- Hello, everybody.

I'm Charles Ezra Ferrell, neighborhood program director for the Concert of Colors.

Welcome to "Detroit Performs."

Tonight, "Detroit Performs" proudly brings you the Concert of Colors Curved Shores Concert, a native artist showcase live from Spotlight Detroit.

Tonight's performances are curated by Vibes with the Tribes and feature the best of Indigenous music, dance, and culture.

Let's get ready to watch the Concert of Colors right here on "Detroit Performs."

(upbeat music playing) - [Announcer] Funding for "Detroit Performs" is provided by the Kresge Foundation, the Fred and Barbara Erb Family Foundation, and by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.

(upbeat music playing) (upbeat music ending) - After 33 years of Concert of Colors being in Midtown Detroit, Ishmael Ahmet, the Executive Director and Founder and I had discussions of transforming and growing the Concert of Colors to take it back to where it started actually in the neighborhoods.

We wanna keep Ishmael's vision in the forefront.

It's still our guiding focus and our North Star.

Giving free concerts, access to the community, making that accessible.

It was part of his mission.

So those of us who knew him and were mentored by him, you know, really kind of very focused on continuing that mission and making it even greater and expanding the work.

And what we do in that context is we work very closely with nonprofit partners and organizations in the community that are rooted in the community, and co-create, empower them to have programs that speak to various different cultures.

So this is a great representation of the type of work that we're doing, partnering with Spot-Lite Detroit, a venue with Vibes with the Tribes to produce a very enriched program, giving voice to artists that normally may not have that voice.

And particularly people who have deep roots in the activist part of the community, such as the American Indian Movement, now some being featured.

So it'd be a broad array of music, a very soulful, head-bobbing experience.

(electric whooshing) ♪ Imagine what would happen if our people came together ♪ ♪ Learned how to heal and overcame the pain forever ♪ ♪ There's too much negativity controlling our emotions ♪ ♪ Too many distractions interfere with our devotion ♪ ♪ It's hard to stay committed to our passion and our craft ♪ ♪ When so much negativity will dominate our path ♪ ♪ I write this for the rez and the people that I love ♪ ♪ Prayers can be strong, but sometimes it's not enough ♪ ♪ It seems like our belief is overpowered by this greed ♪ ♪ It's a shame the way we live ♪ ♪ Taking more than what we need ♪ ♪ I'm not afraid to speak ♪ ♪ I've always had the strength to lead ♪ ♪ We hate to hear the truth, but that's what sets us free ♪ ♪ Our youth are so depressed ♪ ♪ That's why they love ♪ ♪ They're facing so much stress ♪ ♪ And they're lonely in their teens ♪ ♪ Nobody there to raise 'em ♪ ♪ They babysit their parents ♪ ♪ Because all they do is drink ♪ ♪ Or get messed up throughout the week ♪ ♪ And that's just part of the problem ♪ ♪ We never seem to heal ♪ ♪ If you cry, then you whupped ♪ ♪ We don't know how we should feel ♪ ♪ And this is what we're taught ♪ ♪ Be a man and keep it real ♪ ♪ All that tough guy stuff ♪ ♪ Is just a front for all the sadness ♪ ♪ It's sad to see these families ♪ ♪ Are hit with something tragic ♪ ♪ At times it feels hopeless ♪ ♪ It turns us into addicts ♪ ♪ You need to learn to stop ♪ ♪ And find a beauty in this madness ♪ ♪ Everything in life doesn't need to be dramatic ♪ ♪ I never hold grudges ♪ ♪ I know we all human ♪ ♪ We have our own path ♪ ♪ We just need to keep it moving ♪ ♪ I follow the values of my culture ♪ ♪ With everything I'm doing ♪ ♪ Not too many people like to see me keep improving ♪ ♪ I keep my business to myself ♪ ♪ Especially with this music ♪ ♪ People hate to see you win unless they get included ♪ ♪ My family always taught me ♪ ♪ I should focus on the bright side ♪ ♪ Swear no one can stop me as I'm headed for that limelight ♪ ♪ Love it whenever I'm under pressure ♪ ♪ Love it when people will come together ♪ ♪ We learning to utilize unity ♪ ♪ Ain't about money or jewelry ♪ ♪ Could never write a verse if it doesn't have a purpose ♪ ♪ Spend many days alone ♪ ♪ Feeling down and out and ♪ ♪ Only thing I know is how to speak on where I'm from ♪ ♪ We call them reservations ♪ ♪ At times it's like the slums ♪ ♪ The pressure rates are high ♪ ♪ That's why we stay numb ♪ ♪ Life can hit you hard when you chasing after funds ♪ ♪ I thought we'd have no worries ♪ ♪ Like we did when we were young ♪ ♪ Looking back, the boys were foolish ♪ ♪ At the same time it was fun ♪ ♪ If I could go back in time, I'd do it all again ♪ ♪ Suffered so much loss, but it turned us into men ♪ ♪ Where I'm from made me everything I am ♪ ♪ This music was always there ♪ ♪ I never had a lot of friends ♪ ♪ My biggest inspirations were Jay-Z and Kanye ♪ (speaking foreign language) ♪ Everything I write is sincerely from my chante ♪ ♪ And everything I do is for my family, Tiwahe ♪ ♪ Hey, hey ♪ ♪ Said everything I do was for my family, Tiwahe ♪ ♪ Hey, hey ♪ (audience applauding) ♪ I don't care about what they think ♪ ♪ No matter what they say ♪ - Can you clap?

