now it’s Wale and Kendrick Lamar. As
an artist you grow up liking certain
things and you develop your own style
from it. Nyce chimes in, “I’ve seen J
Cole a bunch of times. I really like his
music and Kendrick Lamar too. It’s a
great time to be an indigenous artist. A
lot of us indigenous people are able to
get into arts and don’t have to fall into
a nine-to-five. As (Indigenous) people
we are naturally artists. Our music is
indigenous rising music.”
SNRK have a new collaboration project
called Devil’s Club coming out in early
2018.
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December 2017