Shub, pioneer of Powwow Step and founding member of JUNO-winning group A Tribe Called Red, returns with the new album Heritage (Part Two), the concluding chapter of his most ambitious project to date. Completing the story begun on Heritage (Part One), the album serves as a two-part autobiography tracing both Shub’s roots and his vision for the future of Indigenous music.
“Heritage is about bridging generations,” he says. “It’s about taking what our ancestors passed down and making sure it continues to evolve. Our culture isn’t stuck in the past, it’s alive, it’s powerful, and it belongs on the biggest stages in the world.”
Originally conceived as a single album, Heritage eventually expanded into two releases, a decision Shub says allowed the music “to breathe and tell the full story.” While Part One introduced a celebratory blend of hip-hop, ’90s IDM, dub-infused trip-hop, and drill bass, Part Two sharpens the full scope of his sound, bringing together electronic production, hip-hop, and the powwow energy he grew up with.
“Heritage is more about where I come from, bringing my culture forward, introducing it to new spaces, and showcasing who I am,” he explains.
The album’s collaborative spirit is central to its impact, featuring appearances from DJ Paul, Natasha Fisher, Aysanabee, Drezus, and Sebastian Gaskin, among others. “Hearing these artists step onto these tracks and take them somewhere I never could have on my own… that was the most rewarding part of making this record,” says Shub.
At the centre of the album is focus track ‘Rise’, an emotionally charged collaboration with Aysanabee and Drezus. Built from what Shub describes as “nothing forced, nothing overthought, just real energy,” the track explores solidarity, resilience, and mental health through soaring vocals and deeply personal lyricism.
“The song to me is community,” says Aysanabee. “Indigenous people rising together.”
Drezus adds: “Success doesn’t mean anything if your spirit is still suffering… this one’s for the people fighting battles no one else can see.”
The accompanying video, filmed inside Toronto’s St. Stephen-in-the-Fields church, combines performance footage with archival imagery of children in residential schools, grounding the song in both history and survival.
Shub first rose to prominence with A Tribe Called Red, helping define the powwow-step movement through tracks like ‘“’Electric Pow Wow Drum’ which fused EDM with Indigenous rhythmic traditions and amassed more than 30 million streams globally. Since launching his solo career, he has released acclaimed projects including PowWowStep and War Club, composed the award-winning soundtrack for The Grizzlies, and earned the 2022 JUNO Award for Contemporary Indigenous Artist of the Year from the JUNO Awards.
Raised in Fort Erie as a Mohawk and member of the Turtle Clan of the Six Nations of the Grand River, Shub developed his signature sound by connecting the rhythms of grass dance songs with the pulse of electronic music. That fusion became the foundation of powwow-step and continues to shape his work today.
With Heritage (Part Two), Shub delivers a project rooted in identity, collaboration, and forward momentum, a celebration of Indigenous culture that looks firmly toward the future.