♪ They try to make me feel ♪ ♪ like what I'm doing ain't that great ♪ ♪ I'm in here moving with my brothers ♪ ♪ Watch this search we call our mother ♪ ♪ Missing all our missing sisters ♪ ♪ I know we'll see better days ♪ ♪ Better ♪ ♪ Better days ♪ Ay, we're gonna see better days, Detroit.

♪ Better Days.

♪ Hey.

♪ Better days.

♪ ♪ This government has grown so greedy ♪ ♪ This country built on broken treaties ♪ ♪ Welcomed y'all with open hands ♪ ♪ Don't forget you're on stolen land ♪ ♪ It's all facts ♪ ♪ You can't ignore the truth ♪ ♪ They try to kill our culture in the boarding schools ♪ ♪ We have to heal ♪ ♪ Time to turn the page ♪ ♪ Erase the pain as I burn this sage ♪ ♪ There's tears shed in that sweat lodge ♪ ♪ Pray hard for the ones gone ♪ ♪ Tired of losing our people to this suicidal addiction ♪ ♪ We spent our time at the bars ♪ ♪ where we should be learning traditions.

♪ ♪ There's children out there starving ♪ ♪ Living in the worst conditions ♪ ♪ We never cried because we had less ♪ ♪ Little Johnny failed his math test ♪ ♪ When his native kid is mad stressed ♪ ♪ Trying to cope with his dad's death.

♪ ♪ We need less grief and more celebration ♪ ♪ Learn the culture and learn the language ♪ ♪ Go to school, get your education ♪ ♪ There's more than life than the reservation ♪ ♪ Moment of silence for all of our sisters ♪ ♪ We filled with pain but we still living ♪ ♪ Our native people just built different ♪ ♪ I don't care about what they think ♪ - Let's go.

♪ It don't matter what they say ♪ ♪ They try to make me feel like what I'm doing ain't great ♪ - Make some noise.

♪ With my brothers ♪ ♪ My mother ♪ ♪ Missing all our missing sisters ♪ ♪ I know we'll see better days.

♪ ♪ Better days, better days ♪ ♪ Better days ♪ ♪ Look, we need medicine from that jingle dress ♪ ♪ We heal when we hear that sound.

♪ ♪ Sometimes it's our own kind that still wanna tear us down ♪ ♪ We need old stories from the elders that's ♪ ♪ Gonna help us when we feel helpless ♪ ♪ Fake leaders that try to beat us ♪ ♪ They own equal so selfish.

