Smino

Between 2009 and 2013, Smino went by the stage name C. Smi, and was in a rap duo with his friend Bari Allen called "Young Dumb and Outta Control" (YDOC), where they released three mixtapes including Retail. As they started to gain popularity locally, Smino released his first solo mixtape, Smeezy Dot Com in 2012 and moved back to Chicago.[8] At Columbia College Chicago, he met engineer Chris "Classick" Inumerable, who became his manager.[10][11]

On October 2, 2015 Smino released his first EP, S!Ck S!Ck S!Ck.[12][13] On December 11, 2015, he released his second EP titled Blkjuptr.[14]

Smino at Lollapalooza in 2016

On July 31, 2016, Smino appeared on Noname's mixtape, Telefone, with Saba and Phoelix on the track "Shadow Man".[15] In the fall of 2016, Smino was alongside Mick Jenkins on the A Quest For Love Tour. On October 27, he made another guest appearance on Bucket List Project on the song "World in My Hands".[16]

On December 2, 2016, Smino released the title track to serve as the first single from his debut album, blkswn, which was released on March 14, 2017. The release date holds a special significance to the St. Louis rapper because 314 is the area code of his hometown. The album includes guest appearances from Ravyn Lenae, Bari, Noname, theMIND, Jay2, Via Rosa, Drea Smith, and Akenya, with production coming from Monte Booker, THEMpeople, Sango, Phoelix, and J. Bird.[17]

Following the album's release, he headlined in his month-long Swanita Tour, which included 22 dates with guests Monte Booker, Jay2, Bari, and Jean Deaux.[18] On July 6, it was announced that Smino and Ravyn Lenae will be opening for SZA on The CTRL Tour.[19] He later released music videos for "Anita", "Netflix & Dusse", and "Wild Irish Roses". During October, he was opening act for T-Pain on his Acoustic Tour, who appeared on the remix for "Anita".[20][21]

In April 2018, he and Monte Booker co-headlined the Kouple Drillz Tour which included shows in Asia and Australia.[22] On May 17, he released a single called "New Coupe, Who Dis?" featuring Mick Jenkins.[23] He also appeared on some of his frequent collaborative producers tracks, Cam O'Bi on "TenderHeaded", Phoelix on "Taranphoeno", and Sango on "Khlorine".[24] On July 9, he released a remix to Drake's "In My Feelings", and a track called "Coupe Se' Yern" produced by himself.[25]

On October 26, 2018, Smino released a single titled "L.M.F." produced by Sango, accompanied by a music video.[26] Smino released the album's second single titled "Klink" on November 4, announcing it via an Instagram post.[27] His second album, NØIR, was released on November 8.[28] The album includes guest appearances from Zero Fatigue members, Bari, Jay2, and Ravyn Lenae, as well as Dreezy, and Valee. The production came from himself, Monte Booker, THEMpeople, Sango, Phoelix, KRS, Al B Smoov, and Da-P.[29] In 2019, Smino announced the Hoopti Tour, which included 33 shows in England, the United States, and Canada.[30] Supporting acts for the tour will be EarthGang and Phoelix.[31] On April 3, 2019, Smino released the music video for "Z4L", directed by Ev Solomon and produced by AJR Films, with clips of backstage footage on tour.[32]

On October 17, 2019, he announced the supergroup Ghetto Sage with Saba and Noname, releasing a single titled "Häagen Dazs".[33] On October 25, he released the single "Trina", produced by Kenny Beats and Lido.[34] On December 23, he released a two-song EP titled High 4 Da Highladays.

In February 2020, Smino announced the completion of his third studio album. On March 14, he released the song "Tempo" produced by VZN.[35] On April 20, 2020, Smino released the mixtape She Already Decided, which includes guest appearances from Sevyn Streeter, T-Pain, Bari, and Rizz Capolatti. Production on the mixtape came from Groove, Kal Banx, VZN, and Phoelix among others.[36] In August 2020, Smino was featured on the soundtrack to the Madden NFL 21 game, on the song "Backstage Pass", alongside Monte Booker and The Drums.[37]

On January 18, 2021, Smino released the song "MLK Dr" in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.[38]

Smino describes his sound as futuristic funk and soulful rap. He grew up listening to a lot of jazz, gospel, and hip hop, with rappers including Busta Rhymes, Ludacris, Nelly, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony and Field Mob. Smino names Kanye West, André 3000 and Lil Wayne as his biggest musical influences, as well as his cousin, Drea Smith.[40] In an interview with Pitchfork he stated, "I grew up in the church, so it was a bunch of gospel along with Musiq Soulchild, Em, T-Pain—just a bunch of soulful dudes that are country. My first favorite rapper was Ludacris."[12]

Scott Glaysher of Exclaim! described his music is a "mix of smart rapping and crowd-pleasing, futuristic R&B grooves."[41] Jay Balfour from Pitchfork said he focuses "on his incredibly versatile voice within a warm palette of sludgy R&B and neo-funk" and "throws a million different voices into the mix."[42] Rolling Stone said "his rap makes room for southern R&B and imperfect harmony singing; the drums are inevitably cooled out, like nth-wave neo soul."[43]

Smino is a founder and part of a musical collective and record label called Zero Fatigue with Monte Booker, Jay2, Bari, Ravyn Lenae, Elton "L10MixedIt" Chueng, Chris "Classick" Innumerable, and Nosidam. The collective's origins began when Smino met Classick at Columbia College Chicago, who owned a recording studio in his house in Chicago and later became his manager. Interning for Classick, engineer and mixer L10MixedIt Chueng met Smino in that studio where they began working together.[44] Unofficial members and affiliates of the collective include Jean Deaux, Drea Smith, and Phoelix.[45]

Kribmas is an annual Christmas concert and fundraising event hosted by Smino in his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri, which began in 2016. Ymani Wince wrote about the event saying, "Kribmas is more than just Smino's homecoming weekend; the rapper's team employs local photographers, videographers, stylists, businesses and artists to put each element of the show together."[46]

On April 5, 2018, Smino unveiled his design of satin-lined hoodies called "Silk Pillows", named after his song of the same name. After it went viral on the internet, he explained the design addresses the problem of waking up with messy or damaged hair.[47][48][49]