D Smoke
D Smoke Takes Over The Block In His Stone-Faced ‘Say Go’ Video
After releasing the devastating 2021 album War & Wonders, Inglewood rapper D Smoke begins his 2022 campaign with the video for “Say Go,” the album’s chest-beating second single after after “Shame On You.” Over triumphant horns, D Smoke lays out his philosophy, warning haters that the entire block will slide on his say-so as he marches through the streets of his hometown with seemingly the whole city behind him.
Lending a humorous counterpoint to the stone-faced proceedings, comedian Lil Rel makes an appearance midway through the video to comment on the goings-on, criticizing some of the march’s members for such activities as keeping chicken on leashes. Just watch it, trust me.
In his interview discussing War & Wonders with Uproxx last year, the Rhythm+Flow winner further detailed his defiant philosophy as expressed on the album. “We’re in a different world than we were in when Black Habits came out,” he said. “With the world changing so fast, if we don’t take on an attitude of resistance, or an attitude of strength, or a willingness to fight if things don’t work for us, we will be on the losing end of that… This ain’t a time to shrink. It’s time to grow and get big in the midst of everything we’re experiencing in the world. Because when these things happen, everybody needs an advocate, and you’re your first advocate.”
Watch D Smoke’s “Say Go” video above.
Tevin Campbell’s ‘Can We Talk’ Video Gets D Smoke, Kali, Almighty Jay, And More In The Mood For Love
It has been a while — over three months! — but React Like You Know is back with a new panel of rising stars watching a classic video for the first time. Our return episode is a little late for Valentine’s Day, but as Tevin Campbell’s video for Grammy-nominated 1993 R&B staple “Can We Talk” shows, it’s never a bad time for love — and our panel, which consists of Almighty Jay, D Smoke, Kali, Lakeyah, Niko G4, Stunnaman02, and more, agrees.
Written and produced by Babyface, “Can We Talk” was the first single from Campbell’s second album, I’m Ready, and peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 earning a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America and a nomination for a Best Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance Grammy. The video, shot in a park on a rainy day, follows Tevin and friends as they play a game of football before he and his love interest break off for some private time.
Of course, for much of our panel, these background details are less prevalent in their memories than their moms playing the song on the radio. However, its subject matter proves to be fertile ground for discussion, with many of the rappers reminiscing on the video’s fashion and the relatable feeling of not knowing how to approach a crush. They offer their thoughts on matching ‘fits, writing love letters (Kali’s reaction is *chef’s kiss*), and what’s missing from modern R&B (KenTheMan’s take: “They don’t be standing outside with boomboxes.”).
Watch the latest episode of React Like You Know above.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
[WATCH] D Smoke Hits Inglewood Streets in “Say Go” Video
D Smoke drops the video for “Say Go” off his sophomore album War & Wonders, which is available now on WoodWorks Records/EMPIRE.
Smoke presents the folks from his homeland, starting with the intro to “War & Wonders.” As the triumphal beat of “Say Go” drops, Smoke storms the streets of Inglewood, backed by an army of motorcyclists and the local community. He features an exclusively isolated cameo verse of “Say Go” in Spanish as he floats through the air. Smoke’s genuine character and adaptability are revealed through his frenetic characteristic flow, which is backed by intriguing visuals, highlighting his talent as a rising star in the game.
The post [WATCH] D Smoke Hits Inglewood Streets in “Say Go” Video appeared first on The Source.
The Best Hip-Hop Albums Of 2021
Year after year, hip-hop continues to grow in variety and breadth of content and styles. We’ve long grown used to the melodic and trap-based offerings of the mainstream, but even those genres have kept pushing their boundaries, as has the underground, where adherents are burrowing down further and further into strange sounds and deconstructed rhythms to get their points across. Of course, with the increased variety and volume, it becomes more and more challenging to hit everything on a year-end list like this one. With that said, we believe these are the best representatives of that diversity, showing everything that hip-hop can be, should be, will be, and stubbornly remains in the face of massive cultural upheaval and growth.
