Smoke DZA
Smoke DZA | |
|---|---|
 DZA performing at a concert in Tempe, Arizona in December 2010. | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Sean Pompey |
| Born | February 8, 1984 New York, New York, United States |
| Origin | Harlem, New York, United States |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupation | Rapper |
| Years active | 2002-present |
| Labels | Cinematic Music Group, Jet Life Recordings, Warner Bros. Records |
| Website | www.smokedza.com |
Sean Pompey (born February 8, 1984), better known by his stage name Smoke DZA, is an American hip hop recording artist from Harlem, New York City. He is signed to Jet Life Recordings. Smoke DZA decided on his moniker after being influenced by Chris Tucker's character Smokey from the movie Friday and the acronym DZA stands for "Dream Zone Achieved".[1]
Biography
1984-2007: Early life and career beginnings
Smoke DZA was born February 8, 1984 at Harlem Hospital in New York City and has lived in New York all his life. The son of two Guyanese immigrants, Smoke was exposed to music at home by his father and fell in love with hip hop at a young age.[2] He grew up listening to and emulating fellow New Yorkers Jay-Z and Notorious BIG.[3] After dropping out of high school to pursue his music career, DZA began battle rapping and has battled fellow Harlem MC J.R.Writer.[4] He was discovered by Jonny Shipes of Cinematic Music Group in 2002 and went on to ghostwrite for numerous rappers, including Hi-Tek.[5] In 2002 he partnered to become one half of the group Smoke & Numbers until going solo in 2008.[6]
2008-present
Since splitting from Smoke & Numbers to pursue a solo career,[6] DZA has released a string of mixtapes including Substance Abuse, Substance Abuse 1.5, George Kush The Button, Rolling Stoned, Sweet Baby Kushed God, Cuz I Felt Like It and K.O.N.Y. He has worked with Big K.R.I.T., Wiz Khalifa, and ASAP Rocky among others and is a founding member of the Smokers Club.[7] His album, Rolling Stoned was awarded the High Times Doobie Award for Hip Hop album of the year for 2011.[8] DZA latest album Rugby Thompson was released in June 2012 by High Times/Cinematic Music Group. The album was produced entirely by Harry Fraud.[9] The album features numerous artists including Action Bronson, Currensy, Domo Genesis, Schoolboy Q and ASAP Twelvyy.[10]
Musical style and influences
Smoke cites fellow New York natives Jay-Z and Notorious B.I.G. as his main influences. As an adolescent he would use their songs and write his own lyrics, helping him learn rhyming patterns."I used to re-write Biggie. It started with "Mo Money Mo Problems." I would switch up the words, make it my own.[11] He has also cited fellow Harlem rappers like Mase, Big L and Dipset as influences and inspiration.[12] Though he is often mistakenly classified as a "weed" rapper, Smoke considers himself a lifestyle rapper and prefers not to be confined to one genre of rap.[13] DZA's albums and mixtapes often feature many collaborative tracks. DZA says he enjoys collaborating with fellow artists like Dom Kennedy and Kendrick Lamar as he feels it helps him "step his ball game up" in terms of his craft.[14]
Discography
- Albums
- Rolling Stoned (2011)
- Rugby Thompson (With Harry Fraud) (2012)
- Mixtapes
- Substance Abuse (2009)
- Substance Abuse 1.5: The Headstash (2010)
- George Kush Da Button (2010)
- T.H.C. (The Hustlers Catalog) (2011)
- Sweet Baby Kushed God EP (2011)
- Cuz I Felt Like It (2012)
- K.O.N.Y. (2012)
- Ringside (2013)[15]
Guest appearances
| Title | Year | Other artist(s) | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Dream" | 2009 | Shiest Bubz | — |
| "No Wheaties" | 2010 | Big K.R.I.T., Currensy | K.R.I.T. Wuz Here |
| "Skybourne" | Currensy, Big K.R.I.T. | Pilot Talk | |
| "Purple Sowa" | Shiest Bubz | — | |
| "Nothing But Us" | Ski Beatz, Currensy | 24 Hour Karate School | |
| "Type of Cat" | 2011 | Fiend, Big Sant | Life Behind Limo Glass |
| "We What's Happening" | Fiend, Big K.R.I.T. | Tennis Shoes And Tuxedos | |
| "Cherry Pie" | Rich Hil | 500 Grams | |
| "All In My Mind" | Jae Millz, Gudda Gudda | Property of Potentness EP | |
| "Winning" | Mookie Jones | P.Laya A.Ss N.Igga | |
| "Rowland" | 2012 | Wiz Khalifa | Taylor Allderdice |
| "Life Instructions" | Currensy | Covert Coup | |
| "J.L.R" | Currensy, Young Roddy | The Stoned Immaculate | |
| "Mirrors" | Currensy | Cigarette Boats | |
| "K.U.S.H." | T. Mills | Thrillionaire | |
| "Power Ballad" | Domo Genesis | No Idols | |
