Smoke DZA | |
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 Smoke DZA performing at Smoker's Club Tour in 2010 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Sean Joseph Pompey [1] |
| Born | February 8, 1984 Manhattan, New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | East coast hip hop |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 2002–present |
| Labels |
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| Website | www |
Sean Joseph Pompey (born February 8, 1984), better known by his stage name Smoke DZA, is an American rapper and songwriter.
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-based rapper J.R. Writer. [4] 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 Achieve". [5] He was discovered by Jonny Shipes of Cinematic Music Group in 2002 and went on to ghostwrite for numerous rappers, including Hi-Tek. [6] In 2002, he partnered to become one half of the group Smoke & Numbers, until going solo in 2008. [7]
Since splitting from Smoke & Numbers to pursue a solo career, [7] 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. [8] His album, Rolling Stoned was awarded the High Times Doobie Award for Hip Hop album of the year for 2011. [9] DZA latest album Rugby Thompson was released in June 2012 by High Times and Cinematic Music Group. The album was produced entirely by Harry Fraud. [10] The album features numerous artists including Action Bronson, Currensy, Domo Genesis, Schoolboy Q and ASAP Twelvyy. [11]
On April 1, 2014, Smoke DZA released Dream.Zone.Achieve, his third studio album. The album consisted of 21 songs broken down into three sections, Dream, Zone and Achieve, each with 7 tracks. Features included fellow Harlem native Cam'ron, Joey Bada$$, Ab-Soul, Wiz Khalifa and Curren$y. [12]
On April 6, 2014, in the midst of WrestleMania XXX, Smoke DZA released a mixtape titled Ringside 2, the second installment in his wrestling-inspired Ringside EP series. Production was handled his by fellow R.F.C. member 183rd, with features from Peter Rosenberg, then WWE Intercontinental Champion Big E Langston, Aston Matthews and Flatbush Zombies. [13]
On December 2, 2016, he and Pete Rock released "Don't Smoke Rock", featuring 13 songs with guest appearances from Rick Ross, Dave East, Cam'ron, Big K.R.I.T. and Mac Miller. [14]
Smoke DZA released his eight album, Homegrown, on October 2, 2020. It marks his fourth project of the year, following the acclaimed A Closed Mouth Don't Get Fed, Ringside 8 and The Smokers Club Presents: Smoke DZA's Worldwide Smoke Session, the latter of which was released on April 20. Homegrown is an ode to his native New York City. [15]
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." [16] He has also cited fellow Harlem rappers like Mase, Big L and Dipset as influences and inspiration. [17] 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. [18] 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. [19]
DZA is a fan of professional wrestling. [20] In 2016, he endorsed Bernie Sanders' presidential bid. [21]
Gregg Michael Gillis, better known by his stage name Girl Talk, is an American disc jockey who specializes in mash-ups and digital sampling. Gillis has released five LPs on the record label Illegal Art and EPs on both 333 and 12 Apostles. He was trained as an engineer.
Justin Lewis Scott, better known by his stage name Big K.R.I.T., is an American rapper and record producer. Born in Meridian, Mississippi, he began his musical career in 2005. He was signed to Def Jam Recordings by Sha Money XL in 2010, and first gained recognition following the release of his single "Country Shit" in September of that year. The following year, he guest appeared on T.I.'s promotional single "I'm Flexin'", which became Scott's first entry on the Billboard Hot 100.
K.R.I.T. Wuz Here is the sixth mixtape by American rapper Big K.R.I.T. It was released on May 4, 2010. The mixtape features guest appearances from Curren$y, Wiz Khalifa, Devin the Dude, Big Sant and Smoke DZA.
The discography of American rapper Wiz Khalifa consists of seven studio albums, one compilation album, one soundtrack album, three extended plays (EP), two collaborative albums, 84 singles, seventeen promotional singles, twenty-one mixtapes, and 82 music videos. After signing to the Pittsburgh-based independent label Rostrum Records as a teenager, Khalifa released his first mixtape Prince of the City: Welcome to Pistolvania, and his first studio album, Show and Prove (2006). Following the release of Show and Prove, Warner Bros. Records signed Khalifa in 2007 as part of a joint deal with Rostrum. At Warner, Khalifa released the singles "Youngin' on His Grind" and "Say Yeah". The latter became his first song to appear on a Billboard chart, peaking at number 20 on the US Hot Rap Songs. Disagreements with Warner over the release of a purported major-label debut album led Khalifa to part ways with the label, and release his second studio album Deal or No Deal in 2009 on Rostrum Records alone.
Rolling Papers is the third studio album by American rapper Wiz Khalifa. It was released on March 29, 2011, by Atlantic Records and Rostrum Records. It is his first album under a major label after his independent releases, Show and Prove (2006) and Deal or No Deal (2009). The album features guest appearances from Too $hort, Curren$y and Chevy Woods. Rolling Papers was supported by five singles: "Black and Yellow", "Roll Up", "On My Level", "No Sleep", and "The Race". The album has been noted by music writers for having a pop rap style.
