Scott Kalama @skottk85 is an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. He works as a certified prevention specialist at the Warm Springs Indian Reservation to mentor youth and raise awareness about the risks associated with drug and alcohol use. Growing up on the reservation, his older brother handed down CDs and mixtapes of Tupac and other hip hop artists which sparked Kalama’s own musical calling and journey.

Performing under the name “Blue Flamez,” he raps about life on the reservation, celebrates pride in being Native American and the teachings he learned from tribal elders, while acknowledging how violence and substance use have scarred his family and community. In November of 2023, Kalama was awarded $150,000 for winning a 20242026 Fields Artist Fellowship from Oregon Humanities and Oregon Community Foundation. He joined OPB's Think Out Loud in the studio for a performance and to share how he plans to use this fellowship to reach a wider audience.

Chapters
00:01 "Hands to the Sky"
02:45 Origin of the name Blue Flamez
05:35 "Beam me Up"
07:35 Inspiration for "Hands to the Sky"
08:26 Living on the Reservation
09:20 Connection to 'being a Warrior'
10:54 Hip hop's impact on Blue Flamez
11:52 Becoming a rapper

Learn more https://www.opb.org/article/2024/02/0...
and
https://www.opb.org/article/2024/02/1...


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