Naskapi brothers and Cree cousin pursuing hip-hop dream
The Naskapi rap group Violent Ground started off as a dream in a basement. The brothers who formed the group, Allan Nabiniacaboo (Lyrik) and Chris Nabinacaboo (N9ne Livez), remember hanging out at their mom’s house at the Kawawachikamach First Nation (northeast of Schefferville) with their cousin, Steve Einish, listening to old-school hip-hop and talking about making a big splash in rap some day. Flash-forward 16 years and they’re starting to make some waves.
Though the brothers have a 2014 debut album under their belts, the three – Allan, Chris and Einish – recently formed a Montreal-based production company called 91 Base – in honour of the aforementioned basement.
Chris is a recent graduate of Recording Arts Canada’s Sound & Music Recording program, the same one Allan is currently in the process of completing. Since graduating, Chris has joined Einish, who is the group’s new manager, in the Music Business Administration program at the Trebas Institute.
The intention behind forming the production company is to first record a new Violent Ground album, and then move on to producing and recording Indigenous artists from all musical genres. “There’s a lot of hidden talent on the reserves,” said Chris. “Now that I’ve learned the technical side, I’m interested in creating a music business and brand.”
Allan plans on studying film production once he graduates. “We want to be able to cover all the bases of the music business,” he added.
But the ability to simply continue his education is a blessing as far as Allan’s concerned. A freak balcony collapse in December 2015 claimed the lives of two of Allan’s friends and left him in critical condition in a Montreal hospital.
“Me and my boys were just chilling, having a cigarette on the balcony. When it caved in we fell about 50 feet,” Allan told the Nation. “I was the only one who walked away. I’ve been trying to cope with that whole experience through music ever since.”
The accident was a sobering realization for both Allan and Chris – literally. Since the accident the two have given up drinking. “After the accident I went straight to the books,” said Allan. “And we realized, if we’re always drinking before performances, we’re not going to make it in this industry. We’ll just end up partying.”
“Usually when you’re on stage half cut, you don’t feel anxious or scared,” added Chris, describing the numbness he used to feel before performing. “Performing sober, I feel anxious. My nerves, they’re shot but it’s all about using that emotion to elevate the show.”
Their first performance after Allan’s accident won them free studio time at the Recording Arts Canada Showcase. On May 11 the Nation was on hand to witness Violent Ground at the underground hip-hop venue, Bar Backstage. They didn’t disappoint. The group’s self-described old-school flows mixed with new-school beats brought this journalist back to his rap-obsessed teen years.
Their lyrics are steeped in politics, and their beats sampled Innu folk-rock duo Kashtin. Chris’ style is reminiscent of Chicago rapper Twista’s rapid-fire delivery, while Allan’s tonality and flow evoked memories of Eminem’s The Marshal Mathers LP.
After their performance at Bar Backstage the headliner Zoticc got up on stage and gave Violent Ground props before his set. “Them boys got some bars,” he exclaimed.
The group has two upcoming shows: on June 8 they’ll be back at Bar Backstage, and then in August they’ll be performing at the Under Pressure festival.
Before signing off, the group wanted to give a big shout out to their former manager, Dave Gardiner, who helped get their name out there and their development as artists in the early years.
For Violent Ground, their summer will be spent in the city, working on their stage-presence and recording new material. And while they know this is just the beginning they feel confident they’re on the right path.
“It was just a dream, something we talked about in my mom’s basement,” said Chris. “Now we’re here going after that dream.”