This week on the show, we’re talking about Our Way(s) of Life with Travis Hebert, also known as Heebz the Earthchild, who is one half of Indigenous hip-hop group Mob Bounce.

We wanted to talk about what culture means to Travis, so we caught up with him in July 2017 at UBC Studios on Unceded Musqueam Territory in Vancouver, BC. We wanted to explore the harmful impacts colonialism has and continues to have on Indigenous men, and to hear about what we can do with our cultures to call our brothers to pursue healthy ways of living. We talk about Mob Bounce’s use of culture and the role that music and art play in advancing healing for the people. We discuss our ability to heal by freeing ourselves from the traps and pitfalls of colonial thinking, and then Travis drops an *exclusive* freestyle in the studio for us, expanding on his own personal teachings and the lessons which have inspired him to create the music he and Craig Edes, also known as The Northwest Kid, continue to perform across Canada.

Mob Bounce is a Hip Hop duo that formed in the later half of 2010 with the release of their, “Mixed Blood Mixtape.” Before the mixtape release, Travis Adrian Hebert and Craig Frank Edes had been writing & recording music since 2004. Craig is Gitxsan and Travis is Cree/Metis. The two Aboriginal artists have exceptional experience in playing guitar and drums, and have blended their musicianship with elements of Electronic Dance Music (E.D.M.), and Hip Hop production; they incorporate aspects of a Cultural identity with an Artistic identity by experimenting with free toning(Chanting), and a Cultural soundscape influenced by sounds of Nature.

Since the release of “Mix Blood Mixtape”, Mob Bounce has focused heavily on creating social and environmental awareness through the arts. They have done their share of anti-pipeline events and a series of shows at Vancouver Indigenous Media Arts Festival that is organized through W2 Media Arts Society in Vancouver, British Columbia. Mob Bounce spent the summer of 2014 performing at various Music Festivals and events including Aboriginal Music Week in Winnipeg, MB. Combined, they have shared the stage with; A Tribe Called Red, DJ Itchy Ron of Sweatshop Union, Git Hayetsk: “People of the Copper Shield”, We Are The City, The Born Ruffians, Filastine, Cris Derkson, Swollen Members, Leonard Sumner, Tall Paul, and other established artists.

Mob Bounce’s lyrical content is based on culture, spirituality, sustainable living, healing, Mother Earth and awakening a warrior spirit, since it is a warrior who sacrifices themselves for the better of others.

To listen to more of Mob Bounce’s music, you can check out their Soundcloud page at the link below:

https://soundcloud.com/mob-bounce