"Smoke" Signals

JASON NICHOLS AKA “SMOKE” SIGNALS RED LAKE YOUTH with positive message on Drugs and Gangs along with Red Laker Stuart “Big S2” Perkins.

Hip-Hop artists, Jason “Smoke” Nichols and Stuart “Big S2” Perkins visited the Red Lake Nation Boys and Girls Club on Thursday June 10th with a motivational talk on the downside of alcohol, drugs and gangs. “Smoke” on his 5th visit in less than three years, was at Red Lake to visit with youth and perform in concert at the Boys & Girls Club on Friday Evening.

Twenty-five Red Lake Youth ages 12 to 18, streamed into the “Teen Room” of the Boys and Girls Club at 3 PM on Thursday to hear Nichols and Perkins give testimony, and ask and retrieve questions, as part of Nichols “2010 Rezolution Tour”. Nichols took about an hour and a half to present his personal story of drug use and gang activity, and how he found his way out.

Nichols who grew up in southern California, was a gang member for a time. From ages 14 to 20 he was in and out of lock-up. He has used a number of illegal drugs and alcohol, but is now 13 years clean and sober.

Perkins read a hip-hop like poem called “Phillip”. The poem was about his experiences dealing with peer pressure taken from his life in the Phillips neighborhood of Minneapolis. He was coerced to join gangs and participate in the use of drugs and alcohol. The poem describes how he resisted and went on to learn graphic arts and perform as a hip-hop musician. “I decided I didn’t want that lifestyle”, said Perkins, “and I decided to go to college”. In addition to graphic arts, Perkins studied arts and crafts that included pottery work.

“You can still be cool and do positive things”, said Nichols at the beginning of his talk with the young people. “I’ve got tattoos. You can dress and be as you like”, he said. He went on to encourage those in attendance to follow their dreams. “Do what you like, find a school that teaches what you like. Follow your dream instead of drugs and gangs. Choose this path and it will lead to this, choose another path and it will lead to that”, Nichols asserted.

Nichols has a way about him that gives credibility to his message. He gets the kids to listen, and maybe more importantly, to talk somehow. He looks at them straight in the eye, after he establishes rapport, and asks questions. And...he gets answers! Some of the questions “Smoke” asked were quite sobering. “How many of you know someone your own age that does drugs or alcohol?” All kids raised their hands. “How many of you know a gang member?” All raised their hands. “How many of you are being raised by a grandparent or other person than your parents”, asked “Smoke”. A half dozen kids raised their hands.

And then the big question that this writer wondered if the kids would answer. “How many of you have parents who do drugs?”, asked “Smoke”. And several kids cautiously raised their hands. “How-does-it-make-you-feel?”, asked Nichols. The answers came shyly and quietly, but it morphed into a muffled shout as one heard the responses; “like nothin’”, “disappointed”, “don’t want to live with ‘em”, the kids replied.

But hope is alive as evidenced by other questions that Nichols asked. He asked if there was anyone who spoke Ojibwemowin, and two youth raised their hands qualifying their response with “pretty good”. Nichols said it was important to learn and speak their language so that they can learn from their elders, and pass on the stories of their tribe.

And more good news. “How many of you plan to go to college?”, asked Nichols. The answer brought proud smiles to the few adults in the room as every single kid in the room raised their hands. “Well you need a plan”, insisted Nichols. “And it’s not too early to start. Don’t be afraid to dream, and dream big”. “And”, he added, “stay away from negative people”.

Nichols went further. He asked what the kids would like to see on their reservation that they now have to go to Bemidji for. One girl smiled as she teased that she’d like to have the Mall of America at Red Lake. But others had more realistic dreams, a bowling alley, a golf course, a movie theater, an ice cream parlor, a theme park.

“Well bring them to Red Lake”, replied Nichols. “Help people spend their money here on your reservation. Visualize it. See yourself as being successful”, Nichols said. “Smoke” then gave the dream reality when he said, “And there is money out there to help you. The Federal government has grants for Native Businesses”, he announced, “look it up.”