Boldy James & The Alchemist — Bo Jackson
In much the same vein as his Griselda compatriots, Boldy stacks syllables like Jenga blocks, building precariously teetering constructs of assonant vowel sounds to the point you wonder how the whole thing supports its weight. But it does, and Boldy sticks the landing as well as most — perhaps even better — delivering whirlwind tours of trap houses and Detroit city blocks in which he did dirt and learned to survive. On Bo Jackson, he pairs once again with The Alchemist, whose elaborate production offers a smooth-playing counterpoint to the grit of Boldy’s street tales. While many of both artists’ frequent collaborators (Earl Sweatshirt, Curren$y, Freddie Gibbs) pop up throughout, the focus remains fixed on Boldy’s dazzling displays of verbal acrobatics. – Aaron Williams
D Smoke — War & Wonders
The follow-up to D Smoke’s excellent 2020 debut, Black Habits, is far less insular and self-centered; whereas its predecessor focused on telling the story of the Inglewood native’s family and upbringing, War & Wonders is instead concerned with the impact D Smoke looks to have on the world around him. He warns of the dangers of gang life on “Crossover,” admonishes listeners to make the most of their opportunities on “Stay True,” and sets lofty goals on “Better Half.” Employing hard-hitting production and a percussive vocal delivery to make his points, each word lands like a blow on the heavy bag at the boxing gym he recently opened in his hometown. – A.W.
DDG — Die 4 Respect
DDG’s 2021 mixtape Die 4 Respect with the Grammy Award-nominated producer OG Parker of Quality Control is everything the project’s title implies. “I really feel passionate about it to the point where I’d die about this shit like you gonna respect me at the end of this,” the Pontiac, Michigan raised artist told us earlier this year in reference to his transition from being a bonafide YouTube star to a full-fledged artist. In turn, DDG saw several hits off Die 4 Respect. Among them is the platinum-selling hit “Moonwalking In Calabasas” featuring Blueface, “Impatient” featuring Coi Leray, and “Money Long” with 42 Dugg. His heartfelt opener, “Hood Melody” with Youngboy Never Broke Again, tells the story of how he lost his brother to gun violence and is a true display of his abilities as a lyrical storyteller. OG Parker and our July 2021 cover star came through with a project that was both cohesive and offered music that was clearly set out to prove the mixtape’s Die 4 Respect title. – Cherise Johnson
Don Toliver — Life Of A Don
Don Toliver’s Life Of A Don deserves to be played in its entirety starting from the project’s glowing opener “Xscape” to its buoyant closer “Bogus.” Though the loving “What You Need” and “Drugs N Hella Melodies” were the album’s supporting singles, even more desirable songs await for anyone who takes a dive into the full collection of 16. If you have never been to Houston before, “Double Standards” takes you right to the center of the city and its follow-up “Swangin On Westheimer” keeps you there. It’s one of the most beautiful transitions that serenely introduces a side of the H that is palpable for anyone who has never been. “Outerspace” featuring Baby Keem is another standout track off Life Of A Don (more Don and Keem collabs please) and “You” with Travis Scott is a sleeper for sure. H-Town OG Mike Dean’s presence is all over this as well as help from Hit-Boy, Sonny Digital, Mustard and Metro Boomin — yet it all still sounds like it came from the same planet. Donny is devotedly opening a new paradigm for melodic rap and what it means to be an artist with Life Of A Don, it’s just up for the rest of the world to catch up. – C.J.
Guapdad 4000 & Illmind — 1176
There were many, many projects that were bigger than Guapdad’s collaborative effort with Illmind this year. None of them were as personal, as vulnerable, or as real as 1176, which is all of the things hip-hop is supposed to be. As he exorcises his demons, Guapdad showcases his storytelling skills (“Uncle Ricky”), his devilish sense of humor (“She Wanna”), tender regard for his Filipino roots (“Chicken Adobo“), and a gift for personal exegesis (“Stoop Kid”), all while Illmind stretches his sonic palette in unexpected ways (the Alice Deejay flip on “How Many” is a favorite). Guapdad 4000 may be known as a scammer but in 1176, he’s as authentic as it gets. – A.W.
Huey Briss — Grace Park Legend
If Vince Staples holds an arm’s length disdain/acceptance of his tormented past in Long Beach, Huey Briss‘ sophomore effort is like a reporter standing in a hurricane, describing the events happening around him. Detailing his harrowing hood narratives with an unrattled placidity, there is a sense that, unlike his fellow citizen, Briss hasn’t quite lost hope — or maybe that he’s found the same sort of sardonic fatalism with a slightly more upbeat sense of humor. Entirely produced by Nikobeats (the son of the legendary DJ Babu of Dilated Peoples fame), the Grace Park marries smooth backpack beats with Huey’s densely-packed witticisms for a project that rides from beginning to end. – A.W.