♪ ♪ Look, McGinsey in the sky ♪ ♪ Holding all the knowledge as he flies ♪ ♪ The wagon getting tired by the women ♪ ♪ Right by the sacred fire.

♪ ♪ I just want to keep things alive ♪ ♪ How I want no commits to cry.

♪ ♪ Too many of us hopeless and we die ♪ ♪ Just follow that smoking, calling that lies ♪ ♪ calling that, calling that lies ♪ ♪ From the past I can hear your cries ♪ ♪ I hope that you hear it ♪ ♪ I hope that you hear this drama and all this trauma ♪ ♪ That's why we fight each other over nothing.

♪ ♪ I swear to God, that's what they want ♪ ♪ I think it's time to do something.

♪ ♪ I don't care about what they think ♪ ♪ It don't matter what they say ♪ ♪ They gonna try to make me feel like ♪ ♪ What I'm doing ain't that great ♪ - Hands up, side to side.

♪ Missing all our missing sisters ♪ - Y'all y'all feeling Detroit?

♪ We know we'll see better days.

♪ ♪ Better days, better days ♪ - We gonna see better days.

Ain't that right?

Make some noise if y'all gonna see some better days.

(crowd cheering) My name is Stuart James.

You can follow me on Instagram.

Make some noise.

Thank you, Soufy.

(upbeat music playing) ♪ So to the finest place ♪ ♪ Seeing everything a different way ♪ ♪ Just hue of who I used to be ♪ ♪ With shadow hanging over me ♪ ♪ There's part of me that blames myself ♪ ♪ It took it so long to climb my way out ♪ ♪ But you are somebody different then ♪ ♪ Camouflaging as a better man ♪ ♪ Now I throw paint ♪ ♪ I throw walls again ♪ ♪ So I can make some sense of the mess ♪ ♪ I'm left here with ♪ ♪ Just a glimmer of light ♪ ♪ Shining colors now I'm so blue ♪ ♪ So blue ♪ ♪ Everything in my eyes ♪ ♪ Turn to black and white ♪ ♪ I'm blue ♪ ♪ Your favorite shade of blue ♪ ♪ Your favorite shade ♪ ♪ Wish I could take back the every time ♪ ♪ Take your paintings off the walls, that's fine.

♪ ♪ I rather change this whole apartment ♪ ♪ Than have to keep a piece of you in it ♪ ♪ Now I throw paint, I throw walls again ♪ ♪ So I can make some sense of the mess I'm left here with ♪ ♪ Just a glimmer of light ♪ ♪ Shine your colors ♪ ♪ Now I'm so blue ♪ ♪ So blue ♪ ♪ Everything in my eyes ♪ ♪ Turn to black and white, I'm blue ♪ ♪ Your favorite shade of blue ♪ ♪ Your favorite shade of blue ♪ - Detroit, how we doing?

(crowd cheering) ♪ Just a glimmer of light ♪ ♪ Shade of blue ♪ ♪ Your favorite shade of blue ♪ (crowd cheering) And I wrote this song called Another Stranger.

♪ Think that you know somebody ♪ ♪ 'Til you're dead wrong ♪ ♪ Fell for the side you showed me ♪ ♪ Not what you don't ♪ ♪ Didn't think think that it could be so bad ♪ ♪ Had to do a double back ♪ ♪ How did I end up in the middle of this ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ Always had an explanation for your moves ♪ ♪ Your words aren't matching up with what you do ♪ ♪ You are nothing but another stranger ♪ ♪ You too mean now that I know you're a faker ♪ ♪ Than a chip on your shoulder ♪ ♪ And the lies I know you told her ♪ ♪ And the lines that you said you wouldn't cross ♪ ♪ You are nothing but another stranger ♪ ♪ The more you give love ♪ ♪ You get in return ♪ ♪ Where did I get so messed up?

♪ ♪ Where did it blur?

