Features

ThaFormula.Com - So you got the bangin' new single out right?

Smiley Da Ghetto Child - Yeah man, we got the new single out, "The Wake Up Call", produced by DJ Premier and the B-side by Showbiz. We got the bonus track produced by a newcomer, his name is Sebb. We just basically working man.

ThaFormula.Com - Now you told me recently that this single here is very sentimental for you, why is that?

Smiley Da Ghetto Child - Basically what makes it sentimental is uh, I'm like the soul controller of this and I put my heart and soul into that you understand what I'm saying? It's like I have no discrepancies of how labels want to do business with their artists and stuff but like how I see myself in the forefront is just like being a master and soul controller of my entity so that's what makes it real sentimental to me. I put my heart and soul into it and for it to have a big embrace like that, that's why it's so sentimental.

ThaFormula.Com - So since most people out there don't know shit really about your background and what Smiley is all about, let them know…

Smiley Da Ghetto Child - See a lot of cats think I came on the scene with like Guru and Premo. I've been paying dues running around, stood in front of shows 'till my toes froze years before that. My first rise to stardom was I used to run with KRS-One. I was like 13 so when that "Criminal Minded" album came out and albums like "Fear of a Black Planet" came out, that's when I really started. A lot of cats don't know that I used to co-write a lot of things for Chi Ali and that's another segment of my rap life a lot of cats don't know. From there I went to Black Sheep. I was doing a lot of things on the low with Black Sheep.

ThaFormula.Com - Now you grew up in the Bronx right?

Smiley Da Ghetto Child - Yeah I'm born and raised in the Bronx baby, the birthplace of Hip-Hop. Those days man, ahh man I wish I could just get a week of those days back. I'm pretty sure you know what's up. Listen man back like in '85 and '86 man, those were the days for me man and just knowing that I'm from a borough that created this ill culture…

ThaFormula.Com - What was the most memorable part to you about growing up in the Bronx during Hip-Hop's prime?

Smiley Da Ghetto Child - When I was 13 years old right in my neighborhood (183rd on Andrews Ave.) there was this woman, god rest her soul, her name was Joyce. I know you know about Chris Lighty of Violator, that's another individual that I knew for over a decade and he knew my struggle at a young age. Back to the story…there was a woman named Joyce across the street who was Baby Chris' girlfriend and being that she used to go out with Chris she was well connected and she had always seen my struggle. She always knew what I was trying to do and she would be that person who would always sympathize with me about my struggle. So one day she said, "you know what I'ma talk to my boyfriend," cause Red Alert and Baby Chris was runnin' hard back in the days. She said I'ma get Red Alert to come over here and hear you rap." So at a young age like that to hear that Red Alert is gonna come hear you rap? You know he was the top disc jockey for the radio stations out here so I'm like "word, aight lets do it." Sure enough there was a block party on Andrews and it all came together, she actually got Red Alert to come to the party. Now back in the days we used to throw block parties on Andrews every year. So Red came and Red comes on the scene and says "hey I heard you rap, let me hear something." I spit some crazy shit and what's so ill is that Red Alert remembers me from that day. Man I cried after I spit my verses man so you know it was very deep man, and I know that really gave me the drive to keep that fire alive in me.

ThaFormula.Com - What's up with the name and how did you get the name Smiley?

Smiley Da Ghetto Child - I was always smilin'. I got gold fronts so I always smile. My teeth is like kind of big so its like I couldn't help but to keep my mouth open so people on the black used to call me smiley sayin' "this nigga is always cheesin' and shit." Now this is the name that the OG's gave me so know I'm Smiley from '88 'til now. As far as the Ghetto Child, that's something that I came up with myself like I'm just a ghetto child in the hood representing a bunch of other ghetto childs. I'm one in the forefront that's representing so I said, "you know what I'ma be Smiley the Ghetto Child.

ThaFormula.Com - You are one of the last street MC's left. Hardcore street MC's are dying by the minute man, and being replaced with clowns. Being form the Bronx, when do you feel Hip-Hop started losing that hardcore street feel?