IDK — USee4Yourself
For IDK, following up his excellent debut album, the existentially inquisitive Is He Real?, presented something of a challenge. After all, once you’ve set the bar that high, it’s hard to clear it — and even if you do, there will be plenty of naysayers who will almost certainly dispute the results. However, in not succumbing to the pressure to cater to those naysayers by sticking to emotionally and sonically safe material, IDK manages to not only clear the bar he set but raise it as well. Eclectic and wide-ranging both conceptually and musically, IDK bares his flaws, insecurities, and epiphanies with rare panache. – A.W.
Isaiah Rashad — The House Is Burning
If you’re going to take a damn-near five-year hiatus between albums to get your life right, your return project has to justify that wait for ravenous (and fickle) fans, or you may as well have retired. Fortunately for the TDE hotshot, his comeback feels every bit as electric as his debut. It’s more weathered and in some places, he sounds weary (“Darkseid,” “THIB“), but he also sounds revitalized and recentered (“From The Garden,” “Wat U Sed“), issuing hard-won observations and heavy-hearted moments of clarity. – A.W.
J. Cole — The Off-Season
J. Cole has received a lot of flak over the years for a lot of reasons, but one thing no one can take away from him: The boy can rap his all-American ass off. By restricting the aims of his latest album to simply proving that, he accomplished the unlikely goal of turning all the “J. Cole is boring” doubters into believers. That makes The Off-Season a triumph, a testament to the benefits of hard work, practice, and stubborn dedication. – A.W.
Lakeyah & DJ Drama — My Time: Gangsta Grillz Special Edition
The second Gangsta Grillz tape produced by DJ Drama in the span of a year (the first being Tyler The Creator’s also-excellent album, Call Me If You Get Lost, which you’ll find further down this list), this one has the special distinction of being one of the very few granted to a female rapper. Given hip-hop’s regrettable relationship to the female gender and Drama’s well-earned reputation, you can rest assured of at least one fact: Lakeyah is a rapper’s rapper. The Milwaukee native followed up her impressive showing in the rollout of XXL’s 2021 Freshman Class with this tape, which is a strategy that must certainly pay dividends with her rap credibility as she works her way up the Quality Control priority list. – A.W.
Lil Baby & Lil Durk — Voice Of The Heroes
Each year, some corner of the music world grants us collaborative projects between artists who were able to fine-tune their chemistry for a full-length project. In 2021, that came about through Lil Baby and Lil Durk’s Voice Of The Heroes. The project came through the rappers’, and their respective fan bases, realization that their vision and artistry fell in line enough for a full body of work. Propelled by highlights like “2040” and “That’s Facts,” Durk and Baby delivered on expectations for the project that flaunts what two of today’s best hip-hop acts have to offer. – Wongo Okon
Lil Nas X — Montero
The quintessential pop star for 2021, Lil Nas X’s Montero is the ultimate wink and a smile to anyone who doubted him as an industry one-hit-wonder. On “Dead Right Now,” he sings: “Left school, then my dad and I had a face-to-face in Atlanta / He said, ‘It’s one in a million chance, son,’ I told him, ‘Daddy, I am that one.’” It’s pensive moments like this tucked within an album of tongue-in-cheek mega-hits like “Industry Baby” and “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” that flash true dynamic artistry across pop and hip-hop. When the dust settles, this will go down as the year of Lil Nas X, after all, who else can claim that they gave Satan a lap-dance, had a track with Elton John on their album (“One Of Me”), and was named The Trevor Project’s Suicide Prevention Advocate of the Year? – Adrian Spinelli
Little Simz — Sometimes I Might Be Introvert
Talk about a breakthrough album. London’s Little Simz emerged as one of the best newly established voices in hip-hop on the Inflo-produced Sometimes I Am Introvert. She tackles the album in complete fashion, showing that no subject is too difficult for her to master as a songwriter. She extols the mind and presence of Black women on “Woman,” flaunts her panache with fellow British-Nigerian Obongjayar on “Point And Kill,” and unapologetically opens up about the toll her relationship with her estranged father has taken on her in “I Love You, I Hate You.” In the latter, she rises above the pain, emerging triumphantly as a person and an artist, flawlessly sliding in between every note of the beat and leaving a lasting mark in the process. – A.S.
