Smoke Grey Interview from Bubble Shake Magazine
What name do you go by and why that name?
My name is Smoke Grey aka Barry Bonds. I got the name Smoke as a teenager. Aside from the obvious reasons, Smoke has deeper meanings to me. Smoke itself is formless and ever- changing. Its hard to be contained and often deadly if under-estimated. I could find no better parallel to myself. Grey represents the duality of life. It represents positivity and negativity. Dark and light. And ultimately; contains elements of both. Life isnt black. Life isnt white. Life is very much grey. My government name is Barry. Labeling myself Barry Bonds was a no brainer
How long have you been rapping?
I've been rapping for as long as I can remember. I was 8 years old recording myself rapping over instrumentals in my room. As I got older, it became a common pass time while smoking in the stair case. After doing it recreationally for so many years, going to the pros was an easy transition.
Where are you originally from?
I'm from the North-East Bronx, New York City. Bronx Boulevard & East 224th St to be precise. An area referred to as Wakefield on subway maps. We refer to it as the Bangin Two Twenties. Shout out to White Plains fukin Road.
When did you become a part of Specialyst Ent?
I've been a part of Specialyst Ent since its inception. I was there before Specialyst was a music label. I was there when the Specialysts were just 5 niggas running the streets, gettin money. I was there when we had nothing. Before it was cool to be a Specialyst, I was a Specialyst.
I take alot of pride in that history. Our ride wasnt an easy one. The trials and tribulations we went through as a unit could have destroyed us. Instead it strengthened us.
At the end of the day, I still fuck with the same niggas I fucked with my whole life. Torch has always told me "loyalty is everything". Thats something i live by. I've been a Specialyst for 13 years. I'm gonna die a Specialyst.
How did you and Maybach Music Group artist Torch end up working together on his label?
As I said, I've been Specialyst since adolescence. Torch's family lived up the block from me and he went to the same high school as my brother, Sinna Warbuckz. We met on 224th & Carpenter Ave. By the end of the day we were trading verses, smoking spliffs on a park bench. Since that point on, we've been family. As we got older, we got more heavily involved in the streets. By then we had recorded our first few songs together and were making a name for ourselves in the Bronx as a duo calling ourselves the Specialysts. But when the music was put to the side, Me and Torch got money in the streets together. We wrote the song "Crack Money" sitting in a trap house out of town. But as they say...nothing lasts forever. After a while the police caught wind, and within 8 months, the whole team got locked up for 1 thing or another. After Torch beat his charge, he moved to Miami. Doing dirt down there, he linked up with a local hustler and rapper named Teflon. Teflon grew to the mogul we know today as Rick Ross. Torch, Ross, and GunPlay grinded hard and slowly began gaining notariety. Ross, and Triple C's blew up, then incorporated Maybach Music Group. Once Torch came back to New York and founded the label, I was put into my position.
Looking back on it all, I guess I was blessed. I grew up next to giants. I was never recruited or scouted into the Specialysts. I came up with the Specialysts. We all came up together. I've been anointed to this shit since I was a child.
Where can we find your music and more from Smoke Grey?
I'm somewhere on every project Torch has released. I'm heavy on youtube. I'm ondatpiff.com, reverbnation, wemix, and anywhere else independent music is posted. I'm grinding hard on the mixtapes and internet radio right now. . I've been a constant on Specialyst Ent's own Dj Instynctz's Street Khemistry mixtape series; and a main stay on, Fleet DJ's own, DJ Lexus's Product of Tha Streets mixtape series. And I'm getting heavy rotation on www.eventlevel.com/traphouse. Shout to Lou. He keeps this whole machine running. Shout to Sinna Warbuckz, and Money Tree Ent. Shout to Geter K,and Muscle Management. And shout to OnStar. And shout to Ms.LB and the Traphouse Rocks show. Free Murda.
http://www.reverbnation.com/
http://www.facebook.com/
http://www.datpiff.com/SMOKE-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
http://www.wemix.com/clip.
http://www.facebook.com/
http://www.datpiff.com/SMOKE-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
http://www.wemix.com/clip.
Have you done any video's if so where can we find them and which one stood out the most for you?
A little while back I shot a 2 in 1 video for "New York Minute" and "Lights Out" featuring my homie Truth the Gambler. Half was shot in the Bronx and the other half in Brooklyn on Startford Rd & Church Ave. Thats my 2nd home. Shout to the whole S.C.C. My homie Savage of Hood Idol Ent shot it. It was independent. So it definitely has that hood feel. If any one, Id have to say that 1 stood out the most. Its on myspace. View herehttp://www.myspace.com/waren_
I've also made appearances in numerous Specialyst Ent videos alongside Torch and the rest of Triple C's
Who are some of the artist to inspire your career to becoming a artist of hip hop when growing up?
I come from the era of lyricism. When I grew up, rhymes were more important than beats and hooks. We came up on underground NYC mixtapes. As far back as Dj S&S and Doo Wop tapes. DJ Clue tapes were the rage when i first got heavy into rhyming. I fucked with the whole Queensbridge movement, Mobb Deep, Nature, Cormega, and CNN were some of my favorites. I bumped to AZ, The Lox, Boot Camp Clic, and Wu-Tang. And of course the legends, Notorious BIG, Nas, and Jay-Z. As a child, my pops groomed me on the likes of Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, and KRS-One. I'm a student of hip hop. More than just music. Ive been on the street corners. Ive been in the train yards with spray paint cans. Now I'm in the corner offices. I AM HIP HOP
Besides your label mate's who are just some other artists that you have worked with so far? who would you like to calibrate with in the future?
I got a joint with Lord TarIq that my cousin KB of Diamond Life Ent put together. I'm real proud of that joint. More recently I've worked with Domination of Bang Em Smurf's Feed Da Wolves. Those is my peoples. I did work with Clap Cognac and BG The Prophet. I've also got some other things in the works I cant speak on quite yet. I did alot of work with my homie Truth the Gambler from Stratford Rd. Thats my brother. He's a ridiculously talented dude. Shout to A.Liez the Villanous, Infra-Red, and Severe aka Crime. Warlords!
before we role out are there any thing you would like to tell any of your fans that's looking to follow into your foot steps?
Stay diligent. Its a cold game with no shortage of pitfalls and obstacles. Stay family oriented and surround yourself with good people. You're only as strong as those you stand with. Put God and family first, you'll never go wrong. I tell my son time is your most valuable asset. Its the one thing that can never be replaced. Other than that....grind hard. Hard work always pays off.
Shout to DJ Soja Realz and BubbleShakeRadio. I appeciate the connect. Spread love...its the BX way!
Lead Poizon [Body Bagg Muzik] KomiN SooN
Booking and contact info:
Jewelz aka Sinna Warbuckz
@WarbuckzSPC
sinnaisme@gmail.com
Bronx Boulevard STAND UP!!
ReplyDeleteWARLORDZ NIGGA!! KEEP GRINDIN SMOKE...I SEE U BOY!!!!
ReplyDelete