{{Short description|African-American rapper (born 1975)}} {{Multiple issues| {{COI|date=September 2016}} {{BLP sources|date=July 2013}} }} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2013}} {{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians --> | name = Smoothe Da Hustler | image = Smoothe Da Hustler Press Photo.jpg | caption = | birth_name = Damon Smith | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1975|2|8}} | origin = [[Brownsville, Brooklyn, New York]], U.S. | genre = [[Hip hop music|Hip hop]] | occupation = {{flatlist| * Rapper * record producer * songwriter * record executive * actor }} | years_active = 1994–present | label = {{flatlist| * [[Profile Records|Profile]] * SMG Records }} | website = {{url|smoothedahustler.com/}} }} '''Damon Smith''', (born February 8, 1975) known by his stage name '''Smoothe Da Hustler''', is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He released his debut LP ''[[Once Upon a Time in America (album)|Once Upon a Time in America]]'' on [[Profile Records]] in 1996. He runs an entertainment company, SMG Entertainment, which includes the record label SMG Records.{{citation needed|date=September 2016}}
== Profile records ==
=== "Broken Language" === Smoothe Da Hustler's musical career began when he joined fellow [[Brooklyn, New York|Brooklyn]] rapper [[The Notorious B.I.G.]] on his 1994 ''[[Ready to Die]]'' promotional tour. The following year, Smoothe Da Hustler teamed up with producer D/R Period to release “Broken Language” independently in his hometown of Brownsville, Brooklyn, NY. The track was a 'Hip Hop Quotable' in the November 1995 issue of ''[[The Source (magazine)|The Source]]''<ref>{{Cite web|title = Sure Shot : Smoothe Da Hustler's Hustlin review in The Source (1995)|url = https://ifihavent.wordpress.com/2007/08/16/sure-sho-smooth-the-hustlers-hustlin-rewiew-in-the-source-1995/|website = Press Rewind If I Haven't...| date=August 16, 2007 |access-date = 2016-02-24}}</ref> and led to a record deal with [[Profile Records]].
=== ''Once Upon A Time In America'' === [[Profile Records]] re-released “Broken Language” on Smoothe Da Hustler's 1996 debut album ''[[Once Upon a Time in America (album)|Once Upon a Time in America]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Smoothe Da Hustler - Hustlin' / Broken Language|url = https://www.discogs.com/Smoothe-Da-Hustler-Hustlin-Broken-Language/release/213203|website = Discogs| date=1995 |access-date = 2016-02-24}}</ref> The album peaked at No. 11 and spent four weeks on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]].<ref>{{Cite web|title = Smoothe Da Hustler - Chart history {{!}} Billboard|url = http://www.billboard.com/artist/279639/smoothe-da-hustler/chart|website = Billboard.com|access-date = 2016-02-24}}</ref> The album's two singles, “Broken Language/Hustlin’” and “Hustler's Theme” spent 24 weeks on the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums]] charts.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Smoothe Da Hustler - Chart history {{!}} Billboard|url = http://www.billboard.com/artist/279639/smoothe-da-hustler/chart?f=367|website = Billboard.com|access-date = 2016-02-24}}</ref> ''Billboard'' described Smoothe Da Hustler as possessing <blockquote>"a head-spinning, locomotive flow that sounded like nothing else."<ref>{{Cite book|title = Billboard|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=iw0EAAAAMBAJ|publisher = Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|date = 1996-04-20|language = en}}</ref></blockquote>
== Def Jam Recordings == Off the momentum of ''[[Once Upon a Time in America (album)|Once Upon a Time in America]]'', Smoothe Da Hustler was recruited by [[Def Jam Recordings]] and wrote for variety of gold- and platinum- certified recording artists, including writing with [[Rhymefest]] for [[Dr. Dre]]’s legendary unfinished album, ''Detox''.
=== Soundtracks === With [[Def Jam Recordings]], Smoothe Da Hustler wrote and recorded "My Crew Can't Go For That" for [[The Nutty Professor (soundtrack)|''The Nutty Professor'' soundtrack]], and "Game Face" for [[Public Enemy]]'s [[He Got Game (soundtrack)|''He Got Game'' album]], which became the featured soundtrack for [[Spike Lee]]'s [[He Got Game|film]] of the same name.
== SMG Records ==
=== ''Repossession: SMG'' === In 2002, Smoothe Da Hustler ended his record deals to create SMG Records in order to retain full authority over his music. SMG Records’ debut album, ''Repossession: SMG'' was a no-holds-barred performance by label-mates [[Ice-T]], [[Trigga tha Gambler]], Marc Live ([[Analog Brothers]]), and Deuce Fever.<ref>{{Cite web|title = SMG (2) - Repossession|url = https://www.discogs.com/SMG-Repossession/release/891360|website = Discogs|access-date = 2016-02-24}}</ref> Due to high demand, ''Repossession: SMG'' turned into a U.S. tour. The tour was recorded for the follow-up live performance DVD, released in conjunction with [[Penalty Recordings]].<ref>{{Citation|title = Ice-T & SMG - Repossession Live|url = https://www.amazon.com/Ice-T-SMG-Repossession-Live/dp/B00006LPE6|publisher = Image Entertainment|date = 2002-11-19|access-date = 2016-02-24|language = English}}</ref>
=== ''Violenttimes Day'' === On Valentine's Day 2008, Smoothe Da Hustler released a highly anticipated solo album ''Violenttimes Day'', which included only two featured artists- [[Trigga tha Gambler]] and DV Alias Kryst- his long-time writing and recording partners.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Smoothe Da Hustler - Violenttimes Day|url = https://www.discogs.com/Smoothe-Da-Hustler-Violenttimes-Day/release/1776876|website = Discogs| date=February 14, 2008 |access-date = 2016-02-24}}</ref> The 16-track album was received enthusiastically by fans worldwide, leading him to release the follow-up album, ''Violenttimes Day 2,'' with SMG Records on [[Valentine's Day]] 2012. Due to high-demand, physical copies of the album are no longer available, but ''Violenttimes Day 2'' will be re-released digitally in 2016 with additional tracks not featured on the original pressing.