Lute — Gold Mouf
For those artists who are fortunate enough to be signed to more established artists’ labels, as Lute is on J. Cole’s Dreamville imprint, life can be something of a struggle to stand out enough to earn fans’ approval separate from their benefactors. Fortunately for Lute, he does enough well on Gold Mouf to prove he deserves to be seen every bit as much as his label peers (JID, Earthgang, Bas). Executive produced and sequenced by Rapper Big Pooh and Phonte Coleman of Little Brother, respectively, the album is an emotive experience that recounts Lute’s relatable insecurities, anxieties, and victories. – A.W.
Mach-Hommy — Pray For Haiti
Rapping like a waterfall over deconstructed samples and muted drums, Mach-Hommy has found a niche over the past few years — the same niche occupied by contemporaries such as Griselda Records rappers Westside Gunn and Benny The Butcher, as well as longtime New York underground stalwarts like Roc Marciano. Incidentally, it was in linking up with the Griselda gang that Mach-Hommy’s profile shot up, and Westside Gunn executive produces here, once again demonstrating his gift for pairing bar-heavy rappers with just the right production and collaborators to best offset their crowded writing with the contrast that only a drum-less jazz sample can provide. – A.W.
Moneybagg Yo — A Gangsta’s Pain
Moneybagg Yo’s hustle over the decade paid off in the highest form in 2021. The Memphis rapper’s fourth album A Gangsta’s Pain grew to be his most successful project to date as it spent multiple weeks atop the album charts. The success behind this project can be credited to a well-orchestrated blend. A hit single (“Wokesha”), highlight guest appearances from Future, Jhene Aiko, Lil Durk and more, as well as a story to tell proved to be the perfect concoction for Moneybagg’s latest project. Best of all, he was able to avoid sounding repetitive on A Gangsta’s Pain, an underrated quality that helped boost the album’s overall experience. – W.O.
Playboi Carti — Whole Lotta Red
For many Playboi Carti fans, the wait for Whole Lotta Red was a grueling one. However, to their delight, the project arrived beside their holiday presents on Christmas in 2020. Carti’s entire brand is unharnessed energy, and while Whole Lotta Red attempts to reel in that that energy, unintentional room for that to thrive appears in various pockets of the album. Through 24 songs and contributions from Ye, Future, and Kid Cudi, Whole Lotta Red adds another chapter to Carti’s thrilling story as one of hip-hop’s biggest rockstars. – W.O.
Polo G — Hall Of Fame
With every project that Chicago rapper Polo G releases, his stock in the rap game increases. His debut Die A Legend made him a young name in hip-hop worth paying attention to. His sophomore effort The GOAT solidified his presence in music for years to come. Now, his third album Hall Of Fame presents a rapper who can stick to his roots and present himself as a top-selling rap product. Through 20 songs, Polo G not only shows that his pen has improved but also his awareness towards records that will pop and bring a bigger spotlight to him. – W.O.
Rico Nasty — Nightmare Vacation
When Rico Nasty first roared onto the SoundCloud rap scene in 2016, her rawness was part of the appeal. Now, five years, seven mixtapes, and a debut studio album later, she’s one of mainstream hip-hop’s most interesting figures, as much — more — of an innovator than any of her punk-rock-influenced peers. On Nightmare Vacation, she justifies every ounce of hype while utilizing every tool on her belt. There are her signature yell-rap anthems (“STFU,” “Smack A Bitch Remix”), hyperpop experiments (“iPhone”), and dreamy trap bangers (“Don’t Like Me”), all utterly saturated in her uniquely rebellious spirit. – A.W.
Skyzoo — All The Brilliant Things
Being independent in the rap game is both a supreme gift and a withering curse. Take, for instance, Skyzoo’s latest album. Untethered to the limits of the major-label system, Sky was able to craft one of the most inspiring and intricately-constructed rap albums of the year. However, without those major-label resources, it went largely overlooked — which is a shame, because there were few projects this year as consistently… well, brilliant as this one, on which tracks like “I Was Supposed To Be A Trap Rapper” turn staid hip-hop tropes on their ears and “Bodega Flowers” implores us all to salute our greats before they’re pushing up daisies. Well, salute, Skyzoo, one of the best out today. – A.W.
Topaz Jones — Don’t Go Tellin’ Your Momma
It’s not every day that one of the best albums of the year also picks up a short film jury award for non-fiction at Sundance Film Festival but that’s what Topaz’s latest managed at the top of the year. A stunningly executed concept album in its own right, Don’t Go Tellin’ is an incredible rap genealogy project, following the Montclair, New Jersey native as he explores his family’s history, then shares it with the world. Awash in the influences of funk mainstays such as Sly And The Family Stone, peppered with jazz intonations and marked by Jones’ deft recollections, Don’t Go Tellin’ shows what a refined version of the artform can look like when crafted with care. – A.W.