| "Perrier & RosÃ" | Nakim | YNWA+S | |
| "Freaks" (Remix) | Mookie Jones | — | |
| "Smoke Good, Live Good" | THEBLKHANDS, Fenix | ||
| "Grind And Put In" | H-Man | ||
| "Blue Room" | Al-Doe, Chase N. Cashe | ||
| "Goodness Gracious" | Willie the Kid | ||
| "dontmissthisjethoe" | Corner Boy P, Young Roddy | Money Neva Sleep 2 | |
| "Hypnotized" | 2013 | Dubb | — |
| "You Ain't On It" | Chase N. Cashe | ||
| "Underground Airplay"[16] | Joey Badass, Big K.R.I.T. | Underground Airplay | |
| "From Da Soul" | Wink Loc, Peter Tambaskis, Preme da Prez | Locomotive 3 | |
| "The Price is Right" | Fiend | Lil Ghetto Boy | |
| "3 The Hardway"[17] | Young Roddy, Styles P | Good Sense 2 | |
| "Weight" | Mazzi, N.O.R.E. | — | |
| "Only One"[18] | Big K.R.I.T., Wiz Khalifa | K.R.I.T. (King Remembered In Time) | |
| "Niggas 4 Life"[19] | Funkmaster Flex | Who You Mad At? Me or Yourself? | |
| "So Beautiful"[20] | Jae Millz | Property Of Potentness 2 | |
| "Money Team"[21] | Larry Fisherman, Ab-Soul, Dash | S.H.O.W.TIME |
Music videos
| Title | Year | Director |
|---|---|---|
| "Smoke-n-Dope" Ft. Curt@!ns | 2010 | Treezy (Visually Inklined) |
| "Divine Music" | 2010 | Sam Rogers, Kory Smith & Treezy (Visually Inklined) |
| "Continental Kush Breakfast" | 2010 | Treezy (Visually Inklined) |
| "Marley and Me" | 2010 | Coodie & Chike (Creative Control) |
| "The World" | 2011 | John Colombo |
| "Always Been" Ft. Mac Miller | 2011 | Tony Billz & Steve-Ography |
| "Gotta Get Paid" Ft. Big K.R.I.T. | 2011 | Joseph Zentil |
| "4 Loko" Ft. ASAP Rocky | 2011 | Kory Smith & Cristopher Schafer (Visually Inklined) |
| "Loaded" | 2011 | Samuel Rogers |
| "Christmas in the Trap" | 2011 | Slick Jackson |
| "Money Down" Ft. P-IC | 2012 | Slick Jackson |
| "New Jack" | 2012 | Nicolas Heller |
References
- ^ "TI50: Smoke DZA Says His Name Came From The Movie "Friday" & LA Has The Best Weed". Thisis50.com. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
{{cite web}}:|first=missing|last=(help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Digiwaxx TV and @PhotosbyRome Present: A Conversation with @SmokeDZA". Video. Digiwaxx. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
{{cite web}}:|first=missing|last=(help) - ^ Pomellis, Ayarra. "Smoke DZA Interview: "Rolling Stoned"". Raw Roots. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
- ^ "Video: Smoke DZA Interview with Angela Yee". Nah Right. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
{{cite web}}:|first=missing|last=(help) - ^ Marrack, Peter. "Interview: Smoke DZA". The Marrack. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
- ^ a b Marrack, Peter. "The Interview with Smoke DZA". Respect Magazine. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
- ^ Markman, Rob. "Fire Starter: Smoke DZA". MTV. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
- ^ Black, Bobby. "2011 Doobie Awards Round Up". High Times. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
- ^ Diep, Eric. "Album Stream:Smoke DZA "Rugby Thompson"". Complex Magazine. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
- ^ Badami, Anthony. "Discovery Smoke DZA". Interview Magazine. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
- ^ Badami, Anthony. "Discovery: Smoke DZA". Interview Magazine. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
- ^ "Smoke DZA Talks "Rolling Stoned" Reviews". Deal with No Deal. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
{{cite web}}:|first=missing|last=(help) - ^ "Smoke DZA Interview with Good*Fella Media". video. FreshGrind.com. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
- ^ Meara, Paul. "Smoke DZA Interview". TheMearaBlog.com. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
- ^ http://rapradar.com/2013/04/07/new-ep-smoke-dza-ringside/
- ^ http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/videos/id.12500/title.joey-bada-f-smoke-dza-big-k-r-i-t-underground-airplay-
- ^ http://www.datpiff.com/Young-Roddy-Good-Sense-2-mixtape.472793.html
- ^ Paine, Jake (April 10, 2013). "Big K.R.I.T. "King Remembered In Time" Stream & Download Link". HipHop DX. Retrieved April 10, 2013.
- ^ "New Mixtape: Funkmaster Flex 'Who You Mad At? Me Or Yourself?'". Vibe. April 13, 2013. Retrieved April 13, 2013.
- ^ http://www.datpiff.com/Jae-Millz-Property-Of-Potentness-2-mixtape.478837.html
- ^ "Various artists – S.H.O.W.TIME // Free Mixtape". DatPiff. Idle Media Inc. 2008-02-08. Retrieved 2013-03-24.
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