Laura Power
Northern News Services
Published Friday, September 7, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE - Aaron "Godson" Hernandez will represent Yellowknife in Bootlegger's "Generation B" contest this fall.

Aaron "Godson" Hernandez is shown here during his performance at Rockin' the Rocks last weekend. - Jessica Klinkenberg/NNSL photo

More than 60 people across Canada were chosen to exemplify their areas as high achievers. Over the course of about a month, people will cast their votes and the winner gets to take home a cheque for $10,000.

Hernandez said he is up against quite a bit of competition, including a number of other musicians.

"I think that my main competitor's Suzie Ron, she's a musician ... because she's gone through voting processes before I haven't," he said.

This is the clothing store's second time hosting the national competition, but this year has become more personal for Yellowknife. Kyla Kakfwi Scott, manager of the Yellowknife Bootlegger store, explained that in last year's competition one representative was chosen for a larger region.

"I don't think the community really related to our candidate because he was from Fort St. John, B.C.," she said of national speed skater Denny Morrison. "I really pushed for Yellowknife to have our own candidate - there's so much talent in the North."

Hernandez was chosen because of his accomplishments in music over the years, but also for his other efforts.

Along with the release of eight albums and visits to many communities around the North, Kakfwi Scott said he has done well for youth.

"He's done public service announcements to get kids to quit smoking. He gives a lot back to the community and he's really making an effort to give a positive image to youth and to be a positive role model," she said.

Hernandez started up a facebook group aimed at getting support and votes from people within the community. The number of people who have joined the group is already hovering at about 1,000. He said 30-40 other contestants have done the same by creating a facebook group, but that he thinks his is the biggest so far.

"I think if I get Yellowknife to pull together and vote for me I think I can pull it off," he said.

In the group description, Hernandez (whose daughter Selena was born just weeks ago) said that he'd use the money for diapers - though he has musical plans for the cash too, if he wins.

He said he will "try and upgrade a studio that I can use for other people who mainly don't have the band element to them.

"More like the R&B singers, the rappers, stuff that doesn't require a whole lot of setup but that I have a knowledge of."

He also said that a ninth album could be coming out soon if he wins the prize.

The polls will open on Sept. 13 and voting continues until Oct. 11.