Tyler The Creator — Call Me If You Get Lost
Pound for pound, one of the most impressive studio releases of the year, Call Me If You Get Lost finds rebellious Tyler taking a nostalgic step back to redeem the blog era credit from which he was either barred or that he himself spurned (depending on which version of him you ask). Tapping mixtape maestro DJ Drama and emblazoning his latest with the Gangsta Grillz label is deceptive, though; as much as he revels in the sheer art of rhyme (“Lumberjack,” “Juggernaut“), he also finally gets more vulnerable and expansive than he’s ever been (“Massa,” “Manifesto”), pushing the series beyond mere mixtapes into something richer and much more vital. – A.W.
Vince Staples — Vince Staples
Call me biased (Long Beach, stand up), but I don’t think a single rap project this year came close to touching Vince Staples’ eponymous fourth studio album. Clocking in at just ten tracks — as many of the great albums do — Vince’s new approach strips away bells, whistles, and several layers of anything resembling varnish to expose the gritty truths he bares throughout its harrowing narratives. Trading in his frantic yelps for a laconic, resigned incantation, Vince invites listeners to not just watch the movie but inhabit his point of view. If you don’t get it, that’s on you. – A.W.
Wale — Folarin 2
For years, Wale has not only believed his own hype but also been its main proponent. While he’s never exactly labored in obscurity, he’s unfortunately been regarded as something less than what he actually is by hip-hop fans at large, which is one of the best bar-for-bar rappers the game has ever seen. He came by that assessment honestly too, via a deep, abiding, and near-obsessive love for the art form. Here, he displays that love, culling samples from across the breadth of the genre (Q-Tip on “Poke It Out“). As a result, it looks like that love is finally being reciprocated as fans learn to appreciate just what he brings to the game. – A.W.
Young Thug — Punk
Young Thug’s career is filled with individual eras. There are the rapper’s red-haired and blonde eras as well as that for Slime Season and Jeffery. Thug’s second album Punk issues another chapter for the rapper’s extremely unique career. Falling on the opposite side of the spectrum from his debut So Much Fun, Punk finds Thug going against the grain of his own career and the expectations of his fans. Vulnerability, honesty, and a story to tell all stand at the forefront of Punk. However, just like Thug’s previous projects, it serves as another example of the rapper doing what he wants. – W.O.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
D Smoke Brings The Violence Back To Rap On The Triumphant ‘War And Wonders’
When Inglewood rapper D Smoke says that hip-hop isn’t violent enough, I know exactly what he means. See, D Smoke is an old soul — and old enough to remember the times in rap when voices like NWA, Ice Cube, and Tupac Shakur ruled the airwaves. So, he isn’t talking about mainstream rap’s obsession with “opps” and the near-constant threats and menacing in lyrics promising bloody retribution against hazily defined, likely hypothetical enemies.
Instead, his philosophy can best be summed up by his aggressive single “Shame On You,” from his newly released sophomore effort, War & Wonders. “Two times for n****s that ain’t gon’ lose,” he barks on the song’s militant chorus. “Three times for n****s that break wrong rules / One time for n****s that paid those dues / Listen, if you ain’t getting it, then shame on you.” See, D Smoke comes from a different vein of rapper, one more focused on using his influence to do good in the community than on being a billionaire. Think early Cube, “Changes” Tupac, or more recently, Nipsey Hussle.
It was evident from his opening bars on the Netflix series Rhythm + Flow (which helped launch him to the level he’s since reached) that he had a peculiar outlook and wasn’t going to take a typical rap journey. It became even more evident on his soul-washed, family-focused, Grammy-nominated debut album Black Habits. It’s rare to see a new artist nominated so quickly for a prestigious award — yes, the Grammys are still prestigious until further notice — but Smoke, an industry veteran as a producer and songwriter with a musical family that includes TDE crooner SiR, took the changes in stride.
Now, on War & Wonders, he aims to bring that violence back to hip-hop; not the gangbanging, opp-pack-smoking, shootouts-over-drug-money type violence, but the roll-up-your-sleeves, hitch-up-your-pants, defend your turf from encroaching outsiders and internal degradation variety. Over lunch at The Farm of Beverly Hills, D Smoke laid out his world view, including how it’s changed on the album, the work he hopes to see in his hometown as massive developments threaten seismic social upheaval, and whether or not he’s switching teams with the Los Angeles Clippers moving in down the street.
