Melle Mel, the first rapper to ever use the epithet MC, is Cherokee and Ernie Paniccioli, a photographer of hip hop culture who grew up in Brooklyn, is Cree.
In the past, the majority of Native American hip hop was to be found in the underground scene, rarely gaining exposure beyond regional hits.
It is run through a website and exhibits which aim to share Beat Nation's work and music, as well as give space for Indigenous hip hop culture to operate.
Unlike the Native Hip Hop Geocities page, this site had working contracts with artists involved - it was started by Manik out of the Redwire Magazine office.
Stretching back as early as October 17, 2000,[13] one of the main websites promoting Native hip hop performers has been NativeHipHop.net, a collective effort with submissions from various artists and members of the public.
Offering a wealth of website links, artist reviews and MP3 downloads – NativeHipHop.net was, in the early days, instrumental and invaluable in networking with Indigenous North American hip hop artists and groups such as Shadowyze, Atzlan Underground, Anishinaabe Posse, Gary Davis, Manik, Natay, 7th Generation, Red Power Squad, Quese The Emcee, Night Shield, Reddnation, Rollin Fox, Supaman, King Blizz and War Party, giving them a voice online.