When D Smoke won the top prize on the first season of Rhythm + Flow, many believed that it was a no-brainer for him to get a hot track with Snoop Dogg, one of the show’s hosts, and Kendrick Lamar, someone that fans have constantly compared him to.
The joint with Snoop dropped and it was as culturally textured as both of those emcees are comfortable in any setting.
The blending of Cali street politics and the slick consciousness of both of the super-intelligent men came off like cream in the coffee, peanut butter, and jelly and most appropriately like a low-rider on Crenshaw to fans delight.
However, the joint with the To Pimp a Butterfly maverick has not manifested … at least not yet.
READ MORE: Issa Rae Stars In D Smoke & SiR’s Cinematic ‘Lights On’ Music Video
AllHipHop sat down with D Smoke and asked him flatly … “What’s up with the K. Dot banger?” His responses will leave true fans of West Coast lyricism hopeful. Smoke shares that he spoke with Kendrick Lamar after winning on the Netflix talent search series.
“I spoke with K-Dot after Rhythm and Flow,” D Smoke told AllHipHop.com. “SIR performed with K-Dot at a date in Vegas. And so we chopped it up, you know, I was backstage chilling, and he had done a whole show for a couple hour set.”
In full story mode, the bilingual musical genius continued, “And then once he kind of got his rest and came out, he was about to jet. And then he looked over and saw me was like ‘holddd up.’
“And then he walked up and he’s like ‘Smoke, n####,'” the rapper said.
The twelve-time GRAMMY winning-artist was no stranger to D. Smoke, whose real name is Daniel Anthony Farris. The two have had history.
“We had met on tour before when SiR was on the Redemption Tour, with all of TDE,” revealing that they have connected like bros in and outside of music. “We had hit workouts and s### together, being competitive, everybody hitting push-ups and pull-ups and talk our s###. And I’m really over there for SiR. TDE they’re a close-knit circle.”
READ MORE: D Smoke Discusses Competitive Challenge With His Brother SiR
SiR Darryl Farris is D Smoke’s new actual brother and the two of them were songwriters in a crew WoodWorks together, before SiR signed to Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) in 2006. Once in the TDE family, he became part of that “close-knit circle.”
Despite being “family,” D Smoke never inserted himself into that situation. He chose to earn it on his own merit.
“So, after Rhythm and Flow, he’s like, ‘N#### … you did your s###!’ and he was like ‘to get that off on a television network, amidst what I know what he knows television to be?’ He was like, ‘Man, that was impressive.’ He was like, ‘You know, we’re gonna do some special for the coast.’”
READ MORE: Cardi B, T.I. and Chance the Rapper Return To Netflix ‘Rhythm + Flow’ Season 2
D Smoke said that Kendrick Lamar is not someone to just say stuff in vain, believing that they are “going to do something. It’s just a matter of time.”
“I believe in collaborating when it’s mutually beneficial,” D. Smoke told AllHipHop.com. “And I got some strides to make for myself so that when he shows up and makes that moment, it’s not a handout.”
D Smoke is earning his stripes.
He recently was the music director for the short film, 410 Stamped starring See You Yesterday’s Eden Duncan-Smith, American Idol’s Drake McCain, and newbie Jackson Jones.
https://www.instagram.com/tv/CC1XFPEJXc8/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Recently the film was picked up on the Urban World Film Festival as a part of the Essence’s Black Femme Directors Showcase.
The film has been picked up as a part of the Hollyshorts Film Festival as an official selection. As the music director, he helped the actors with their vocals and secured music for this teen flick.
Additional reporting by Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur @chuckcreekmur