I would love for you to expound on what the title means to you, how you came up with it, and how that relates to the music that’s going to be on the project.
War & Wonders is my body of work that captures the struggles and the battles that we go through, both literally, like the war in the streets in Inglewood, and also just the internal battles that we fight. And then the wonder is for those of us who are strong, that stick it through, what we experience on the other side of that. The bliss, the joy, the love that we experience. So it’s going to capture the duality of what it means to be D Smoke — the D Smoke that grew up fighting in school, but also the D Smoke that had a 4.0. The D Smoke that went to UCLA but was rapping and handing out mixtapes his freshman year. So it allows me to just be all of who I am, and the music is just, it’s dope. What can I say? I’m in love with this project.
Yes, sir. I love that you spoke about the duality of growing up in the hood and getting out and going back to the hood and taking in the differences. We have so many examples of that. Why do you think that resonates so much with rappers who come from LA?
Man, it’s a lot that people don’t understand about how the hood operates, right? People, they see the gang bang and they see the red and blue. They see Crenshaw and Manchester versus Crenshaw and Slauson. But what they don’t know is that the same ones that’s in the streets will also push the talented few or the talented many, but they’ll push the gifted ones into whatever they’re gifted at.
If you’re a baller in the hood and you pull up with a basketball, asking for a pistol, they’re going to be like, “No, this ain’t yours. The ball is yours.” Right? If you’re a scholar in the hood, they’re not going to let you put a gun in your backpack, they’re going to be like, “No, fill that up with books.”
So part of War & Wonders is painting that all-around picture of what it means to come up in the hood, giving the OGs and the gangsters more love than this one-dimensional depiction of them, that music sometimes gives. Because the gangsters are the mentors too. A lot of times gangsters are more attentive than some of the professionals. The professionals ain’t got time for you. The gangsters are present and they’re not just the mentors to young gangsters. They’re the mentors to the young scholars, too.
And all of us have those who look out for us. So when we’re talking about Inglewood and we’re talking about duality, it’s not just the duality of being D Smoke. It’s the duality of being anybody from the world because nobody is one-dimensional. I know gangsters that’ll make you laugh like they’re Kevin Hart. And then if shit go down, they’ll turn around and be more ready than any soldier. So that’s why I love War & Wonders. It just puts things in perspective in a way that I think music should.
Yes, sir. In terms of growth or… I don’t want to say growth because it’s never growth, right? It’s change. Change is the key. How would you say things have changed for you since Black Habits to now? And how would you say that change has expressed itself on Black Habits versus War & Wonders?
First and foremost, the world has changed. This music is coming from a place and a time where everybody in the world is experiencing an unprecedented degree of new challenges, right? How everything operates is different from how we move through the world. Whether it be the mask-on/mask-off argument or how we approach prioritizing our health. We’re in a completely different world altogether.
So, whereas Black Habits was a family story, War & Wonders is a community story. And I always view myself starting very close to home and slowly expanding. So, War & Wonders has moments where we talk about Inglewood. One song, I’m talking about a youngster that I lost while I’m in the classroom, and then I find out he passed. And I tell that story of me growing up with him and then having to find out that he got lost to the streets. But then, of course, having recently gotten married, there are moments of just love on my project. And even J. Cole, at one point, said, “This is the part that the thugs skip. Young n**** never had love.”
And you know what’s funny? They don’t.
They don’t skip it! They don’t skip it.
That’s the thing they want more than anything.
So War & Wonders is that project where they get bits and pieces of both sides. But we’re in a very different place. We’re in a different world than we were in when Black Habits came out. And so I also think, with the world changing so fast, if we don’t take on an attitude of resistance, or an attitude of strength, or a willingness to fight if things don’t work for us, we will be on the losing end of that.
King Los told me, “Embrace your darkness.” Because showing people that is what will make them accept and embrace your light. They know you have the light to offer. Be all the way honest with them.
Royce da 5’9″ — and I understood exactly what he was saying — was like, “Rap music is not violent enough anymore.” And you think about violence in the broader sense of the word. It’s not just walk up and slap somebody. At its root, it’s the willingness to go against something that’s opposing you. And so War & Wonders has that kind of energy on it.
The people who are more critics than listeners might be like, “What’s D Smoke doing?” But the people who listen for the intent and follow through here in the project, they going to respect the fact that we took that stance and made that approach to this project because the world needs it. People don’t need to shrink. This ain’t a time to shrink. It’s time to grow and get big in the midst of everything we’re experiencing in the world. Because when these things happen, everybody needs an advocate, and you’re your first advocate.
