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Music

Rapper Joey Stylez And Factor Chandelier Pay Homage to Celebrated Cree Elder on "2 The Dopeman"

The new track features the late Frank Asapace, Stylez’ uncle, and tackles the issue of colonialism.

Photo provided by artist A Western Canadian indigenous rapper pays honour to a deceased elder by preserving his voice in a new recording. Joey Stylez released the song "2 the Dopeman," produced by Factor Chandelier, which features the singing of Frank Asapace, a late Saskatchewan Plains Cree elder, activist and champion, and traditional powwow dancer. The song was recorded ten months before Asapace's death, and deals with issues of addictions and poverty in First Nations communities stemming from colonial destruction. In a previous interview with Stylez, he talked about residential schools and his own past demons at home and in the streets. "2 the Dopeman" is a testament to his continued journey to speak on those issues.

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While the title and opening lyrics of "2 the Dopeman" may lead listeners to expect a song glamorizing drug culture and violence, the narrative is quite different. It discusses what drives people to self destruction. The interplay between Stylez' lyrics and Asapace's singing contrasts modern First Nations struggles with the effort to preserve spirituality. "This world's so sick," Stylez mourns on the chorus. Listen to "2 the Dopeman" and read our interview with Joey Stylez and Factor Chandelier below:

Noisey: What inspired you to write "2 the Dopeman," Joey?
Joey Stylez: At the time, I was at my house with my uncle Frank, my dad and a few friends and we were swapping stories, talking about the old ways. I was visiting from Toronto. Me and [Factor] had been trying to work together for a couple years. I called him up. I told him I was with my uncle Frank if we could come by. He said yes. Next thing you know we were in the studio.

We were working on the song. Factor can whip something up really fast on the spot, and I feel I'm the same type of artist. We were manifesting this song out of thin air, and I realized we got the world champion powwow dancer and a powwow singer, let's get him on the song. Factor said yeah. Most people sample powwow singing, but this is unique because we did the song and got him to sing overtop of it.

Factor, what kinds of considerations do you make when you work with an artist like Frank?Factor Chandelier: For every different collab if we're all in the same room because we can all be on same vibe when we're working. Me and Joey have had a lot of interactions before we laid down a song, just me and him … It all came together. It was great. [Working with Frank] was very cool. He was quiet when we were working on the beat and started getting more into it. And then Joey had the idea to get him in and I didn't know much of the history behind him. I just met him. He brought a whole other energy to chorus.

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Joey, why was your uncle such an important figure in your life?
Joey: He was an elder—what you might call a holy man. He lived by the ceremonies, like how priests would have have different rites. I got to learn a lot of what we call creations stories, which are very strong for us and give us identity. Plus, he has a bunch of championship rings and gold rings in traditional dance. Over and over again, he won. He was powerful in that aspect. He wa also in Michael Jackson's "Black or White" video. It was cool to have him in the [forthcoming] music video and sing overtop of the music I know, to bring that tribal feel to the streets.

Frank wasn't just a dancer, was he? I'm thinking of the work he did supporting Dakota Access Pipeline water protectors. Did that influence bleed through in this track?
Joey: There is always that influence. My music often deals with protecting mother earth. Frank advised big politicians like Perry Bellegarde, the current chief of [Assembly of First Nations] Canada. They were brothers through the holy way. I believe they may have sun danced together, from what [my uncle] told me. He was a great man. He left a legacy.

Factor, did you get to learn about any of this?
Factor: Yeah, I got to know when we linked up in the studio. There was a presence in the room and he was a great guy. Hanging out with Joey, I learned more about him and found out things about his past. It was inspiring.
Joey: He was one of us though. Even though he was an older guy, we didn't feel that. The young guys get him.
Factor: Yeah, he was really cool. He was having fun and vibing with us.

Factor, as a west coast producer and considering the grimey, scrappy feel to hip-hop out here, does that attitude play into you work with Joey?
Factor: Yes. Vancouver and California was where some of my influences come from. Late 90s, early 2000s really resonate with me … I know Joey likes that stuff as well. Joey and I take that and give it that West Coast feel.

Joey, you often talk about injustice, environmental issues, addictions, and street culture in your music. This song is no exception. Talk about the meaning behind it.
Joey: A lot of people in society look at a crime or a sin and get disgusted by it. But we have to look beyond those actions and see the truth of why they do those things in the first place. For the most part, the problems we face come from the oppression of imperialism and the spread of one country upon another through religion and economies. It's not a mistake that poorest people in Canada are often indigenous.

Devin Pacholik is a writer in Saskatchewan. Follow him on Twitter .