‘Hip-Hop Roundup’ showcases local Native talent

SHIPROCK – After the circus closed its show, the lights stayed on, ready to shine on local Native musicians who attracted the interest of people of all ages.

Christopher Francis, concert coordinator for the Northern Navajo Fair, said that at the last minute, deejay Bravo Nez, aka Zachariah Romens, brought to his attention the idea of having a concert for the younger adults who attend the fair.

Francis said at that moment, they had no entertainment lined up for the younger adults and thought the idea was perfect to cater to different age groups.

Initially, the “Hip-Hop Roundup” concert was to take place at the rodeo grounds following the rodeo, but then the venue changed to the new location, the circus area.

Francis had attended the prior night’s circus performance on Friday, Oct. 6, and was amazed by the turnout.

“There was the elders, the little kids, of course, the young people, also just so many different people because this event (Northern Navajo Fair) brings all kinds of people, cowboys, dancers, traditional people, and then you see them here at the concert bobbing their heads together,” said Francis.

Francis said Nez had connections to local artists that he wanted to bring in for the concert. Assisting him was Gervana Begaye, who coordinated the fair’s parade.

Francis said all the fair coordinators got together to help each other, and both Francis and Begaye said, “Let’s do this,” regarding the last-minute concert idea.
“It’s all thanks to deejay Bravo Nez. He’s an awesome individual,” said Francis.

Francis asked Nez if there should be an admission fee to attend the concert to help pay Nez or even the performing artists. Francis said Nez denied the help and said he’d plan the show for free.

When asked about the offer to charge an admission fee, Nez said he wasn’t invited and had no idea the fair organizers wanted to help financially.

“I didn’t know about any of that, but I did know they were doing what they could to make our artists feel appreciated,” said Nez.

Nez said the event fell into place perfectly, with artists being lined up and the overall timing with the fair.

“All of the artists love it. They love the experience of going on stage to perform, going to the back, waiting behind the curtains for their music to queue,” said Nez.

Nez, a performer, said he knew the artists he had brought together were good people in their communities.

From Navajo to Santo Domingo Pueblo, all felt and appreciated the musical talent. Attendees showed endless admiration for each artist by waving their hands, dancing, and even getting close to the stage to get the picture-perfect moment for social media.

“I hope this continues. These artists deserve it. We’ve been putting in the work for the community,” said Nez.

Last year, Nez hosted a toy drive where he said many artists who were performing at the fair helped donate toys and money for the kids in different communities in which they served.

“When the opportunity came, I wanted this to go out with a bang. I want this (concert) to grow,” said Nez.

Unlike mainstream Native artists across Indian Country, local Native artists keep their communities close to their hearts. Nez said mainstream artists have to think about themselves, and local Native artists who bring the crowds to these kinds of events they’d instead put their community first.

“There’s a lot of artists besides me who put on shows out of pocket and don’t even make a profit, but they want to see things happen in our music community, and it’s really strong and thriving right now,” said Nez.

There’s no denying the heart work put into music by all Native artists, but the ones who perform at shows like the Hip-Hop Roundup would rather be there for the community than perform for money.

According to a few performers, they had no monetary compensation and performed solely to be with the community for the “vibes.” Nez said none of the artists performing got paid, but they’re putting in a lot of money to be at the fair because they want to be.

The effort to be a part of the community and to network with other artists is why Nez continues to put on shows and be a performer, too.

To kick off the night, Santo Domingo Pueblo artist Aaron Tenario, aka MC Slader, set the mood with a song conveying the message of loving oneself.

Before the concert, Tenario said the community needed to hear that because of the violence that had taken place.

Tenario’s fast rapping had the crowd woo-ing and, after his performance, words of appreciation for the messages he had in his songs.

While each performer went on and off stage, Nez went back and forth from being the deejay to being part of the crowd.
“I’m blessed to be a part of it,” said Nez.

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