♪ ♪ Said you love me ♪ ♪ I took that as fact ♪ ♪ Turn around and stab me in the back ♪ ♪ Now I understand the sneaky way you move ♪ ♪ It's not matching up with what you do ♪ ♪ You are nothing but another stranger ♪ ♪ You are new to me now that I know you're faker ♪ ♪ Then that chip on your shoulder ♪ ♪ And the lies that you told her ♪ ♪ And the lines that ♪ ♪ You are nothing but another stranger to me ♪ - Can I get your hands up in the air?

♪ You cut me so ♪ ♪ Am I a fool because I meant it?

♪ ♪ How much were you pretending?

♪ ♪ Then I think I did it this time.

♪ ♪ Gave you my love ♪ ♪ You're a fool because you meant it ♪ Can I see your best hair flip?

Let's go.

Hey, one, two, run.

♪ You ♪ ♪ Are nothing but another stranger.

♪ ♪ Who are you to me?

♪ ♪ Now that I know you're faker ♪ ♪ Said you wouldn't cross ♪ ♪ Are nothing but another stranger to me.

♪ Hey!

This is the first song I ever made.

This one's called Lie to Me.

It's from like a decade ago.

The OGs.

♪ I don't want to sleep alone.

♪ ♪ Boy, I'm lonely.

♪ ♪ I know you said I'd be all right, ♪ ♪ But come back to the city and see me.

♪ ♪ Now, listen all the lovin' you're giving me ♪ ♪ And even if I'm not the ♪ ♪ Only one receiving ♪ ♪ Tell me that I have you.

♪ ♪ Tell myself lie to me, lie to me ♪ ♪ Tell me that I have you.

Oh.

♪ ♪ I tell myself ♪ ♪ Oh ♪ ♪ Tell me that I have you ♪ ♪ All to myself ♪ ♪ Oh ♪ ♪ Tell me that I have you ♪ ♪ Oh ♪ Hey!

One, two, three.

(upbeat music playing) Hey, hey!

♪ I don't care about the lies about the times ♪ ♪ you're out of line, you've let me dry ♪ ♪ Left me in state of mind ♪ ♪ For you I would cross the line ♪ ♪ Because I'm missing all of the love ♪ ♪ That you give me ♪ ♪ And even if I'm not the ♪ ♪ Only one you're seeing ♪ ♪ Tell me that I have you.

♪ ♪ Tell me that I have you all to myself.

♪ ♪ Oh, lie to me, lie to me ♪ ♪ Tell me that I have you.

♪ ♪ To myself ♪ ♪ Lie to me, lie to me ♪ ♪ Tell me that I have you ♪ ♪ All to myself ♪ ♪ Lie to me, lie to me ♪ ♪ Tell me that I have you, oh.

♪ Hey, hey.

Hey, hey.

Hey!

(crowd cheering) (upbeat music playing) - Go ahead, DJ.

(slow music playing) Hey.

Give you guys a little bit of the resistance music.

♪ Look, Heaven and hell, ♪ ♪ Freedom of jail ♪ ♪ This right here, this jail.

♪ ♪ Losing myself ♪ ♪ They runnin' for help.

♪ ♪ Haters think they tell.

♪ ♪ I've been lost inside my conscience ♪ ♪ killing all my monsters ♪ ♪ I take the losses ♪ ♪ I'm not a novice ♪ ♪ I'm making profit.

♪ ♪ I duck and dive past the hater like I was boxing ♪ ♪ Proceed with caution ♪ ♪ I move like I have no options left.

♪ ♪ You get in my way, better attention for you.

♪ ♪ Get slapped ♪ ♪ I'm making moves on my own ♪ ♪ I'm trying to do my best ♪ ♪ And don't you judge me ♪ ♪ If you don't know anything about me.

♪ ♪ I got fans of Japan all the way to Saudi ♪ ♪ Protected by the old ways, Obsidian around me ♪ ♪ Turquoise colored fists ♪ ♪ I'm losing grip ♪ ♪ Don't ever doubt me ♪ ♪ I'm about to raise the country's crime rate ♪ ♪ What?

♪ ♪ Revolution raise my stay ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ They told me that I never leave the rez.

♪ ♪ What?

♪ ♪ Native kids rising from the dead ♪ ♪ Hey.

