Growing up on a reservation is never an easy thing; it's a struggle just to survive. That's why it's amazing to see someone come from nothing and accomplish so much. Gabriel Night Shield, a Lakota Sioux Native American, grew up on the Rosebud Reservation. With the odds stacked against him Night Shield was raised in a single parent home and was heavily influenced by Hip Hop. From Bone Thugs N Harmony's, "Creepin On Ah Come Up", Eric B & Rakim's, "Follow The Leader" to 2Pac's, "Me Against The World", he soaked it all up. During high school he wrote poems and short stories that gained him prestige through out the community, he was also a popular DJ for local events around the area. His visions included a future in the music business owning his own label, Night Shield Entertainment. In 1997 when he graduated from high school he set off to make that dream a reality, attending the Art Institute of Seattle to study Audio Production. During his 2-year stay in Seattle Gabriel made a lot of important contacts in the business and recorded many genres of music. Night Shield also started to develop as an artist himself recording many of his very own songs. After his 1999 graduation Night Shield returned to the Rosebud Reservation to further his success.

Six years later Gabriel is a force to be reckoned with, as he is both an artist on and C.E.O. of Night Shield Entertainment. Along with Cin’atra and Overflow, Night Shield is one-third of the popular group Triple Crown as well as a solo artist. Night Shield Entertainment has released 6 full-length albums (The Nation, Hostile Takeover, The Savage Alliance, It’z Official, Kataztrophik & Nightmerika) that continue to gain in popularity and open the doors to many other markets. 2002 was a landmark year for a solo Night Shield as he had a #1 radio requested song (Ride With Me) and the #1 South Dakota Hip-Hop/Rap download on MP3.com. In 2004, Night Shield released his critically acclaimed solo debut album, “Kataztrophik” and has been invited to perform all over country. Night Shield also recently signed Maniac, a native rapper from the Cheyenne River reservation. In this short time span Night Shield has garnered major label recognition, been featured in several local and national press publications, been asked to give guest lectures at many South Dakota high schools and has been featured on 22 different album releases.

Currently Night Shield is busy promoting his first solo album titled “Kataztrophik”, which was nominated by the Native American Music Awards & Indian Summer Music Awards for Best Rap / Hip Hop Recording Of 2004, and is working on its follow up, “Savage Display: The Total Package”. What went from a High School kid's dream is quickly becoming a powerful and respected reality. Night Shield, now 26, is determined to meet his goals, and at the forefront of South Dakota and Native Hip Hop Gabriel is leaving a powerful mark on the independent music scene.