Supaman to share message of hope, resiliency at powwow

With mental health and substance abuse rising in the state, the Chippewa Cree Wellness Coalition has reached out for Crow Agency resident hip-hop artist Christian Parrish Takes the Gun, known professionally as Supaman, to speak Thursday at this year’s Youth Powwow.

“When we tell our stories it empowers the listener, they can relate to it,” Supaman said.

The Wellness Coalition invited Supaman to speak, during the dinner break between the afternoon powwow and the 7 p.m. Grand Entry, Elinor Nault, executive director and court administrator, said the group wanted to address trauma, behavioral health and substance abuse, which are top health issues identified in a survey by the Chippewa Cree Tribe last month.

“The way young people communicate and spend their leisure time has fundamentally changed,” Nault said. “They spend less time with their friends in person and less time sleeping, and more time on digital media. Supaman will focus on how important culture identity is and not (using) social media as the only way to connect with friends.”

Born in Seattle and raised in the Crow Agency, Supaman is an Apsáalooke hip-hop artist and fancy dancer and has traveled the country performing and telling his story to try to help people and spread a positive message.The child of struggling alcoholics, he started performing as a DJ in the ’90s, taking the name “Supaman” on his way to a DJ competition.

He said his friend, who he was traveling with at the time, suggested that he pick a DJ name and after going through comic book superheroes, such as the Punisher, they ended on Supaman. He went on to win the competition and decided to keep the new name.

He added that he first got into hip-hop after it reached Montana and started getting into mainstream culture. With his background in being a fancy dancer since a young age, the music connected with him. Supaman said he first was drawn into it because of the breakdancing and listening to beats and rhymes.

“We were kind of drawn toward it when we heard what the rappers were talking about, the rappers were talking about the inner city, they were king of the voice of the oppressed,” he said. “As Native people we would listen to that, we were like, ‘Yo, I can relate to that,’ so it was kind of like they were speaking up for us, as well.”

He added that along his journey into becoming who he is, he learned it requires a certain level of quality and skill to remain relevant and to put out quality music. He also learned sometimes the hip-hop community doesn’t want to hear a “be positive” message.

“I do my best to be a quality artist,” Supaman said, “not just somebody who’s Native. I never wanted to have a gimmick, I always wanted my music to stand out on its own.”

He said he wants his music to be for all people to share and feel.

“I think it’s important that we remain positive, know what you are saying,” he said. “You have a platform and a responsibility as an artist to impact somebody.”

Hip-hop artists don’t always remember that, he said, adding that people, including the Native American community, already face a number of obstacles in their lives and they need all the positivity they can get. Supaman said he is happy to be able to share that.

“KRS-One (a hip-hop artist out of Brooklyn) said, ‘Rappers spit rhymes that are mostly illegal. MCs spit rhymes to uplift their people,’” Supaman said.

He added that he has been holding talks with communities about mental health, suicide awareness and substance abuse for about a decade, and like hip-hop, utilizing different tools to reach people.

“There’s a lot to touch on,” he said. “We definitely wanted to touch on the mental health message with everything that’s going on, not just in Montana but all over Indian Country.”

He added that it is important to him, having lost loved ones to suicide, as well as his family struggling with alcoholism and substance abuse.

Earlier in the year, Supaman said, he spoke at the schools in Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation about suicide prevention and remaining drug and alcohol free. He said he is coming back to the Youth Powwow to help reinforce the message.

“Go back to the foundation of who we are as indiginous people, use the foundation of prayer to be able to maneuver through life better,” he said. “The Creator fills us up with the power, strength and love that we need to have to face the obstacles in life.”

Supaman said he has overcome a number of obstacles in his journey and he wants to help others overcome and make a better life and community.

“Hopefully those seeds are planted in the hearts of the youth and they continue to water them and grow,” he said. “Hopefully they will be empowered in a way where they can move forward and live a life that’s at a higher quality rather than struggling.”

He added that his favorite part is hearing from the youth afterward, when they out to him privately to tell him their stories and struggles and how his story impacted them.

He added that he also wants the youth to know that they are not alone, and people are available, even if they don’t realize it, who want to help.

“There are people out there who love you and who are rooting for you, who want to help you,” he said.

“The event is aimed at the youth but everyone is welcome to attend, he said.

Supaman will be making his presentation at 5 p.m. Thursday followed by a presentation by Curtis Smeby about suicide awareness.

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For more information about Supaman, visit http://www.supamanhiphop.net/.