Nichols then talked about gangs. “Gangs! Now why does that have anything to do with our culture”, said Nichols to nodding heads. He said that if Indian kids really knew the meaning behind the names of gangs, they would realize that they have nothing in common with these gang members. Nichols went on to explain that many Indian kids could find themselves in deeper trouble than they could ever know, as Nichols described the meaning, names, signs, and the doings of gangs.

Nichols wanted to clarify the origin of his nickname, “Smoke” less it be misunderstood as something more sinister i.e. drug related or “gangster”. It was a nick name he received as a child...“Smokey”, but now “Smoke”. Smoke, like pot or other drugs? “Oh no”, he said. “Smoke” is symbolic. “Before email, before telephones, even before the pony express, smoke was a form of communication used by your Indian ancestors”, said Nichols. “It was used to send messages, and sometimes warnings to other tribes or clans.” And that is what “Smoke” wants to do now. Send a message to Indian youth.

Mrs. "Smoke" and Publicist Melissa Nichols

Nichols also told the kids that he is the father of six children. He said that at first he was just into the money of making hip-hop music, but decided to use his musical message to promote good living. Hip-hop and rap has had a checkered history, but new artists such as “Smoke” are using the medium for a more positive message and encouraging young people to think. “Although he does do adult material, he also does PG13 with a message for Indian youth.

Nichols brought a bit of stark seriousness and sadness to the crowd as he now speaks about suicide prevention. He says that his eldest daughter, age 13 died when playing the “Choking Game” just about a year ago. He hopes it was an accident and not intentional, a suicide. But none-the-less the game is stupid, and is one more thing that we have to encourage our youth to stay clear of. Suicide prevention will continue to be a part of “Smoke’s” message along with drugs, alcohol and gangs.

(The Choking Game is a misunderstood activity causing death and suffering for thousands of families worldwide. It often begins with high-achieving teens choking each other as a way to get high without the risk of getting caught with drugs or alcohol. It ends with thousands of kids dying or suffering permanent brain damage each year.)

AFTERWARD

Jason “Smoke” Nichols, Ojibwe/Cree/Lakota uses hip-hop music to send a positive message to youth. He travels the country giving motivational speeches and concerts. Stuart “Big S2” Perkins is an enrolled Red Lake member from the Twin Cities who met Nichols on a visit to Red Lake two years ago, and now tours with Smoke performing his own brand of hip-hop poetry with a message.

Nichols and Perkins brought along some recent music awards they’ve received at the West Coast American Indian Music Awards held in Hilo, Hawaii. Nichols won the “Youth Achievement” award, and Perkins won for “Incoming Artist of the Year”. Nichols entertainment group, “RezHeadz”, won the “Entertainment Group of the Year” award.

Perkins, also a budding graphic artist, displayed some awards he received in that medium from the “American Indian Higher Education Consortium”. He won second place in the arts and crafts category for pottery and computer graphics.

Nichols says he is the first Native American artist to hit the top ten on the music charts. His company RezHeadz is the publicity arm for many native acts including Red Cloud and Pow-wow Comedy Jam who has done a series on “Showtime” television.

Nichols has an extraordinary amount of energy. He is constantly working, thinking, writing, creating, dreaming. He is not only a talented musician and astute speaker, but is also an enterprising entrepreneur. Not only has he developed the “RezHeadz Entertainment” group, a promotional tool, but is in the process of writing a Hip-Hop Opera.

Part of Smoke’s “2010 Rezolution Tour” is something he calls “Onward and Upward”. The conception is to promote a new way of engaging Indian Youth to volunteer in community activities. Nichols wants to form chapters in Indian communities across the country. He gives presentations encouraging kids to volunteer in their communities with certain goals to be met. Volunteer activities could include cleaning up, helping elders, working with kids, etc. Those who fulfilled their commitment would be invited to participate in a “big blow out” after the end of the year, in some city yet to be named. There would be Indian kids in attendance from throughout the country. The celebration would include a powwow, music, crafts, networking, and more. Nichols is looking for Tribal sponsors for the youth of their particular reservations, but also big time sponsors such as Nike, Red Bull and Dorito.

Nichols in the past 18 months has visited 218 native communities, concerts and powwows. His first show at Red Lake in 2008 drew 1000 fans.