Photo Credit: Myspace.com
For over twenty years, Florida has been a hip-hop landmark. From creating the “Miami Bass Sound” that turned Luther Campbell into the black Hugh Hefner, to delivering a hardcore street-edge that has created recording contract opportunities for many residents of the Sunshine State. Up-and-coming rapper Smokey looks to add to this equation of talented rappers, as he proudly displays his Haitian roots and his hometown of Miami on his vocal cords.
After learning the music industry and recording music for nearly 10 years, Smokey has teamed up with the independent label SuperFli Entertainment to release his debut album, “Where There’s Smoke There’s Fire.” Not straying to far away from his hometown roots, Smokey enlisted his fellow Floridian rappers Flo-Rida and the group Git Fresh to create the song, “What Girls Like”–a soon to be smash that is gaining steady rotation on the airwaves.
But he also jumped onto I95 and headed up north to hook up with New York MC Juelz Santana– who’s also one of our December CoverCost–to create the Federal Reserve anthem, “Swimming In My Money.” But with guest appearances aside, Smokey is drawing from his life experiences and love of music to create an album that will establish his name in the hip-hop world for years to come.
CM: First and foremost, how did you get your start in the music business?
S: Well…off of inspiration. I listened to a lot of music when I was growing up, and I started rapping in church. After that, I just started having a passion for it and started loving it. Ever since then, it’s been magic.
Being that you’re on an independent label in the midst of this ever-changing music business, what are some of the benefits that you’ve experienced being an independent artist?
With indie, I think you can market more the way that you want to do it. I also believe it gives you more room for growth, and gives you more knowledge as far as what you can and can’t do.
You created a huge buzz with your debut single, “What Girls Like,” that dropped this past summer with Flo Rida and Git Fresh. The latest single, “Swimming In Money, ”features Juelz Santana. What’s it like working with both of those major artists?
Both of those artists are really at a high caliber. Working with them is a blessing and its two great opportunities that I’ve gotten so far. The vibe and the chemistry are definitely on point.
Are those two singles off of your up-coming album or your mixtape?
Yeah… their off of my upcoming album. As I work more on the album, it keeps getting better and better. I keep dropping more songs and I keep on adding more songs. So, those two will definitely be on there.
Do you have a tentative date for the album?
Nah, not yet–right now were just focusing on marketing the two singles. It’s really getting spread through New York, Philly, the Mid-West and were going to hit up the West Coast in a few. So we working, we’re on this grind.
What’s on the itinerary for 2010?
Work, work and nothing but work; just all grinding and just staying focus. I already got some other songs I got with Pusha T, from The Clipse, and a whole bunch of songs we haven’t released yet. It’s all about hard work and staying on the grind at the end of the day.
For more on Smokey and his debut album, visit www.myspace.com/smokeyfli.
