William Keith Pierson, or Jon-C from hip-hop group Winnipeg’s Most and duo Tha Link, was arrested Saturday, Nov. 17. The Winnipeg Free Press reports that Pierson’s list of charges is a lengthy one, stemming from what police turned up after executing a search warrant of a residence where they found cocaine, marijuana, money and body armour.
The news comes just days after the band and their label, Heatbag Records, purchased headstones to honour two homicide victims, Carolyn Sinclair and Divas Boulanger.
The group, comprised of Pierson, Tyler Rogers (MC Charlie Fettah) and Jamie Prefontaine (MC Brooklyn), has been something of a force in Winnipeg’s music scene. In just two years, they’ve released one mixtape and two full-length albums, amassed more than 38,000 "likes" on Facebook and earned a host of honours, including nine Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards.
But they’ve also faced criticism for glorifying violence, drugs and gang lifestyles in the First Nations community. An article in the Uniter in March earlier this year purports Winnipeg's Most’s desire to leave any criminal behaviour behind them, despite Prefontaine being in jail at the time.
In the article, Rogers, who has also served jail time for drug offences, said that while they have lived the life they rap about, and that they rap what they know, Winnipeg’s Most “advocates change” and “turning your life around and doing something with it.”
Just six weeks ago, CBC Music’s Kim Wheeler spoke with Pierson during Aboriginal Music Week. He was confident of the band’s future and specifically said the band’s past was just that.
“Winnipeg’s Most will always be together, making music and albums," he said. "We’ve had some setbacks dealing with past issues before music saved us, but that comes from the depths of Winnipeg’s inner city and being forced through society’s poor grinder. Music shed light on us; now our heads are buried into making music, which is a full-time job. You don’t have time for nothing else.”
Related:
Aboriginal Music Week Q&A: Jon-C
Aboriginal Music Week in photos
Straight Outta Winnipeg