♪ ♪ Hey ♪ ♪ Hey, hey, hey ♪ ♪ Ain't no way, boy ♪ ♪ Ain't no way ♪ ♪ Ain't no way, boy ♪ ♪ Ain't no way ♪ ♪ Ain't no way, boy ♪ ♪ Ain't no way ♪ ♪ Ain't no way, boy ♪ ♪ They praying my downfall ♪ ♪ Ain't no way, boy, they're hoping I fall off ♪ ♪ Ain't no way, boy, they're praying my downfall ♪ ♪ Ain't no way, boy.

♪ ♪ They're hoping I fall off ♪ ♪ Ain't no way.

♪ ♪ I've been lost in the sauce for a good minute.

♪ ♪ Filled a swimming pool and I jumped in it.

♪ ♪ I've been the real me ♪ ♪ I never had a gimmick ♪ ♪ Now I seen murder like it was no limit ♪ ♪ X said I was a narcissist ♪ ♪ Cold world, no more hearts to give.

♪ ♪ I dedicate this to my homies dead ♪ ♪ Cried too much, no more tears to shed ♪ ♪ I'm the Purpose Club and I'm from the rez.

♪ ♪ You heard what I said ♪ ♪ I'm vet ♪ ♪ The stripes, I need more paint ♪ ♪ Don't need a priest ♪ ♪ I don't need a saint ♪ ♪ They're looking at me like I'm bad habits ♪ ♪ Stack into the green ♪ ♪ I'm up like cabbage ♪ ♪ Check the status ♪ ♪ I'm a savage ♪ ♪ Live in lavish, I got shows in Paris.

♪ ♪ I'm losing myself in the system ♪ ♪ Praying for strength ♪ ♪ I'm looking for wisdom ♪ ♪ Never had to play the victim.

♪ ♪ I handle my problems and fix them ♪ ♪ Debut of the long awaited ♪ ♪ Couldn't see me if you had LASIK.

♪ ♪ Way too sacred to love of basic and the tiny means ♪ ♪ Where we all made it ♪ ♪ Pray on my downfall ♪ ♪ Ain't no way, boy ♪ ♪ They hoping I fall off ♪ ♪ Ain't no way, boy, they're praying my downfall.

♪ ♪ What?

What?

♪ ♪ Ain't way, boy.

♪ ♪ Ain't no way, boy, ain't no way.

♪ ♪ Ain't no way, boy.

♪ ♪ Ain't no way.

♪ ♪ Ain't no way, boy.

Ain't no way.

♪ ♪ Ain't no way, boy.

Ain't no way.

♪ ♪ I'm another native that they want dead ♪ ♪ Nothing new to put a price on our heads ♪ ♪ These rubber bullets quick to turn the lead ♪ ♪ Still have nightmares when I lay in bed.

♪ ♪ Not everybody want to play activist ♪ ♪ 'Til it's time to ride now you're pacifist.

♪ ♪ Y'all full of... ♪ ♪ You need laxatives ♪ ♪ I'm a warrior first before the rapid... ♪ ♪ Having these visions of Chiefs when I sleep ♪ ♪ Praying for strength whenever I'm weak ♪ ♪ Been to hell and back and I earn my keep ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ And I put that on me.

♪ ♪ Put that on me.

Yeah, I put that on me.

♪ ♪ Better run up if you about that action ♪ ♪ I stay with the heat ♪ ♪ Never catch me on the sideline lacking, calling nines.

♪ ♪ Won't take my shine.

♪ ♪ I said these calling nines won't take my shine.

♪ ♪ What?

♪ ♪ I said these calling nines won't take my shine.

♪ ♪ What?

♪ ♪ Said these ♪ ♪ Because I pray on my downfall.

♪ ♪ Ain't no way, boy.

They hoping I fall off.

♪ ♪ Ain't no way, boy, they pray on my downfall.

♪ ♪ Ain't no way, boy.

Ain't no way, boy.

♪ ♪ Ain't no way.

♪ ♪ Ain't no way, boy.