I got a sense of that on one of the recent singles, “Shame On You.”
“Shame on You” got that energy.
What are some of the things that maybe you wouldn’t have expected or that other people wouldn’t have expected to have changed since Rhythm+Flow?
I don’t think that people expected my success on the show to automatically amount to a successful career in music. And that’s because there hasn’t been evidence of that with the exception of American Idol.
Show’s been on the air for 20 years.
Exactly. Exactly. And we could probably name five that we still know. Clay, Fantasia, Kelly, Ruben, and that’s where my list stops.
My mom loves Fantasia!
But from The Voice or Making the Band, we know funny moments.
We know cheesecake.
Right. Exactly. So Dylan, Dylan, Dylan.
Dylan, Dylan.
So one thing that people didn’t expect is that amounting to what we had. I always knew that it was the work, the plan, and the vision that would result in that. And nobody had to tell me that, it’s just me being older and having had really big looks and moments of success, and then having gone back to being like, “Okay, I’m back in the classroom teaching again, because I got to call somebody and ask them to put a song I produced on an album,” versus me stepping outside and being like, “I’m going to plan another tour.”
So all of those experiences led to me choosing to be my own artist. And that’s how we got here. Some of the unexpected things that I experienced personally, I’m grateful for the amount of attention that comes. That’s cool. That’s what young artists aspire to experience. It’s just little stuff: like sometimes people don’t know how to have respectful boundaries of a human being. So getting physically grabbed. I don’t respond well to that. And it’s not big dudes that will do it, it’s older women who be like, “Boy, ain’t you…” Like they your auntie. But grab you physically.
They’ll be excited.
And you’re like, “Ma’am, God bless you, but please don’t grab me, because…”
Where I’m from, I react different.
It’s like you got to relearn how to live. You live differently, you move differently. And that’s the part that you don’t see, people making those adjustments, even within their family. I’ve had to teach family members how I prefer us as a family unit to behave on social networking. We no longer post vibes. We no longer say, “We’re over here right now.” Because people follow my family members.
There’s lots of talk about Inglewood in the news lately because of certain developments coming from organizations like the Clippers. How do you feel about some of the stuff they’re doing, as someone from Inglewood?
The thing is, I wish they connected with me a little more on those things. I have some ideas, and I hope… I can’t wait to get with Ballmer about this community. If there’s a stadium being built, then there needs to be a center being built. Every stadium should have a center for the youth. Within three miles, two miles of it.
Close enough to walk.
Close enough. Because there’s so much money and it’s just a small fraction of what it takes to operate that, to build something like a YMCA, or like a Boys and Girls Club, that’s also run by somebody from that community. And so that’s a conversation that I’ll continue with me and David Gross, having the boxing gym close. It’s not far, it’s outside of Inglewood, but it’s within the vicinity, to kind of initiate. So it’s just socially and culturally responsible to put something there for the youth. And that’s a conversation I’m going to push for. But I’m open to being informed on what they are doing in the community.
Which LA team do you root for the most? Because you’ve performed for one, but I need to know.
I’m a Laker fan, a Laker fan. But put it this way: I grew up a Laker fan, and I’m still a Laker fan. But I’m an all-teams LA fan, all-LA teams fan for basketball. I happened to be in the stadium the night that the Clippers beat the Heat. They came back from like 25 points at half-time. I performed that night and I witnessed one of the greatest comebacks I’ve ever seen live in person. When I performed, I didn’t know that that was going to happen. I’m performing at half-time at a time where the score is so bad some people are leaving at half-time.
Those are the long-time Clipper fans.
Exactly.
We’re still traumatized.
It’s like, “I don’t want to witness it today. I’m trying to spare myself.” But I said, “How many of y’all know this game ain’t over yet?” And then, the song was “No Commas.” I said, “Ain’t a dollar sign tag on some peace of mind, jack / We could take a loss, we gon’ get it right back.” And they went on to win the game. But just to experience that upfront personally, you just got to have respect for that degree of heart that goes into it, and feeling like I contributed something to that game.
Oh, they definitely took something out of that.
So, I have to root for them.
Where do you see D Smoke being next year, a year from now? Are you looking at another Grammy nomination? Are you looking at a world tour? What’s the ultimate goal? Where do you find yourself?
