Big Smo

John Lee Smith was born in San Diego, California, to mother Mary Jane Smith (née Barber) and father Carl Avery Smith.[1][2][3] His father, who was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, died in 2007.[4] His mother is his business manager.[5][6]

Smith started his musical endeavors in 1999, but did not release an album for three years.[3][7] He released Kuntry Kitchen with Yayoda Records in 2002.[8] Then, he released another album with Yayoda in 2007 entitled The True South.[7][8] His last self-released album was 2018's Special Reserve[8] In 2010, his homemade music video "Kickin' It in Tennessee" went viral, garnering over five million views on YouTube.[3][9] He released two EPs with Warner Bros. Records that were 2012's Grass Roots and 2013's Backwoods Whiskey.[3][8] Smith's major-label debut came out in 2014, entitled Kuntry Livin'.[7][8]

According to Matt Bjorke of Roughstock, Big Smo is one of the foremost grassroots artists in a style known as rural rap or hick-hop, "which blends rural, Country themes and melodies with some rap elements (production and vocal delivery)".[10] AllMusic's Steve Legget commented that Big Smo "combines country themes and attitudes with rap and hip-hop in a style that prompted one reviewer to note 'If Kid Rock and Run–D.M.C. had a love child, he would be named Big Smo,' although combining Hank Williams Jr. with Nappy Roots might strike a bit closer."[3] Rolling Stone described Big Smo as sounding like "If Run–D.M.C.'s 'Walk This Way' stomped out of Queens and ended up in the rural south."[11] The music on Kuntry Livin' was described as spinning "rap rhymes about working-class values over hard-rock riffs."[12]

Smith was the principal subject of an eponymously titled television series, Big Smo. The program, about his life and music by A&E, debuted in June 2014.[13] He appeared in one episode, "Empty Bottles Full Cans", of the Spike TV series Bar Rescue.[14]

Smo's life is featured in episode one, "Kuntry Livin", of CarbonTV's original series Heartlandia, showing him shooting guns, cooking, and making music.[15]

Smith lives on his family farm, the "Kuntry Ranch", in Unionville, Tennessee.[8]

• Official website