Artists from Eeyou Istchee nominated for International Indigenous Hip Hop Awards [Video]

Some Cree, Moose Cree, and Naskapi artists from Quebec and Ontario are nominated for International Indigenous Hip Hop Awards this year.

Though it’s not clear now when the awards show will happen — it was scheduled to happen this week in Toronto but has now been postponed for a second time, to 2025.

Still, artists from northern Ontario and Quebec say it’s a big deal to be nominated.

“Back when I started, there weren’t any Native award shows. To make it on award shows, you kind of had to appeal to everybody, not just Natives, you know?” said Chris Sutherland, also known as Shibastik, who’s been making music for over 25 years. 

Shibastik means “underground flow,” a name he chose that reflected being an underground artist from the North. He is from the Moose Cree First Nation in Ontario. 

“I got an e-mail saying that I was nominated. So I …