Gosh, the Grammy nomination is outside of my hands. We are submitting ourselves for consideration. So we’re confident that the project is beautiful. If they respond to it, cool. If for some reason they see a different group of people that are qualified, or they connect with different bodies of work, that’s cool too. Because I know fans are going to feel about this project. I know it’s something that they’re going to want to experience in person and we will get back outdoors, both in the States and abroad. We’re excited about that. And that’s within our control. So if it happens, that’s dope, super dope. It was dope when it happened this time. But I feel like this project competes with anything that I’ve heard and anything that I’m going to hear, for the year to come.
War & Wonders is out now via Woodworks and EMPIRE. Get it here/
D Smoke And His Brother SiR Wonder What ‘Common Sense’ Costs In A Soulful New Single
Earlier this week, D Smoke announced the title and release date of his upcoming second album, War & Wonders, after releasing a pair of singles in 2021 that built anticipation for a follow-up to his Grammy-nominated debut, Black Habits. In January, he started the long-play rollout with the video for “It’s OK,” then held back on releasing “Shame On You” until August, with its video following this month.
However, it seems now that the announcement is official, he’s not waiting to put out new music. He did so today in the form of “Common Sense,” a jazzy, introspective single that questions “Who you working for? / What you represent?” Smoke’s brother, TDE singer SiR, also appears to a plaintive chorus wondering, “What’s the price we pay for common sense?” And although the title’s parallel to the rapper who formerly went by Common Sense is probably a coincidence, D Smoke actually just performed with the Chicago legend, posting pics from the event on his Instagram.
In addition to the singles promoting his new album, D Smoke also released a handful of commercial singles this year, including the Last Chance U theme “Basketball,” the Spotify Sessions single “Sade,” and a feature verse on Nigerian artist Fireboy DML’s “Champion.”
Watch D Smoke’s “Common Sense” video featuring SiR above.
War & Wonders is due 9/24 via Woodworks/EMPIRE.
D Smoke Announces His Second Album ‘War & Wonders’ And Reveals Its Release Date And Artwork
It was just seven months ago that D Smoke released the deluxe edition of his debut album, Black Habits. The reissue added four songs and features from Snow Tha Product and E-40 to the already stellar project that showcased appearances from Ari Lennox, Snoop Dogg, Sir, Jill Scott, Davion Farris, Jackie Grouche, and Iguocho. Since then the Inglewood rapper has remained fairly active on the music scene by releasing a string of singles and it turns out that some of these outputs could appear on the rapper’s upcoming sophomore album which he announced on Tuesday.
D Smoke took to his Instagram to officially announce his upcoming album, War & Wonders. The rapper revealed the project would arrive on September 24 and even unveiled its artwork, a painting of D Smoke himself standing tall while a number of people are piled on top of each other around him. D Smoke’s most recent single that we can expect to appear on the project arrived last month with “Shame On You.” The track showed love to the rebels fighting for a righteous cause.
Elsewhere in 2021, D Smoke delivered a tribute track to Sade and remixed “Gasper Yanga” with Snoop Dogg after dropping “Basketball” for Last Chance U.
You can view the post from D Smoke above.
War & Wonders is out 9/24 via Woodworks Records/EMPIRE.
D Smoke Visits The Motherland To Help A Friend In His Triumphant ‘Shame On You’ Video
Three weeks ago, Inglewood rapper D Smoke dropped his new single “Shame On You,” praising the righteous rebels of the music industry as he made his own return to the spotlight following the success of his debut project Black Habits. Today, he follows up with the release of a defiant music video for the track directed by Sergio & Babajide and produced by Undaunted. Shot in Lagos, Nigeria, the video finds the Inglewood native reconnecting with the Motherland and toasting his own success.
The video’s narrative finds Smoke flying to Nigeria to back up a friend whose village needs protection from corrupt government officials. It’s a theme that the rapper might find relatable as Inglewood becomes the site of ongoing concerns about gentrification. Smoke’s also got a connection to Nigeria through his recent collaboration with Fireboy DML, “Champion,” which came out earlier this year.
“Shame On You” joins “It’s OK” as D Smoke’s second solo video release of the year, but while he’s been low-key in 2021, he’s been far from inactive. In March, he contributed the theme song “Basketball” to the latest season of Netflix’s Last Chance U, then released the smooth “Sade” along with a remix of “Gaspar Yanga” for Spotify. Along with his Best Rap Album Grammy nomination, Smoke’s latest is a signal that his flame is only growing, and it’s time to take note.
Watch D Smoke’s “Shame On You” video above.