Aspiring hip-hop musician wants to inspire Indigenous youth with 'reality rap' from northern B.C.

An aspiring musician hopes his "reality rap," rooted in northern B.C., will inspire Indigenous youth. 

"I grew up in the 'hood and the reservation," Dino Alec told CBC. "Now people say I ... give them hope."

By day, Alec, 25, works as a carpentry apprentice at the Site C dam mega project. By night, he's a rapper with the stage name 2sockZ.

Active on social media, 2sockZ was already a fan favourite at one of his first rap shows late last year.  

Inside a packed Prince George nightclub, 2sockZ sported a baseball cap and two long, black braids.

As he grabbed the microphone, a crowd of young people pressed toward him, chanting his name. 

"The crowd was awesome," said 2sockZ. "I was so nervous right before I went on ... all the chanting started and it was just unbelievable. It was a blessing."

Alec's father was there, too, one of the oldest people dancing in the crowd. His presence was significant, because Alec's father's old cassette player played a role in his musical development.

"When I was growing up, I used to stay with my dad in the summertime on the Tachet reserve," said Alec. "He used to have this old cassette player and we'd be able to record over blank tapes So, I'd take beats and listen and then I'd rap in to the tape recorder. I'd play it back and listen to myself on tape."

Now, Alec raps from his reality. His lyrics draw from his life on the Lake Babine First Nation and in Prince George's inner city.

"The [inner city] was partying and drinking, doing drugs, selling drugs," said Alec. "I was in the 'hood and the gang lifestyle."

Now, Alec says he's sober, and pouring his energy into hip hop.

He's writes songs, performs as much as he can, and posts his hip-hop videos online.

The videos capture him rapping at local spots like the streets he grew up on and outside the Value Village where he shopped as a child.

Alec sees his music as a representation of his life and the continuation of a long tradition.

"Music itself is very strong in my culture," he said. "One of my grandpas was very heavily involved in that culture of traditionally singing and traditionally dancing. This is my way of using that background to pursue my music," he said. 

"I like to show my pride in my people," he said.