Guante

Guante
Guante performing in 2010
Background information
Birth name	Kyle Tran Myhre
Also known as	El Guante
Born	(1983-01-23) January 23, 1983[1][2]
Origin	Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Genres	Underground hip hop, Midwest hip hop
Occupation(s)	Rapper, poet, educator
Years active	2007–present
Labels	Tru Ruts / Speakeasy Records
Associated acts	Big Cats!, See More Perspective, The Tribe, Claire Taubenhaus, No Bird Sing, Kristoff Krane
Website	www.guante.info

Kyle Tran Myhre (born January 23, 1983), better known by his stage name Guante, is an underground hip hop artist, National slam poet Champion (2008-2009), activist, and educator from Minneapolis.^[3]Myhre's work has been published in Upworthy, MSNBC, Racialicious, Feministing, The Progressive, City Pages, Artists of the Year list, and URB Magazine's "Next 1000" list. He has also appeared on MPR (Minnesota Public Radio). Much of Guante's music explores social justice issues like poverty, greed, and discrimination.^[4]

Biography

Tran Myhre started in the performing arts using Guante as a stage name in 2004.^[5] Since the beginning of his performance career he has spoke out about sexism, racism, homophobia, and social justice issues through his spoken word poetry and hip hop.^[6][7][8] As a hip hop artist he has collaborated with Minneapolis locals Haley Bonar, Kristoff Krane, and No Bird Sing. Big Cats! produced his latest albums, An Unwelcome Guest and You Better Weaponize. Myhre founded the MN Activist Project ^[9] and created the Hip Hop Against Homophobia concerts ^[10]

Tran Myhre describes his talents as a combination of spoken-word and hip hop. Tran Myhre says, "Most of the residency work I do revolves around spoken-word. For people who may not know, "spoken-word" is kind of an umbrella term for performance poetry—it incorporates elements of poetry, theater, storytelling and other forms." He was COMPAS Artist of the Month in April 2014.^[11]

Activism and education

Tran Myhre spends time teaching writing workshops and poetry seminars to young people with an emphasis on community.^[12] Tran Myhre is on the teaching roster at the Community Programs in the Arts (COMPAS), which is an organization that teaches people of all ages about various forms of art.^[13] Within the COMPAS program, Tran Myhre teaches poetry and spoken word to high school and middle school students.^[14][15]

Tran Myhre describes his commitment and motivation to the COMPAS program. "It's really about access. I can play shows and sell CDs as Guante, but COMPAS facilitates my sharing my work with thousands of young people whom I would never have met otherwise. I like to think that they get something out of it, but I know that I get something out of it-- exposure to a new audience, the opportunity to spread this art form that I really believe in, the energy that comes from working with youth, and much more."^[16]

Tran Myhre is passionate about implementing arts into education. "Students who are engaged in the arts are more engaged in general. They become better critical thinkers. They enjoy life more. We have to think about education more holistically," he says. "For all the practical applications of arts techniques, there are some incredibly important intangibles on the table as well. You can use hip hop to teach a kid math, but you can also use hip hop to save a kid's life. Learning about spoken-word is never just about writing poems; it's about critical thinking, leadership, civic engagement, identity formation, having an expressive outlet, and a million other things."^[17]

Discography

Albums

• El Guante's Haunted Studio Apartment (2008)
• An Unwelcome Guest (2009) (with Big Cats!)
• You Better Weaponize (2012) (with Big Cats!)
• Embrace the Sun (2014) (with Dem Atlas & Rube, as Sifu Hotman)
• Post-Post-Race (2016)^[18] (with Katrah-Quey)

EPs

• Start a Fire (2009) (with Big Cats!)
• A Loud Heart (2011) (with Claire Taubenhaus, as A Loud Heart)
• Sifu Hotman (2013) (with Dem Atlas & Rube, as Sifu Hotman)

Mixtapes

• Conscious Is Not Enough (2008) (with See More Perspective)
• Return to El Guante's Haunted Studio Apartment (2009) (with See More Perspective)
• Don't Be Nice (2010) (with Big Cats!)
• Conscious Is Not Enough 2011 (2011)
• Dungeons (2014)

Compilations

• Extra Life (2011)
• A Love Song, a Death Rattle, a Battle Cry (2015)

See also

• Midwest hip hop
• Twin Cities hip hop

References

21. COMPAS Celebrates 40 Years Integrating Art-making-& Education Throughout Minnesota

22. COMPAS April Artist of the Month

23. Exploring Social Issues through Spoken Word Poetry

External links

• Official Facebook
• Official Twitter
• Guante on Discogs
• Community Programs in the Arts