Features
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Nammy Experience
few days before, I was a little nervous because of
the flying part, lol. It was on a Wednesday June
7th that my wife and I headed to Florida. We were
greeted in Fort Lauderdale by transportation from the
Seminole Tribe. We arrived at the Hard Rock Hotel and
Casino again, I say again, because last year we did this for
my nomination for my first release “Birth of a Warrior”
and it was a little depressing on the way back. This year I
was nominated for my second release “Spirit World”, but
had more faith this year, because I put true emotion and
spiritual feeling behind it.
Anyways, we enjoyed the immaculate casino the Seminoles have. Upon waking up, I had to be at dress rehearsal
and go over the evening’s agenda. I was just laid back with
a few other nominees and my main man John Trudell.
Later that evening the ceremonies began: we got the red
carpet treatment and everyone was dressed to impress.
Some of the artists were all traditional style, which was
nice to see. The Nammys began and the performances were
awesome: Pure Fe, Wade Fernandez, and a killer performance from Micki Free with Pearl Jam’s drummer, Steve
Salas from Mick Jagger and a guy from Cheap Trick, (can’t
remember his name, lol). With Buddy Big Mountain and
his puppet partner, Wendall, there was too much going on
at once, I was a space case.
I presented the Best Long or Short Form Video award.
Before intermission, the teleprompter stopped working
and they had to announce the nominees without their
music. The rap category was a few after the intermission
and the teleprompter was still not working, so I knew they
were not going to play the rappers’ music. It was kind of
a bummer, because it was being broadcasted live through
the Internet. When they got to the rap/hip-hop category
they started announcing the nominees . . . well while they
did this, the mic went dead and did not announce Night
Shield and I, just the other 3 nominees and their songs.
While I was complaining to my wife and I looked at Night
Shield shaking my head like “that’s messed up” they must
have said “and the winner is . . .” All I remember is my wife
saying “oh my god” and I heard the tail end of “Malone”
and realized they just announced “Spirit World” “Buggin Malone” I jumped up and climbed the steps with the
quickness, grabbed the award, said real loud into the microphone “ahoooo” and sent shouts to the Creator, shouts
to the other nominees in my category, shouts to my Mom,
to my Aunt, and my friends and fans. Then I dedicated
the award to my grandmother (who I take care of), who is
dying from cancer: I said “this is for you goko (grandma) I
love you” and walked off the stage.
Here’s the craziest most talked about thing that evening.
They started to announce the next category, and I was
so excited and shaking, and did not want to forget my
grandma, that I forgot my wife! OOPS! I ran back out
there and interrupted the “voice”(the show announcer)
and said “and to my beautiful wife, I love you baby”.
Talk about a close call to a long trip back home, whew!
Well all I know is I owe it all to my people who believed
in me and voted for my song “Letter To God”, and to the
Creator who blessed me with a beautiful talent.
My acceptance speech was small, there were 3 others
featured on my CD, but “Spirit World” was written,
rapped, arranged, mixed, and mastered by me . . . out of
my living room with a $200.00 beat machine, a sampler,
turntables and records, a microphone, and a 16 track
recorder. So the win was even a better feeling, because
it was my blood, sweat, and tears! I got to throw down
on the mic at the V.I.P. party, which was “off the chain”.
Me and Quese (from Culture Shock Camp) jumped on
stage with Keith Secola and John Trudell. Micki Free
from the Grammy-winning group Shalimar played
the guitar, Quese played the congas, and I played these
drums, native style of course! During John Trudell’s
poetry, we grooved. After he was done, Keith Secola
told me to grab the mic (and I did), rocking my Leonard Peltier song. It had everyone hollering and giving
feedback,