Cree hip-hop trio The NorthStars release debut album 'Dreams'

Members of the Cree hip-hop group The NorthStars credit the power of music with turning their lives around.

TheNorthStarsare made up of EltonJ.Salt,KeithLacroixand Gary Jolly, allofNemaska, Que., aJames Bay Creecommunity of 700 peopleabout 300 kilometres northwest ofChibougamau.

"I can really say that music saved my life," says Salt, 24.

When kids hear their songs for the first time, they literallycry.- DavidHodges

Before music helped him, Salt says hewas drinking a lot and hanging with a bad crowd.

"I was going on a really dark, dark path, " says Salt.

Two years ago, he was attacked and beaten. For him, it was a turning point.

"Music is a really powerful and strong thing that people can use," says Salt. "My life changed a lot when I took music into my life."

The NorthStars are officially releasing their debut CD Dreams this Sunday,June 14 in the Nemaska Recreation Hall. They also recently released a video of one of the tracks on the album, Champions.

Jolly agrees with Salt about the power of music.

"I almost lost my kids because of drinking," says the 29-year-old father of three.

"I had to go for help to stop drinking. I finished adetox program and came back to the community and got my children back."

Salt and Jolly saythey hope their story will inspire others.

TheNorthStarshave also received funding from theNemaskaBand Council and Cree Nation Government tobuilda recording studio in the small community. It will be the first music studioin the Cree Nation, according to Salt.They hope to use it tohelp Cree youth choose a healthy andproductive path.

"There is always the young kid out there who are shy to interact with people. Even to just go say hi to people," says Salt.

"Those are the type of people we want to reach out to and we want to show that music can be a good, educational thing."

The group isbeing mentored into the music industry through the N'we Jinan project, a popular music education program that toured all the Cree communities in James Bay in the spring of 2014. N'we Jinan has also recently launched a record label bythe same name.The NorthStars are the second group signed to thelabel.

For N'we Jinanfounder and music educator, David Hodges, The NorthStars are inspiring because of the effort they have put into their transformation.

"When kids hear their songs for the first time, they literallycry," says Hodges.

"And I ask them 'Why are you crying?' and they tell me it's the first time they have ever been proud of themselves. I feel very honoured and blessed (to be part of this project)."

Themusic studio is expected to open later this summer.