Reuben Kitto Stately

My name is Reuben Kitto Stately. My stage name is Kitto. I am a 22 year old recording artist from Minneapolis, Minnesota and I’ve been writing and recording for almost 10 years. Hip Hop at its purest form has always been an art of resistance. Who knows resistance better than American Indians? Hip Hop historically has been an effective tool to speak truth to power and express raw truths that come from people who are unincluded or otherwise unable to tell their stories. I very much consider my art form as an act of resistance but more importantly I believe telling my stories and speaking my truth helps our people reclaim control of our narrative. Reuben Kitto Stately (Red Lake Nation and Santee Sioux Nation) is Dakhóta from the Santee Sioux Nation and a tribal member of Red Lake Nation who recently graduated with an American Indian Studies major at Augsburg University. As a musician and recording artist, known as Kitto. Reuben discovered his passion for learning Dakhóta language and has dedicated himself to being a life-long learner, as his gift to share. He believes language is the key to reclaiming Indigenous culture, art, and identity. Reuben also traces his love of music back to falling asleep to drums on the Pow Wow trail as a baby. Indigenous musicians have inspired him to pursue music, tell his own authentic stories, find his own creative voice. (From Minnesota Native News) Additionally, Stately is part of Learning From Place, a Dakota language revitalization non-profit called Dakhóta Iápi Okhódakičhiye and teaches Dakota Language at Minneapolis Public Schools.