Ain't no way.

♪ ♪ Ain't no way, boy.

♪ ♪ Ain't no way.

Ain't no way, boy.

♪ ♪ Ain't no way.

♪ ♪ Ain't no way, boy.

Ain't no way.

♪ ♪ They pray on my downfall ♪ (crowd cheering) Hey.

All right.

Song right here is called End Up Dead.

Let's listen to the lyrics.

♪ Look, turquoise season ♪ ♪ Mother Earth been bleeding ♪ ♪ Sacred songs sung ♪ ♪ so you know what we believe in ♪ ♪ From seeing stone paintings ♪ ♪ Written on the canyon walls, ♪ ♪ Moonlight dances, medicine and fancy shawls.

♪ ♪ Sacred as the ancestors, lost of warrior calls.

♪ ♪ I bring life into these beats ♪ ♪ From a place that's long forgotten ♪ ♪ Caution where you step ♪ ♪ There's always one or two that's watching ♪ ♪ Lost of making profit off our pain ♪ ♪ It's the same ♪ ♪ New players in the game ♪ ♪ I found myself way too faint ♪ ♪ It's been the same ever since I get some fame ♪ ♪ Don't be so quick to throw a fist up ♪ ♪ Tight land back till it's actually time ♪ ♪ To take some land back ♪ ♪ And I don't believe in throwin' shots ♪ ♪ to anyone doing work, ♪ ♪ But even I'm guilty of putting that on a T-shirt ♪ ♪ Contradictions and contradictions like we've been living ♪ ♪ It's hard to make moves in a capitalist system ♪ ♪ I've been told all the good ones turn up dead ♪ ♪ How I feel to have a census number on your head ♪ ♪ Talking to police that get you filled with lead ♪ ♪ Another one reported missing because her skin is red ♪ ♪ This might pop off ♪ ♪ Lock jaw in there ♪ ♪ Raw dog ♪ ♪ Sawed off ♪ ♪ 12 wire handcuffs ♪ ♪ I been to the rez ♪ ♪ All the good ones ♪ ♪ Always turn up dead ♪ ♪ Miss me with that bull - ♪ ♪ I'm about to lose it ♪ ♪ Pock it in, I shoot it ♪ ♪ Do for the movement ♪ ♪ Dreaming lucid ♪ ♪ Day ones on my chest, I'm rooting.

♪ ♪ Kept it moving ♪ ♪ Undefeated, never losing ♪ ♪ Inconsistently consistent cooking ♪ ♪ You like instant noodles in the kitchen ♪ ♪ What these rappers lack is vision ♪ ♪ I wait two minutes just to keep all up ♪ ♪ I make last conviction ♪ ♪ I'm looking for the pitches.

♪ ♪ I don't need religion ♪ ♪ I'm illegal to you pigeons ♪ ♪ Watch the ones that talk too much, but never listen ♪ ♪ Turn me up some.

I'm looking for the lump sum ♪ ♪ These rappers talk ♪ ♪ But their rhymes are dime a dozen ♪ ♪ I'm really from these rez roads ♪ ♪ Ask my cousins ♪ ♪ In my bag, baby ♪ ♪ Yeah, you heard me right ♪ ♪ They tried to take me out ♪ ♪ I'm not going out without a fight ♪ ♪ They tried to take me out ♪ ♪ I'm not going out without a fight ♪ ♪ I've been told all the good ones turn up dead ♪ ♪ How it feel to have a census number on your head ♪ ♪ Talking sh- police that get you filled with lead ♪ ♪ Another one reported missing because their skin is red ♪ ♪ Might pop off ♪ ♪ Geeked up, Lock jaw in there ♪ ♪ Raw dog, 12 gauge, sawed off ♪ ♪ Bob wire handcuffs ♪ ♪ Tie me to the rez ♪ ♪ All the good ones always turn up dead ♪ (crowd cheering) - [Announcer] Funding for Detroit Performs is provided by the Kresge Foundation, the Fred and Barbara Erb Family Foundation, and by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.

(upbeat music playing)