Beauvais releases debut album

Rising Kahnawa’kehró:non hip-hop artist Ikey Beauvais, also known as ICO94, is using his voice to transform hardship into hope.

With the early release of his first album, Product of Poverty, on Youtube, Beauvais opens an unfiltered window into his life, his roots, and the realities of growing up in tough circumstances. The release of his full album will be this Saturday.

“This is my first album, the concept of the album is about someone who grew up in poverty and in a tough economy, that you end up being a product, where the majority struggles with money issues and fighting with drug or alcohol issues.”

His songs paint vivid pictures of resilience and survival, but they also speak to a universal truth. “You don’t have to be Indigenous to be in poverty,” he said. “Anyone could be broke, anyone could be in this situation. I’m Indigenous, but it doesn’t matter, anyone could be in a rough economy, anyone could be with a family that never really had much, anyone could end up in foster care, and anyone could be a product.”

One of his earliest defining moments came when he joined a workshop focused on rap battles for social justice. “I went out on my own to this workshop to make a song and to perform it at the Belmont,” he said. “I saw an opportunity to go out there and perform in an environment where it was so new to me.”

Beauvais credits his musical awakening to artists known for using hip-hop as a vessel for truth-telling. “I had a lot of idols. There was Tupac Shakur, Eminem, and Wu-Tang Clan,” he said. “My roots started in Kahnawake. I had to bring it out of town, to Montreal, to areas in Quebec, to areas where I could play, and hopefully that’s making the change now.”

Beauvais wants listeners to feel the reality behind every verse. “I want them to feel the places poverty brought me to growing up, the bad crowds, the negligence, the bad environments, and the situations it put me in, and I want them to hear what I did in those situations to get where I am today to understand me better, that I still kept my faith and resilience.”

The breakout single “Break of Dawn” has become a standout track for fans and for Beauvais himself. “When I was writing it, I thought of my father,” he said. “He always told me ‘early bird gets the worm,’ and every time I play “Break of Dawn,” it reminds me that I got to take action. I’m not here forever. I’m not going to be young forever. I’m going to pursue my dream, wake up early and do what you got to do, no matter what, I’m still pushing for my goal.”

Now accepted into the First Nations Executive Education (FNEE) program at HEC Montreal, he continues to perfect his music craft, leadership, and growing entrepreneurship.

The message of perseverance in Product of Poverty resonates deeply with fans but also with those closest to Ikey Beauvais. His cousin and mentor, Tammy Beauvais, said “Break of Dawn” reflects lessons passed down through generations.

While Ikey’s music reflects personal battles, it also represents a broader movement of healing within Indigenous communities.

“He’s working really hard at not only being the artist, but becoming the entrepreneur, and at the same time, using each song to heal trauma, multi-generational trauma,” said Tammy.

“I’m so proud of him. I’m so excited for him,” she added. “I get to support him in his journey. I see him going really far.”

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