Smiley Da Ghetto Child - I don't wanna throw no dirt in nobodies name but I speak from the heart. When this music really started changing is when Puff came in with that shiny shit like in '92. That's when I knew Hip-Hop was taking a different turn. Rakim started fading away, uh I know things gotta progress and grow and maybe that's where Hip-Hop was supposed to go anyway 'cause you can't change the course of destiny.

ThaFormula.Com - It's just very upsetting cause Hip-Hop was birthed in the ghetto and it sucks just seeing all these soft rappers in love, on some wannabe conscious shit, or just the straight sucka shit...

Smiley Da Ghetto Child - Yeah but I know I'm not the only one out here representing that's holding the legacy down. They may not have a record out but I'm pretty sure that there is more of us out there that really wanna hold on to that authentic essence of it. They out there but maybe they don't have the leverage or maybe they don't have the connects. Let me tell you one thing in this game if you got the love for it, it's always gonna live in you. Let me tell you something else man, I don't like the way the game is turning neither. That's why I had to bring that single out. That's why I had to bring it out on my own label. Anybody can go get like a fantasy jingle bell beat and put on a plastic suit on and say, "this is Hip-Hop." Hip-Hop became real corporate and for a lot of these cats it's all about the almighty dollar. Then we got cats like us that love the authentic form that really don't care about a dollar, but at the same time we got to make a dollar.

ThaFormula.Com - So after messin' with Krs, Black Sheep and Chi-Ali where did you go from there?

Smiley Da Ghetto Child - Being that I always had the history with Guru I hooked up with Group Home. That Group Home album, me Preme and Dap we orchestrated that whole Group Home album. My little cousin Melancholy, I co-wrote a lot of songs for him. I would write the songs for him practically and he would change it up his own way so I helped orchestrate that whole album. Then from Group Home, being that I spit that hot verse on "The Realness," that was a surprising moment for me 'cause I didn't really like the beat too much 'cause I'm the type that has to listen to a beat around 10-15-20 times. Anyway off of that verse I got a single deal from Payday Records which was the label that Group Home, Jeru the Damaja, and Dub C were on. See I got a single deal, I went into the studio and I was working with producers like Domingo. Now this is where the money part comes in. We was gonna do a video for "The Realness" and this was gonna be my first verbal/visual aspect of the game. But along the way I get locked up 'cause you know a nigga was out in the streets survivin' 'cause a nigga had kids. Rap was always my first love but at that time and stage in my life I gotta tell the truth, it wasn't really my first love 'cause I became a father, so I got into the streets a little to much and then I fucked up my opportunity with the video. But then again you know what? Like I said earlier you're destiny is laid out to be the way it is, so that was meant for me. That was just a stepping-stone to the next episode that brought me all the way to where I'm at now. So I got the single deal, worked with Domingo and then from Domingo I got locked up so I couldn't do the video and I had a record deal in the streets. I only had to do 4 months but it was in the midst of doing the video and a lot of shows so I did miss a lot of shit and when I got back out the deal was still on the table. We recertified the deal and then from there Payday just folded. So from the street issues and basically mentally getting myself together for what I got to do is what led up to now. So I've been around the block quite a few times.

ThaFormula.Com - So how did the track on the last Gangstarr album come about for you 'cause it had been a long minute since people had heard anything from you?

Smiley Da Ghetto Child - Well they was in the midst of doing the album and Preme and Guru were like "yo Smiley look man you always been on the scene, and been the ill image and the energy for Gangstarr with skits and shit like that, it's time for you to really spit on here. So you know I'm like "shit its about time, lets do it." Now that skit that I did was originally supposed to be a song with me and the NYG'z. I don't know what happened though but you know how politics is and shit like that. We got to the second verse with the NYG'z, he spit his second verse and that's when Preme was like "you know what, we need to do another song with you all and we just gonna let Smiley kill this by himself," so you know it was all love. The first verse I banged out was the first take and Preme was like "this is it, we gonna make this into the skit" so that's how I got on the Gangstarr album and then if you recall on the last album they had "Words from the Nutcracker" so I basically said "you know what, let me keep that name alive and call it 'Words form the Ghetto Child' to keep that authentic shit alive." That's some ill history. As you can tell I love Hip-Hop man, I love this shit man.

