“The Storm,” the debut song from Doc and Spencer Battiest, has been nominated for Outstanding Album Single from the North American Indigenous Image (NAII) Awards.

The stirring performance by Battiest brothers, members of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, was released on iTunes and Amazon.com in early March by Native Music Rocks Records. The single features the rhythmic rap physicality of Doc (nee Zach Battiest) blended with the soulful R&B melodies by Spencer, and represents a homage to the Seminole Tribe of Florida, a love of ancestry, tribal culture, and personal insight. “The Storm” was written and produced solely by the Battiest brothers in Doc’s Hollywood studio during an all-night session and “pays long-passed dues” to the pair’s parents, grandparents, and tribal leaders.

“The most memorable music tells a story that stays with the listener, becomes a part of who they are,” said 20-year-old Spencer, a veteran gospel/ R&B performer with a performance resume that dates from pre-school. “I’ve long admired the work of the NAII and am thrilled ‘The Storm” is being recognized. The song means a lot to my brother and me, and I would love to believe it can touch others.”

The NAIIA Awards honor and recognize outstanding talent in the world of Native American entertainment, media, and the arts. The Battiest brothers will be performing the nominated song at the awards ceremony to be held at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Albuquerque, NM on April 29, 2011.

The song’s lyrics feature a repudiation of the clichéd current public caricature of the Seminoles:

“….Before the Rez before the rock before we had our money, We once was warriors fam keepers of the land, No weapon formed against us could ever withstand, They thought they had our number when they tried to wipe us out…

“…Since they couldn’t take us ‘way now here we stay, Standing strong with our heads up the Seminole way, Tradition flows like the blood in our veins, we’ll never forget from where we came, Unconquered even today…”

The song then returns to the historic beginnings, trials and tribulations of the tribe, with moving lines describing fights with encroaching armies, mothers filling the mouths of crying babies with mud to protect tribal campsites from marauding soldiers, and Chief Osceola’s dramatic declaration of non-surrender.

“We are honored by the nomination and the attention the song is getting. It was important for us to respond to the stereotypes that are out there,” said Doc. “We’ve listened to the stories and songs of our tribe since we were four or five years old and wanted to share the Seminole story with a wider audience.”

Mitchell Cypress, Chairman of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, is proud of the tribe’s ongoing support of the brothers’ gifts. “These young men have written a beautiful and meaningful song that captures the culture, spirit and strength of the unconquered Seminoles,” he said. “I believe the music certainly entertains, but the lyrics have enormous value to the Tribe and to anyone interested in truth.”

Micki Free, Grammy Award-winning songwriter and Vice President of Native Music Rocks, is pleased by the nomination. “I’m proud of this song and what it represents for the Seminole Tribe,” he said. “When I joined Chairman Cypress in his aspiration to introduce the world to the variety of musical talent coming from Indian Country’s best performers, we had a stiff criteria for supporting great music. This single combines extraordinary music with an important message for humanity.”

Contact: Micki Free
954-797-5562
mickifree@semtribe.com

For more information on the NAII Awards, please visit the website at www.indigenousimageawards.com.