=== ''Dem Brooklyn Boys'' === Smoothe Da Hustler is currently writing and producing the soundtrack for ''Dem Brooklyn Boys'', which will be released through SMG Records in conjunction with the film in 2017.
== Notable performances == Smoothe Da Hustler has performed alongside [[Ice-T]], [[Onyx (hip hop group)|Onyx]], [[The Notorious B.I.G.]], [[Busta Rhymes]], [[Capone-N-Noreaga]], [[The Lox]], [[Ghostface Killah]], [[KRS-One]], [[Public Enemy]], [[Jeru the Damaja]], [[SWV]], [[Nine (rapper)|Nine]], and [[Special Ed (rapper)|Special Ed]], to name a few. Special notable performances include [[Jean-Michel Jarre]]'s 50th Anniversary [[UNESCO]] Celebration at the [[Eiffel Tower]] in [[Paris|Paris, France]], which saw 1.25 million people in attendance, the 2002 [[X Games]], which saw 700,000 people in audience, as well as [[Hot 97]]'s [[Summer Jam (festival)|Summer Jam]]<ref>{{Cite web|title = MissInfo.tv » Throwback Thursday: Doo Wop "Summer Jam '96"|url = http://www.missinfo.tv/index.php/throwback-thursday-doo-wop-summer-jam-96/|website = Missinfo.tv|access-date = 2016-02-24}}</ref> and the [[Central Park]] [[Summerstage]] in [[New York City]].<ref>{{Cite web|title = Central Park Events - SummerStage Presents Rock Steady Crew 37th Anniversary Concert : NYC Parks|url = http://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/central-park/events/2014/07/27/summerstage-presents-rock-steady-crew-37th-anniversary-concert|website = Nycgovparks.org|access-date = 2016-02-24}}</ref>
== Cultural influence == === Television === Broken Language was used by [[David Simon]] ([[The Wire]]), [[Ed Burns]] ([[The Wire]]), and [[David Mills (TV writer)|David Mills]] ([[NYPD Blue]], [[ER (TV series)|E.R.]]) for their [[HBO]] miniseries [[The Corner]] in 2000.
=== Fine arts === In 2013, [[José Parlá]] staged a critically acclaimed art exhibition entitled "Broken Language" at [[Haunch of Venison]] in [[London|London, England]]. He cited Smoothe Da Hustler's "Broken Language" cadence and writing style as the sonic inspiration for his visual art form. "Broken Language" became the title painting, and ultimately, the name of the exhibition and accompanying epitaph. In an interview with [[Paddle8]], [[José Parlá|Parlá]] stated:<blockquote>"The idea of 'Broken Language' as a title for my 2013 exhibition at Haunch of Venison, the gallery's last show as a primary gallery, comes from the song of the same title from 1995 by Smoothe Da Hustler from Brooklyn. His cadence and delivery of rhymes made me think of language made up of styles defined by ethnic backgrounds. For example, English with a Spanish accent, or Jamaican Patois or Creole and so forth. I want to imagine works that visually connect the sound and cadence of language transformed by gesture and surface."<ref>{{Cite web|title = José Parlá Sees the Writing on the Wall {{!}} Paddle8|url = https://paddle8.com/editorial/jose-parla-sees-the-writing-on-the-wall/|website = Paddle8|access-date = 2016-02-24}}</ref></blockquote>
== Discography == {|class="wikitable" |- !rowspan="2"| Year !rowspan="2"| Title !colspan="2"| Chart positions |- ! <small>[[Billboard 200|U.S. ''Billboard'' 200]]</small> ! <small>[[Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums|U.S. R&B]]</small> |- |1996 |''[[Once Upon a Time in America (album)|Once Upon a Time in America]]'' * Released: March 19, 1996 * Label: [[Profile Records|Profile]] |align="center"|93 |align="center"|11 |- |2008 |''Violenttimes Day'' * Released: March 28, 2008 * Label: SMG Music |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |- |2016 |''Violenttimes Day 2'' * Released: February 14, 2016 * Label: SMG Music |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |- |2017 |''Full Time Hustle'' * Released: March 8, 2017 |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |- |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links == * [https://www.discogs.com/Smoothe-Da-Hustler-Violenttimes-Day/release/1776876 Smoothe Da Hustler at Discogs.com]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smoothe Da Hustler}} [[Category:1975 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Gangsta rappers]] [[Category:Rappers from Brooklyn]] [[Category:Profile Records artists]] [[Category:21st-century American rappers]] [[Category:Male actors from Brooklyn]] [[Category:21st-century American male rappers]]