RONAN — Music, as a gift and passion, has played a vital role throughout Tave Hando’s life.

The 27-year-old Native American musician from Ronan has been rapping since he was 12 years old and living on the Crow Reservation in eastern Montana. In high school, Hando participated in freestyle rap battles. starting his craft rhyming in the fashion of a gangster rapper — as was the style in his particular scene.

The blossoming young musician moved to Ronan in 2001, and it wasn’t until a couple years later that Hando felt a change in the tide.

“As I grew up and matured I started moving away from that scene, and it was my family who pulled me off the streets,” Hando said.

It was then that the young artist realized he had the unique ability to show street kids what he had found, that there was something more in the world.

“I said ‘I can do this. With my music I can get to a broader band of people and help them see the bigger picture,’’ Hando said.

Over the past five years, Tave has collaborated with other musicians to project a positive message through his tunes, all the while maintaining his own style.

For some time, Hando played with a local band named CrossTribe, featuring lead singer Pat Matt and Buck Morigeau (also of WarCry) on the guitar. Tave filled in on the drums, guitar, bass, keyboard and vocals where needed — developing his wide-ranging musical talents in that time.

After being asked to play a rap concert in St. Ignatius last month, Tave officially began his solo rapping career and currently has five final cut tracks finished for his upcoming demo album. Hando has been recording the demo at the “Jam Shack”, a garage in St. Ignatius lined with egg cartons for sound-proofing.

CrossTribe and WarCry guitarist Buck Morigeau has even helped out in the studio, laying down some heavy-metal guitar riffs for Tave’s solo album that has been described as “rapcore.”

“I love heavy metal also and this is fast and intense, but it’s all about positive stuff that has changed my life,” Hando said. “If the music has the right sound, everybody is going to listen to the beat and eventually they’ll want to listen to the lyrics too.”

But Hando isn’t only a successful local rap artist — he’s a mentor, role model and motivational speaker. Hando remains active in his street ministry that has taken him to perform at churches, revivals, youth events, and concerts.

Hando has also written, sang, and performed songs as a member of the Native American drum group WarDance Ministries for two years now. The group has taken him all over the western United States, playing regularly with WarDance.

The busy musician may also get a little busier this season as he’s been asked to possibly put together a hip-hop concert on the Flathead Indian Reservation this summer with artists to come to Ronan from as far as California. On top of playing concert/festival promoter, Hando also plans on playing some more solo gigs at local venues in the coming months to spread the word and promote his demo (due out in June) and upcoming debut album on Rez-Erected Records which he aims to finish by Christmas.

Look for a new myspace artist page for Tave Hando in the coming months and until then check out www.myspace.com/rezerectedrecords to stay in the loop.