REDDNATION on the track to stardom

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There's no stopping hiphop group REDDNATION (RN), or powwow group Northern Cree, as they continue to make waves in the music industry.

Northern Cree has been nominated for a third time to receive a Grammy Award in Hollywood next month, while RN has already picked up awards here in Canada.

RN group members ILL LOGIKAL, MADJIKAL, PHENOM and ANASAZ attended the Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards Nov. 2 in Winnipeg to collect their award for "Best Rap or Hiphop Album" for their second album Now or Never. Three weeks later, RN was in Toronto to pick-up their award for "Best Rap or Hiphop Album" from the Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards.

Keith Laboucan, also known as MADJIKAL, wasn't really surprised with the wins but more by the three nominations at the Winnipeg awards. Ian Russell (PHENOM), on the other hand, wasn't really surprised by the nominations, insisting the group's confidence, more than anything, made the wins evident "because we knew it was a pretty strong album.

"The competition was really good too, so I was kind of surprised we won but at the same time we had confidence behind it," said PHENOM. "We didn't go there to lose it, we were out there hoping to win and we did what we came to do."

RN has become what it is today because of the drive Darren Brule had in 2000 to create a hiphop group. Brule is known better as ILL LOGIKAL from RN. He also founded Redd Rocc Records, an independent label that is now backing other Native artists.

MADJIKAL strongly believes that it won't be too long until they hit mainstream, especially with the Now or Never album, "because it's so spread out."

"It's different and I like it because it's not the same. We don't sound like any other Native rap group," said MADJIKAL, a seasonal oil and gas tradesman when he's not making music. "I think that's part of the formula that we wanted to bring since we formed and Ian joined up in 2004; the same with ANASAZ. Everyone put together their best when we made Now or Never; it's what we had to offer in our best production ? best lyrics and feel good attitude. It's only going to get better because we're still honing our craft."

The group wanted to see for themselves how people were responding to RN's beats, so they traveled to their hometown clubs and were pleased with the reaction from the packed dance floor and feedback from bystanders.

"We did a test product at many dances," said MADJIKAL. "We would sneak in and say hi to old friends. People would say, 'Wow! This is good; we would then tell them 'that's us'."

RN's debut album, Unstoppable was about the issues and problems that Native youth are faced with. However, with their second album it's more mainstream and not strapped with hard-hitting messages.

According to MADJIKAL, when creating the first album, they would record songs and randomly put them on the album, but now, they are picking and choosing.

"If it doesn't sound good to me then it won't sound good to anyone else, that's the way I see it," said MADJIKAL. "When we go into the studio and we don't like something ? if someone's verse comes off as not hitting the mark, we'll say we need to change this line or we have to do away with that chorus. We're all honing each other's craft at the same time."

With every band or musician trying to get out their own unique but memorable sound, PHENOM admits that there are struggles along the way. He says that RN has been trying to step away from being referred to as a Native hiphop group. "We want to have commercial success without losing our Native roots."

"People will look at us and say, 'Oh, you're RN. That's a Native hiphop group.' We hated them saying that specifically because, as proud as we are of our heritage, we just want to be know as a hiphop group where everyone will listen to us and get the messages from Native rappers, but at the same time enjoy (our music) as non-Native people listening to it, too," said PHENOM.

"There's a lot of barriers we come (against) bein Native, but that's what we're trying to break down. Let people who buy the music decide for themselves."

Sweetgrass asked MADJIKAL who RN would like to record with, and without hesitation he answered 'Kardinal Offishal.'

"He's such a versatile MC," said MADJIKAL. "He's the unofficial king of hiphop in Canada. He's pretty much like what Jay Z is to New York. He is the Canadian face of hiphop, that's the way I see it."

RN is currently in the early stages of recording their third album, which could quite possibly be done by May.

"If we could work on it like we did Now or Never, and we put the same effort into it, then we should have it done in the spring," said MADJIKAL.

Perhaps RN can take notes from Northern Cree's success. The 15-member band, from Alberta and Saskatchewan communities, is up for a third Grammy nomination. The Grammy's will be held in Hollywood, Feb.11.

Their recent album, Long Winter Nights, has been nominated for best native American music album. In 2003, they received a nomination for Rockin' the Rex and in 2002, they received a Grammy nomination for their album, Still Rezin'.