Shante Scott Franklin, better known by his stage name Currensy, is an American rapper. Born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, he signed with the regionally-based labels Cash Money Records and Young Money Entertainment in the mid-2000s, although he released no albums for both. He signed with DD172 to release four albums before signing with Warner Records to release his fifth album and major label debut, Weekend at Burnie's (2011). In February of that year, he founded the record label Jet Life Recordings.
American hip hop recording artist and music producer Big K.R.I.T. has released five studio albums, five extended plays (EP), fourteen mixtapes and 45 singles and three promotional singles.
O.N.I.F.C. is the fourth studio album by American rapper Wiz Khalifa. The album was released on December 4, 2012, by Atlantic Records and Rostrum Records. The album's title was inspired by the album H.N.I.C. by Prodigy of Mobb Deep, and is an initialism for "Only Nigga In First Class". Upon release, O.N.I.F.C. received generally mixed reviews from contemporary music critics. The album debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 selling 148,000 copies in its first week.
The Stoned Immaculate is the sixth studio album by American hip hop recording artist Curren$y. It was released through Warner Bros. Records on June 5, 2012. This release was his first "major" release through Warner Bros. The album features guest appearances from Pharrell, Wiz Khalifa, Estelle, 2 Chainz, Wale, Marsha Ambrosius, Daz Dillinger, Big K.R.I.T., Fiend, Corner Boy P, Young Roddy, Trademark da Skydiver, and Smoke DZA.
Gilbert Anthony Milam Jr., better known by his stage name Berner, is an American rapper and entrepreneur. As of 2024, he has released 22 solo albums, beginning with Dirty Sneakers... Plenty Ways to Get It (2007), and 29 collaborative projects, beginning with Track Money & Pack Money (2007) with fellow California rapper Equipto. He signed with Wiz Khalifa's Taylor Gang Entertainment in March 2018.
Rory William Quigley, known professionally as Harry Fraud, is an American record producer. Primarily a hip hop producer, Fraud began producing at an early age and began interning at a recording studio after graduating from high school. First discovered by French Montana during a recording session in Chinatown in early 2009, Fraud has since worked on each of his releases and become a fixture in the New York underground hip hop scene. He was credited on Montana's 2012 single, "Shot Caller", which became one of the most added tracks on urban contemporary radio during 2011–2012.
King Remembered In Time is the tenth mixtape by American rapper Big K.R.I.T., released on April 10, 2013, through Cinematic Music Group. The mixtape has guest appearances from fellow rappers Bun B, Future, Trinidad James, Wiz Khalifa, Smoke DZA, and Big Sant. The production was handled almost entirely by Big K.R.I.T. himself, with producer 9th Wonder being the only other contributor.
Rolling Stoned is the debut studio album by American rapper Smoke DZA. The album was released on August 30, 2011, by iH2D and iHipHop Distribution. The album features guest appearances from Bun B, Big K.R.I.T., Kendrick Lamar, ASAP Rocky, Fiend, Den10, Dom Kennedy, Trademark da Skydiver, Schoolboy Q, Big Sant and Currensy.
Rugby Thompson is the second studio album by American rapper Smoke DZA. The album was released on June 19, 2012, by High Times Records and Cinematic Music Group. The album is entirely produced by Harry Fraud. The album features guest appearances from Currensy, Domo Genesis, Schoolboy Q, Sean Price, A$AP Twelvyy, Action Bronson, Thirstin Howl III, NymLo and Meyhem Lauren.
Dream. Zone. Achieve is the third studio album by American rapper Smoke DZA. It was released on April 1, 2014, by DZA's R.F.C. Music Group record label. The album features guest appearances from Cam'ron, NymLo, Joey Badass, Ab-Soul, Kobe, CJ Fly, Wiz Khalifa, Currensy, Ty Dolla Sign, Bluntsmoker, J. Ivy and BJ the Chicago Kid.
The following list is a discography of production by Big K.R.I.T., an American hip hop record producer and recording artist. It includes a list of songs produced, co-produced and remixed by year, artist, album and title.
Jonny Shipes is an American music entrepreneur and producer. Credited with discovering Nipsey Hussle, Joey Bada$$, Sean Kingston, Big K.R.I.T., Smoke DZA, and Druski, he is the founder and CEO of GoodTalk, an independent record label, artist management, merchandise and music publishing company, and the successor to his earlier company Cinematic Music Group.
The discography of Smoke DZA, an American hip hop artist, consists of eight studio albums, twenty-five mixtapes, and thirteen singles,.
Don't Smoke Rock is the first collaborative studio album by rapper Smoke DZA and producer Pete Rock. It was released on December 2, 2016, by Babygrande Records, Sony Music and The Orchard. The album features guest appearances from Dave East, Rick Ross, Royce da 5'9", Cam'ron, NymLo, BJ the Chicago Kid, Jadakiss, Styles P, Wale, Big K.R.I.T., Dom Kennedy, theMIND and Mac Miller.
Full Court Press is a collaborative hip hop album by American producer Girl Talk and rappers Wiz Khalifa, Big K.R.I.T., and Smoke DZA, released April 8, 2022 via Asylum Records and Taylor Gang Entertainment. Full Court Press is Girl Talk's first full album in over a decade, following 2010's All Day.
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