This First Person column is written by Rollie Pemberton a.k.a Cadence Weapon, a rapper who was born and raised in Edmonton. It is part of CBC’s Black on the Prairies, a series that places Blackness in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba at the centre of the Prairie story. The piece uses Pemberton’s lyrics and audio and video elements from his music to enhance the audience’s understanding of the impact growing up on the Prairies has had on his music.