JSD - Rezmade

History Lesson

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This week, we will be reviewing song lyrics.

20 Years ago a young Native rapper by the name JSD released an album that would become an instant classic in the Native community called Rezmade.

The first song on that album was titled “ History Lesson.” As we reflect on the music two decades later, please read along with the lyrics and decide yourself, if it has withstood the test of time. Enjoy.

From the Rancherias to the Reservations

I spit this ill rhyme for all my relations,

See we facing,

This low population,

Count brought about,

By all this hating,

From termination,

Acts to just waiting,

Lost more Jines to relocation,

Assimilation is now at its worst,

Cause all these Europeans are learning from my verse,

How the government killed and raped and enslaved,

My whole entire race and had the guts to say,

That its God’s good will it filters throughout the years,

Cause your president Jackson brought the trail tears,

When he killed 4000 Natives on that walk,

And nowhere within did I see that chalk,

To outline the bodies of that homicide,

And then you dirty bastards wonder why I ride,

Why they giving high-fives for scalps Red Men,

Used to get paid money to murder us and then,

Turn in our hair for only seven,

Dollars but it bothered the Christian women,

To hear the term scalp so they changed it then,

From the scalp of the Indian to a Redskin,

And that’s where the term Redskin was made,

But now it’s just a team with games that’s being played,

Rezmade get paid every time a bets laid,

If they ever try to kill me then they would get slayed,

And then they would say how they tried to defeat me,

Coming up faulty like a US treaty,

How weaklings run the whole world is a shame,

Really makes me wanna try to jumpstart AIM,

You know American Indian Movement,

Bout to listen to all of my People’s two cents,

A nuisance just proving that we still alive,

So all of you little punks best go run and hide,

Or I and my guys just might have to send you a grave,

I thought I told your mufuckas that we REZMADE!

So, what are your thoughts? Is it good? Is it still relevant? Did you learn anything from this 20 year old’s 20 year old song? Let us know in the poll below.

As always, If you don’t know now you know, a Native!

1st Governor Ever to be

BANNED

from Every Tribe in a State

Article via USA Today Network

All nine South Dakota tribes have officially endorsed the banishment of Gov. Kristi Noem from their lands.

Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe’s executive council voted Tuesday in favor of banishing the South Dakota governor from their reservation after she made disparaging remarks earlier this year against Native American parents during a town hall in Mitchell, saying their children “have no hope.”

She has also continually pushed claims that Mexican drug cartels have a “presence” on South Dakota Indian reservations.

This has placed Flandreau Santee Sioux leaders under pressure from their citizenry to punish Noem for her comments.

Prior to the decision, Tyler Rambeau, executive administrative assistant of the FSST Homeowners Assistance Fund, told the Argus Leader Tribal citizens had urged council members to banish Noem.“A lot of us are really wondering why it’s even a question and why we’re holding off so long,” Rambeau said. “A lot of us are really uncomfortable and upset with that. 

Tribal members sporadically entered the tribe’s meeting chambers — open only to Flandreau Santee Sioux citizens — to catch what one attendee described as a “pretty heated discussion,” before popping outside for a smoke break amid a morning-long downpour.

An Argus Leader reporter caught executive council members David Ross and Jonathan Schrader Sr. during an afternoon recess. In very brief remarks, Ross and Schrader Sr. said the council remained undecided.

“We’ll know later,” Ross told the Argus Leader.

Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe is the last of the state’s Dakota, Lakota, and Nakota Tribal governments to endorse Noem’s banishment and the eighth to make it official.

“We need to stand in solidarity with our fellow tribes in South Dakota, the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ,” Rambeau said. “We do not want to come up on the wrong side of history in this moment.” 

The Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe released a statement on Monday recounting a May 19 meeting between Tribal leadership and Noem in Pierre that they characterized as “respectful and productive.”

The Tribe included a statement from Noem: “It was never my intent to cause offense by speaking truth to the real challenges that are being faced in some areas of Indian country. I want to focus on solutions that lead to safer communities for all our families, better educational outcomes for all our children, and declining addiction numbers for all of our people. It is my hope that the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe will give us the opportunity to partner together in a way that can be an example for all.”

Yankton Sioux Tribe’s Business and Claims Committee voted unanimously on May 10 to support Noem’s punishment. However, Courtney Sully, secretary of the Yankton Sioux, said the tribe’s general council has yet to adopt an official measure.

The governor initiated her cartel-tribal rhetoric on Jan. 31, when she held an emergency joint session during the state’s annual legislative session. In an 18-minute speech, Noem described to state lawmakers “the Texas-Mexico border” was under an “invasion” by migrants. She also alleged, “The cartels are using our reservations to facilitate the spread of drugs throughout the Midwest.”

Noem dialed up the rhetoric in March, when she suggested without evidence tribal leaders are “personally benefiting” from the cartels during a town hall event in Winner. She later called on the tribes to “banish the cartels” in an April press release.

On Friday, the second-term governor spent part of a 51-minute press conference in Pierre lamenting the seven prior banishment measures and continued to emphasize her claim that Mexican cartels are using South Dakota’s Indian lands as “safe havens” to distribute drugs in the state.

The Argus Leader reached out to Noem spokesman Ian Fury for comment. He pointed back to the governor’s remarks during her Friday press conference.

“Banishing me does absolutely nothing to solve this problem,” Noem told reporters Friday. “All it does is help those who are perpetuating horrible violence and crimes against the people of South Dakota.

Storme Webber - Alutiiq

Storme Webber, born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska, is a Seattle-based interdisciplinary artist, writer, and performer. With heritage of the Alutiiq people of Alaska and African American,  Webber's work is deeply rooted in exploring and honoring the intersections of Native and Black identities.

Webber's artistic journey began at a young age, finding solace and expression through poetry and visual art. Drawing inspiration from her diverse cultural heritage, she embarked on a path of creative exploration that would encompass a wide range of mediums, including poetry, painting, sculpture, and performance. 

A central theme in Webber's work is the exploration of memory, identity, and resilience. Through her art, she seeks to reclaim and celebrate the stories of her ancestors, paying homage to their struggles and triumphs while confronting the ongoing legacies of colonization and oppression.

In addition to her work as an artist, Webber is also a dedicated activist and community organizer. She uses her platform to advocate for social justice and to amplify the voices of marginalized communities, particularly Native and Black queer and trans individuals.

Webber's impact extends beyond the realm of art and activism. She is also a respected educator and mentor, sharing her knowledge and expertise with aspiring artists and activists through workshops, lectures, and community events.

Throughout her career, Webber's work has been recognized for its innovation, beauty, and profound emotional resonance. She has received numerous awards and honors for her contributions to the arts, including the James W. Ray Venture Project Award and the Artist Trust Fellowship.

As Storme Webber continues to push boundaries and challenge conventions through her art and activism, her legacy serves as a reminder of the transformative power of creativity, resilience, and community in the pursuit of justice and liberation.

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