Rap duo THRONE is changing the way indigenous peoples are represented in music

Two ornate turquoise rings adorn YVHIKV’s hands, which run their fingers through her long amber hair. The delicate jewelery, a gift from her grandmother, is a wearable that recalls the indigenous traditions that inspired her music. The warm energy of her YVHIKV, perched in front of a clothes rack full of her own designs, is easily translated through her hour-long FaceTime call, where she gets serious answers with lighthearted jokes and thoughtful anecdotes. Scattered. This is her first major magazine interview for her, but little is known. she is born

One half of the latest hip-hop duo THRONE, YVHIKV (pronounced yuh-hey-guh) is an indigenous rapper on his way to stardom. Alongside her partner Hayates, better known as Her, the up-and-coming musician has spent more than 2,000 of her hours completing her debut album throughout the pandemic. Lionfishwas released earlier this year.

After leaving the manager and label, the duo took inspiration from ’90s icons like MF DOOM and Erykah Badu and fused their own style with more contemporary artists like Amy Winehouse, Frank Ocean, Gorillaz and the Fugees. I am letting you. A modern take on the classic hip-hop sound.

“Indigenous perspectives and collectivist values ​​are integral to how we work and move in music,” says YVHIKV. teen vogue of the desire to abandon individualistic ideals through the group. “We want to make the human experience truly understandable through music.”

THRONE’s soulful sound quickly took hold on indie music’s TikTok, where the two neared 100,000 followers in just four months on the app. While their music has been talked about on the For You page, YVHIKV says the indigenous side of TikTok has ensured their fame. “There have been many positive responses from indigenous peoples … and that exposure from indigenous communities [has] We were able to gain exposure from non-Indigenous communities. ”

At the heart of their music is YVHIKV’s connection to her Mvskoke heritage.Dedicated to honoring her ancestors and carving a small slice of her tribe into musical history, it was her song that opened their album. Lionfish Sung entirely in Muskogee. It was a creative choice she says will help preserve this rapidly disappearing language.

“My grandmother, she spoke Muskogee but now forgets how to say things even though she grew up speaking it. [the language]My dad isn’t fluent, but I know he knows more about Muskogee than the rest of his family. “For these two generations alone, the language is dying. Except for a handful of elders and the few who study it, not many speak it in conversation. It is the effort that brings [the language] return. “

To bring her song to life, YVHIKV enlisted a handful of elders to help translate her words. Translations of certain words and long, hard-to-pronounce words to the melody of her songs. Ultimately, she succeeded and brought appreciation for Muskogee and her people to her community globally.