Does your music still have a focus on life on the reservation?

I think to an extent my music will always have that as a focus, or least it will always be from that point of view. I can’t change and would never want to change who I am and where I’m from, but a lot of my music now is of a more universal nature. I’m still Native and I’m still proud of it.

Are rap and hip hop still important art forms in the indigenous community? As you approach your 30s, are you still in touch with young people on reservations, including your own?

I think hip hop is becoming more and more a part of native communities, mine as well as others. I think it is because the content that comes from native rappers is so real, raw and fresh and new to the outside world. It’s such a great outlet for our youth, that it is growing rapidly as an expressive art form and a way to share personal stories with hip hop fans abroad. We’ve never really had a native artist crossover on a huge mainstream level, at least one who is speaking of our struggles and place in the world.