Lakota Hip Hop Artist Returns To Roots

Troy Eagle Chasing Jr. A.k.a. Maniac The Siouxpernatural for hip-hop fans, has lived on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation his entire life. As a child, he lived with his mother and father in Eagle Butte across the street from a small youth center called "The Main". The Main (now known as the Cheyenne River Youth Project) was a safe place for local kids to meet up, take a break from stressful home situations, receive a hot meal, or talk and play games with volunteers at the center. Eagle Chasing spent almost everyday at the Main hanging out with other kids, many of whom were going through some of the same difficulties and experiences as him. "Growing up on the reservation is never an easy thing, and like many others I’ve had struggles with alcohol, drugs, gangs and violence, but the one thing I found that took my mind off the world around me was music, not only listening to it but eventually making it, I started making music in 2000 with a friend of mine and we have been (making) music ever since." Eagle Chasing released four albums on his own, before signing onto the independent record label Night Shield Entertainment in 2004. He has since released 1 album with the label called Nightmerika, and will release a second, Paranormal, in October 2006. Nightmerika was recently nominated for both the Native American Music Awards in Florida and the Indian Summer Music Awards in Wisconsin for best hip-hop album of 2005. In 2005, his song "Cold World" was named songt of the year by local radio station KLND. His album has sold from California to New York and even as far way as Japan. Troy has performed in South Dakota,. North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, New Mexico and Arizona.

While Troy was developing his music career, the little youth center he visited was growing too. The Cheyenne River Youth Project has expanded services to youth and families through the Cheyenne River Reservation over its 18 years in operation and will open a brand new teen facility on August 14, 2006. Troy has been invited to perform at the grand opening event, taking place on Monday, August 14, 2006. "Im happy to see the new teen center being built, when I was a teen we really had nowhere to hang out, (except) the arcade, and hanging out at an arcade sucks when you have no money, Im glad the teen center will be a part of this town and Im more than happy to perform to try and bring awareness to the center. Www.lakotayouth.org