Mardi Gras Indians | New Orleans, Louisiana
Behind the splendid theater and music of the Mardi Gras Indian parade lies a turbulent history: both the legacy of American slavery and segregation that birthed the unique New Orleans tradition and the internecine conflicts that marked itsmearly days, after it took shape in the 1800s to honor the bond between Native Americans and Black Americans in their distinct but entwined struggles against white oppression.
In this context, it was a significant moment when Big Chief Romeo Bougere of the 9th Ward Hunters and Big Chief Jermaine Bossier of the 7th Ward Creole Hunters, who had a personal rivalry to match that of their krewes, joined musical forces as 79rs Gang. After announcing their reconciliation-minded Mardi Gras Indian music to the world in 2014 with their debut album, Fire on the Bayou, they elevated it to another level of pop panache on the 2020 breakout Expect the Unexpected, which seamlessly incorporates singsong fusion of parade chants, drumlines, and hip-hop. The result is a danceable, dexterous popular watermark for
a celebrated but guarded cultural form for which 79ers Gang are the best ambassadors since The Wild Magnolias in the 1970s.
Melding modern hip-hop sensibilities and traditional New Orleans Mardi Gras Indian music with super fresh results, The 79rs Gang originally formed in 2013 when Big Chief Romeo Bougere of the 9th Ward Hunters and Big Chief Jermaine Bossier of the 7th Ward Creole Hunters put their differences aside and came together to build a bridge with music, releasing a traditional Mardi Gras Indian music album (Fire On The Bayou) in 2014. Today, Jermaine and Romeo – working alongside writer/ producer Eric Heigle, have created a new album (Expect The
Unexpected) that is rooted in the unique traditions of New Orleans Mardi Gras Indian culture, while launching that culture forward, bringing each track to dance floors and block parties around the world.