Mohiks Eagle's Fire

Mohiks is a Native American hip hop artist from the Mohegan Tribe of Connecticut.  Mohiks is “wolf” in the Mohegan language.  His music is an inspiring and honest reflection of his life and his unique take on issues facing our society today. Mohiks is currently in the studio writing and recording for his upcoming album, “Red, White, And Blue” which is slated to release on the Fourth of July, this Summer.   

As a youngster, Mohiks and his Mom moved often, bouncing between urban, suburban and rural neighborhoods.  Ever since he could barely walk, Mohiks has always danced at Pow Wows with his family and tribe. In this way, The heartbeat of the drum was ingrained in his spirit.  But, always the rebel, Mohiks was hard to control for a single mother working full-time.  He received a scholarship to an out-of-state prep school, but was expelled for repeated disciplinary issues.  His Junior year of high school, Mohiks became involved in neighborhood drug deals, influenced by the dealers he idolized.  At this point, he picked up the pen.  And he couldn’t put it down.  He found an outlet to express what he saw and felt about his surroundings, and his experience as a “troubled youth” with a passion for girls, cash, and danger. Writing rhymes, was for Mohiks, a method to be understood by both sides of the tracks.  Recording songs with the dealers, and other rappers in his area, things began to take shape. 
  
Growing up, Mohiks’ musical influences included: Bone Thugs N’ Harmony, Tupac, D-Block, Immortal Technique, Joe Budden, Slaughterhouse, Eminem, and the neighborhood hustlers who first got him rapping on stage.  Mohiks has collaborated closely with OnCue over the course of his career, both in the studio on numerous records, and in live performances across the Northeast United States.

Mohiks was awarded a recording contract with the CT Record Label, Da Clef Ent. in 2005, which led him to be interviewed on MTV2's show “Playlistism,” for his musical endeavors and studio-recording.  Later, while living in Brooklyn, Mohiks worked closely with the Nation-Wide Indie Record Label, F.A.M. Records. Mohiks was featured both on official releases, and in live performances from New York City to Pasadena. While living in Manhattan, Mohiks won The Institute of Audio Research’s competition for the "Next Level" performances.  While under both labels, and also while unsigned, Mohiks was simultaneously opening up for major acts across the country. Mohiks has opened for: Styles P,  Jim Jones, Wu-Tang Clan, and member of the Shady Records rap-supergroup Slaughterhouse; Crooked-I, among others. Mohiks has also seen increasing levels of success with his music and poetry collections, which are featured on numerous hip hop blogs, and are also published in the most-current issue of the Online Native American Writers Magazine, Dawnland Voices.  Mohiks has also received spins and interviews on college radio stations like 88.1 FM WESU, on internet radio, and  mixtapes and DVD placements.. 

Mohiks has performed and recorded under different names in the past.  The decision to use his actual native name given to him by his Grandmother, Wopsokuk Yoht (Eagles Fire), was prompted by a life-changing event, that almost killed him. Mohiks almost lost a lifelong battle with depression when members of his family turned on him in a time of need. Turning to substances to cope ignited the tinderbox of his life, and he watched as it went up in flames.  Evicted, rehab-admitted, and eventually incarcerated, Mohiks rose from the ashes like a phoenix, reborn, and vowing to never return from where he came.  He immersed himself in his culture and began, for the first time, dancing both competitions and exhibitions at Pow Wows.  The dance gave him new life.  What his culture had done for him, he now devotes himself to paying forward.  By teaching the youth tribal dances, Volunteer Work on other reservations like Pine Ridge, in South Dakota, and sharing his experience through his music. 
The change in moniker reflects that Mohiks Eagles Fire was forged in the flames of his past, and how he has evolved lyrically. 

“The concept of Red, White, and Blue is a self description.  I’m Red, because I’m Native American.  But I’m white too, because our ancestors had to get along with the neighbors.  It was a matter of survival.  But people don’t get that, Natives and Whites.  So in people's minds, when they see you, you get filed in the “other,” category, so you get misunderstood by both groups of people.  So that alone can get you down sometimes, feel me?  Combined with all the personal **** that we all go through,  It can give anyone the blues.  And so in that way, I’m blue, too.” 

“I want to go places with this album that no one else can go.  Like, how we can hate another human so much to want to kill him, just for what they represent to us, just because they don’t fit any of the archetypes we recognize from what we were exposed to when we were younger.  Like an out-of-body identity crisis.  Our brains don’t compute.  And I’m going places and touching on topics that don’t get much airtime, for that sole reason.  Right now, I’m in the writing process of the album, simultaneously while I'm recording, that's how I like to work.  And lyrically?  I’m not holding anything back.  Production-wise, the vibe draws from my personal relationships for inspiration when I'm picking beats.. all the way to my traditional Native culture.  The album has collaborations with and features people, that I’m truly honored to be working with.  I’m really am inspired by them, and by my culture.  I want to incorporate my music with how we, I, struggle with where we fit in.  I want heads to turn.” 

Mohiks Eagles Fire's upcoming album, "Red, White, And Blue" is slated to release on the Fourth of July, Summer 2018.