Julian B (born c. 1972) is a Native American rapper. Julian B is originally from Oklahoma and is of Muskogee heritage. His music is frequently political, with lyrics reminiscent of those of the rap group

Public Enemy "Public enemy" is a term which was first widely used in the United States in the 1930s to describe individuals whose activities were seen as criminal and extremely damaging to society, though the phrase had been used for centuries to describe ...

, and often focusing on the effects of

colonialism Colonialism is a practice or policy of control by one people or power over other people or areas, often by establishing colony, colonies and generally with the aim of economic dominance. In the process of colonisation, colonisers may impose the ...

on the

indigenous peoples of the Americas The Indigenous peoples of the Americas are the inhabitants of the Americas before the arrival of the European settlers in the 15th century, and the ethnic groups who now identify themselves with those peoples. Many Indigenous peoples of the A ...

. He has performed at the

Montreux Jazz Festival The Montreux Jazz Festival (formerly Festival de Jazz Montreux and Festival International de Jazz Montreux) is a music festival in Switzerland, held annually in early July in Montreux on the Lake Geneva shoreline. It is the second-largest annual ...

in Switzerland, as well as at many Native American festivals such as the Red Nations Celebration in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

, the

American Indian Movement The American Indian Movement (AIM) is a Native American grassroots movement which was founded in Minneapolis, Minnesota in July 1968, initially centered in urban areas in order to address systemic issues of poverty, discrimination, and police br ...

Anniversary Celebration in

Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...

, and various

pow-wow A powwow (also pow wow or pow-wow) is a gathering with dances held by many Native American and First Nations communities. Powwows today allow Indigenous people to socialize, dance, sing, and honor their cultures. Powwows may be private or pu ...

s across North America. He also performs in support of causes such as Black Mesa and the

Zapatistas Zapatista(s) may refer to: * Liberation Army of the South The Liberation Army of the South ( es, Ejército Libertador del Sur, ELS) was a guerrilla force led for most of its existence by Emiliano Zapata that took part in the Mexican Revolut ...

, as well as at events focusing on the

Native American mascot controversy Since the 1960s, the issue of Native American and First Nations names and images being used by sports teams as mascots has been the subject of increasing public controversy in the United States and Canada. This has been a period of rising ...

. He has released two CDs, ''Once Upon a Genocide'' (1994) and ''Injunuity''. (2002). He recorded with the

Gap Band The Gap Band was an American R&B and funk band that rose to fame during the 1970s and 1980s. The band consisted of three brothers: Charlie, Ronnie, and Robert Wilson, along with other members; it was named after streets (Greenwood, Archer, a ...

in 1990. In 1998, the

Native American Music Awards The Native American Music Awards (also known as the NAMAs or "Nammys") are an awards program presented annually by Elbel Productions, Inc., The Native American Music Awards Inc., and The Native American Music Association, a 501(c)(3) non-profi ...

nominated him in the Best Hip-Hop Album category, and his ''Injunuity'' was nominated for Best Rap/Hip Hop Recording in 2002. Very unusually for Native American rappers (most of whom prefer to rap in English), Julian B has experimented with rap in the Muskogee language.

Discography

* 1994 -
Once Upon a Genocide
' (Warrior) * 2002 - ''Injunuity'' (Hot Commodity)

Bibliography

*O'Brien, Jill. "Julian B. raps about staying on the Red Road." ''Indian Country Today'' (''Lakota Times''), January 1995. *Interview in ''

The Plain Dealer ''The Plain Dealer'' is the major newspaper of Cleveland, Ohio, United States. In fall 2019, it ranked 23rd in U.S. newspaper circulation, a significant drop since March 2013, when its circulation ranked 17th daily and 15th on Sunday. As of Ma ...

'', October 11, 1996, p. 23, sec. SU.

References

External links

Julian B official site
by Dana Williams
Julian B Myspace site

Listening

Julian B audio samples

Video

Julian B video
{{DEFAULTSORT:Julian B American rappers Native American rappers 1970s births Muscogee people Living people Place of birth missing (living people) Musicians from Oklahoma 21st-century American rappers 20th-century Native Americans 21st-century Native Americans