ThaFormula.Com - So was it the response you got from people from the Gangstarr track that made you say, "you know what it's time to drop this single?"

Smiley Da Ghetto Child - Exactly, you couldn't have said it more perfectly, 'cause to make a long story short niggaz was sayin' "yo the Gangstarr album is good, but who is that nigga on that track? Ain't that the nigga from the Group Home?" So its like the attention made me say "you know what, its time now." Now I was supposed to sign with Preme on his label Year Round but I knew that I'm destined to be master of my own shit so I was like "you know what A.M.O.B. Ent. was already incorporated for a few years," so I'm like "fuck it I already got the company, all I got to do is put it together and put it out." So you know I stepped to Preme like "yo Preme I'm ready, you got to bless me with the flames." I stepped to Showbiz 'cause I knew Show for over a decade as well. So basically for my first debut on my own company you know I had to get the hottest producer in the Bronx to collaborate with me on that and that's why this single is so sentimental 'cause it wasn't no rush job like we just put it together. It was basically nurtured and pampered like a baby.

ThaFormula.Com - What do you feel is underground Hip-Hop? Some artists and people will say that there is no such thing as underground Hip-Hop, only just Hip-Hop…

Smiley Da Ghetto Child - Well I call those people stupid dicks! Underground Hip-Hop doesn't mean just 'cause your shit doesn't get played on prime time radio, that's not what underground Hip-Hop is. Underground Hip-Hop is to me and I know to a lot of individuals like us real authentic Hip-Hop…and when I say stupid dicks I'm not trying to be funny either. The underground shit made you forget that bad shit if only for a minute. You would be sad that you ain't got no money but you would got home and listen to a CD of Rakim and Public Enemy and for that little while that your listening you wouldn't worry about being broke. But you know real Hip-Hop is gonna live man no matter how many people pound on it.

ThaFormula.Com - So what about the bonus track on the single "No Win Situation," many people feel that Casualty track produced by Sebb was dope...

Smiley Da Ghetto Child - As far as like Sebb, he's hot. He's really making hot ass tracks and that's why I brought him in on the single. It's like I closed it out on some real authentic Hip-Hop shit but then we had to extend the closure with the street shit. I'm waking Hip-Hop up but at the same time my artist Casualty is waking the streets up to at the same time so it's bringing that good Hip-Hop authentic essence back on both aspects.

ThaFormula.Com - So what has the response been to the singles so far?

Smiley Da Ghetto Child - The single sold out in four days brother. The first initial press up and I don't care to speak numbers, but vinyl don't sell like that no more. Vinyl's been down for like 5 or 6 years so for us to sell out in like 4 days is beautiful. That shows that my job is done. I know I'm coming at it the right way, the best way.

ThaFormula.Com - So now that you know the response what is up next? A.M.O.B. and Smiley?

Smiley Da Ghetto Child - Basically to stick with the formula cause I see that this formula is working, but every time I upgrade it.

ThaFormula.Com - That's good just please don't come with that plastic shit man…

Smiley Da Ghetto Child -Dawg, let me tell you the day you see Smiley the Ghetto Child on some real sell out mainstream shit, buildings will have wings and be flying brother. There is no fuckin' way brother. Anyway basically right now we're working on a A.M.O.B. album. We're just working on joints 'cause its time to introduce my niggaz. They got babies to feed and they're eager to represent this Hip-Hop just as well as me.

ThaFormula.Com - So what's up with the solo album?

Smiley Da Ghetto Child - The solo album is coming out like at the end of this year. Fat Beats is gonna have to match what my high expectations are. I stick to a reality perspective at all times and being cool with somebody is being cool with somebody. I got to make a living. I love Fat Beats 'cause they like the only dudes that still love Hip-Hop too, but if we can come to a good agreement and its gonna help feed us man and get us to the next level, then by all means lets do this album man, but I got to look at my options. Right now with the impression of the single everybody is anticipating something else. So its like I got to find a feasible home to put it out right. Not only the paper got to be right, but the love got to be right too. ThaFormula.Com - Well the single is bangin' and I hope everything works out like it should…

Smiley Da Ghetto Child - No question its all genuine baby!

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