Ian Campeau

Ian Campeau has transitioned from a Juno Award-winning musician and co-founder of A Tribe Called Red, to a dedicated social activist and speaker, focusing on Indigenous issues, cultural reclamation, and advocacy for mental wellness and cannabis education. After co-founding the Juno Award-winning group A Tribe Called Red in 2007, Ian Campeau, known as DJ NDN, went on to forge a unique blend of electronic and powwow music, achieving critical acclaim and international recognition. The group pioneered a style termed ‘powwow-step,’ utilizing their platform for social activism, notably advocating against cultural appropriation by requesting fans to refrain from wearing headdresses and war paint at shows. Their self-titled debut album in 2012 and ‘Nation II Nation’ in 2013 were both long-listed for the Polaris Music Prize.

In 2013, the group won Best Group and Best Album for ‘Nation II Nation’ at the Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards, followed by a Juno Award for Breakthrough Group of the Year in 2014. Campeau continued this prolific period with A Tribe Called Red, releasing the protest song ‘Burn Your Village to the Ground’ in 2014 and the pro-wrestling-themed EP ‘Suplex’ in 2015, which also won Best Music Video at the Native American Music Awards. Their critically acclaimed LP ‘We Are the Halluci Nation’ was released in 2016, and Campeau earned the Jack Richardson Producer of the Year Award at the 2017 Juno Awards. He departed from A Tribe Called Red in 2017 to dedicate himself full-time to social activism.

He is actively involved in relearning his Anishinaabe culture, including language classes, and consistently uses social media to share language posts and promote Indigenous authors through a developing book club, demonstrating an ongoing commitment to cultural sharing and community engagement.