Shub Unveils ‘Heritage (Part Two)’ Album
Shub, the mastermind behind Powwow Step and a founding member of the award-winning band A Tribe Called Red, has recently released his latest album, ‘Heritage (Part Two)’. This album serves as the second part of his most ambitious project to date, following the storyline initiated in ‘Heritage (Part One)’, which is essentially an autobiography capturing Shub’s roots and his hopes for the future of Indigenous music.
In Shub’s words, ‘Heritage’ is all about connecting generations and ensuring the evolution of cultural traditions passed down by our ancestors. He emphasizes that Indigenous culture is not stagnated in the past but rather vibrant, powerful, and deserving of a place on the global stage.
Originally intended as a single album, ‘Heritage’ expanded into two releases allowing the music to tell a comprehensive story. While the first part featured a mix of hip-hop, ’90s IDM, dub-infused trip-hop, and drill bass, ‘Part Two’ sharpens Shub’s musical vision by combining electronic production, hip-hop, and the energetic powwow influences of his upbringing.
According to Shub, ‘Heritage’ delves into his cultural background, bringing his heritage forward, introducing it to new environments, and showcasing his true identity. What makes the album impactful is its collaborative nature, with contributions from artists like DJ Paul, Natasha Fisher, Aysanabee, Drezus, and Sebastian Gaskin. Shub states that witnessing these artists elevate the tracks beyond his own capabilities was the most rewarding part of creating this record.
At the heart of the album lies the focus track ‘Rise’, a poignant collaboration with Aysanabee and Drezus that explores themes of solidarity, resilience, and mental health through evocative vocals and deeply personal lyrics. The accompanying video for the song juxtaposes performance footage with archival images of children in residential schools, grounding the song in history and survival.
Shub’s musical journey began with A Tribe Called Red, where he pioneered the powwow-step movement with tracks like ‘Electric Pow Wow Drum’, blending EDM with Indigenous rhythmic traditions and accumulating over 30 million streams worldwide. Through his solo career, Shub has released acclaimed projects like ‘PowWowStep’ and ‘War Club’, composed the award-winning soundtrack for ‘The Grizzlies’, and received the 2022 JUNO Award for Contemporary Indigenous Artist of the Year.
Growing up in Fort Erie as a Mohawk and a member of the Turtle Clan of the Six Nations of the Grand River, Shub crafted his distinctive sound by fusing the beats of grass dance songs with electronic music pulses, forming the foundation of powwow-step that continues to define his work.
With ‘Heritage (Part Two)’, Shub presents a project deeply rooted in identity, collaboration, and forward momentum, celebrating Indigenous culture while looking optimistically towards the future.