- Details
- By Native News Online Staff
MINNEAPOLIS — On Thursday, November 30th, Anishinaabe Hip Hop artist Tall Paul releases the official music video for his new single Someone Great Who Looked Like Me, filmed by Mercies May. The song explores the life and legacy of Jim Thorpe, a Sac and Fox tribal member voted the greatest athlete of the 20th century by ABC Sports. Filmed during a cross country road trip while visiting various sites historically relevant to Jim Thorpe, the video is set to the backdrop of Kansas, Oklahoma, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
In the first verse Tall Paul remembers his own involvement in athletics. Highlighting the importance of youth having idols that they can identify with from a cultural and communal standpoint, he raps about the positive impact his older brothers had on him while teaching him the game of football. In contrast, he recalls that there were no widely known professional Native American athletes for him to idolize during his childhood.
In the chorus Tall Paul imagines a childhood spent watching Jim Thorpe on television, expressing his wish that Jim Thorpe received the same attention as athletes in modern times. Emphasizing the similarities between himself and Jim Thorpe, such as their shared love for sports and their history of alcohol use, Tall Paul expresses that these similarities empowered him in his sobriety and artistry.
In the second verse Tall Paul draws comparisons between his experience in foster care and Jim Thorpe’s time in boarding schools, referring to foster care as “the modern-day boarding school.” In the third verse he makes an argument for Jim Thorpe being the greatest athlete of all time, referencing Jim Thorpe’s Olympic gold medals and multiple sports Hall of Fame inductions.
Watch for the release this Thursday, November 30, 2017.
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsUS Presidents in Their Own Words Concerning American Indians
Star-Studded Livestream to Boost Native News Online’s Year-End Campaign
Monday Morning (December 8, 2025): Articles You May Have Missed This Past Weekend
Native News Weekly (December 7, 2025): D.C. Briefs
Help us defend tribal sovereignty.
At Native News Online, our mission is rooted in telling the stories that strengthen sovereignty and uplift Indigenous voices — not just at year’s end, but every single day.
Because of your generosity last year, we were able to keep our reporters on the ground in tribal communities, at national gatherings and in the halls of Congress — covering the issues that matter most to Indian Country: sovereignty, culture, education, health and economic opportunity.
That support sustained us through a tough year in 2025. Now, as we look to the year ahead, we need your help right now to ensure warrior journalism remains strong — reporting that defends tribal sovereignty, amplifies Native truth, and holds power accountable.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Your support keeps Native voices heard, Native stories told and Native sovereignty defended.
Stand with Warrior Journalism today.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher
