No Jumper - The Smiley Interview: Trapping in Toronto, Signing to Drake, People Hating on His Flow & More

Episode Date: October 5, 2021

Smiley talks about his come up, streelife, making bangers with Drake, weight loss and more! https://www.instagram.com/thareal_smi... Stamps by Eli Mcfly https://www.instagram.com/eli518mcfly/ ----- NO JUMPER PATREON http://www.patreon.com/nojumper CHECK OUT OUR NEW SPOTIFY PLAYLIST https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5te... FOLLOW US ON SNAPCHAT FOR THE LATEST NEWS & UPDATES https://www.snapchat.com/discover/No_... CHECK OUT OUR ONLINE STORE!!! http://www.nojumper.com/ SUBSCRIBE for new interviews (and more) weekly: http://bit.ly/nastymondayz  Follow us on SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/4ENxb4B... iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/n... Follow us on Social Media: https://www.snapchat.com/discover/No_... http://www.twitter.com/nojumper http://www.instagram.com/nojumper https://www.facebook.com/NOJUMPEROFFI... http://www.reddit.com/r/nojumper JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/Q3XPfBm Follow Adam22: https://www.tiktok.com/@adam22 http://www.twitter.com/adam22 http://www.instagram.com/adam22 adam22hoe on Snapchat Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No Jumper, coolest podcast in the world. And today we got one of my favorite up-and-coming artist, Smiley in the building. How are you feeling, man? Feeling good. Thank you, though, for actually saying that one of your favorites. Oh, yeah. You know, I'm honored to actually be here because, like, this is big for me, too.

It's, like, my biggest interview yet, so. Oh, hell yeah, man. Yeah. No, I appreciate it. Yesterday, I was just driving around Hollywood, just banging out to your Spotify. Mm-hmm. And it's very good vibes. Like, I fucking, I'd only heard a couple songs, and I realized I wanted to do the interview.

And then yesterday I was like, really listening to more shit. And it's just like, there's a certain energy to it that was really making me feel good within my car around in the streets. I appreciate that. So, you know, I'm about to drop the album. So there's new stuff coming for you guys. Right, for sure. So tell us a little bit about when you were a kid in Toronto, like your upbringing and everything like that. So when I was a kid,

I was never, like, into music, too. Like, I was never, I just liked to listen to music, but I never, like, wanted to rap or anything. Like, it was just, like, I moved into, like, around my neighborhood. I, like, probably 12. And then from there, I was just around all my guys and stuff. And then we were just, like, doing bad things. Like, you know, bad kids?

whatever and I was always in I was in a French school I was actually born in Montreal and then I moved to Toronto and at three and then I went to a French school like my whole life that's my first language and then so you know I was doing good doing good and then when I moved to English school because I was just like this is too boring for me now like French school is very it's good but it's just boring for me because I is there like a big cultural divide because like Canada is unique from America in that like a huge percentage of people speak French and English but is there like a big cultural divide between people who can only speak one language where you were coming up? No not really so it was always like it was good the way it was like

it was mostly English and then whoever spoke another language spoke English too so it was always like but in Montreal where I was born is like fully like French mostly like right yeah because okay Just to be honest, last night, there's this YouTuber I watched and Trappler Ross, and he put out a video about basically shit in Toronto. So I just watched that last night, and I'm just saying, I didn't know Toronto was crazy like that, but that is one wild-ass city. What was on there? He's basically talking about a lot of the gang rivalries between all the different sections

in the cities and all the crazy-ass violence that's taking place between the opposing sides. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, there's a lot of politics going on right now in the city. Right, so you, you as a kid, though, how much of that kind of stuff were you exposed to? Were you seeing all kinds of crazy violence and crime going on? Or what kind of kid were you? So, like, yeah, we would see it going on, but, like, I was from, like, a neighborhood where it's mostly, like, a lot of, like, money makers. Like, our older heads and stuff were just, like, super trappers and stuff, like, you know, like, it was a low-key, neighborhood and we didn't have a lot of problems

with other people and I was just like all the guys are just making money off for just trapping and stuff and I was just like other like you come in our neighborhood and we're just like standing in the courtyard and a thousand like literally like 20 like crackheads are just walking at

a time and start like you know go to their favorite dealer this this so that's what I was seeing and like you know we had our building right beside us and I was just like just a bunch of them just lived in there like the beans and stuff so it's just a lot of like trap stuff going around like so that's what i was like that's what i wanted like you know the money and all that stuff right like that's why i grew up just seeing like obviously we'll see the violence going on too but like my people i looked up to

or just into the trap and stuff you know so would you describe the area that you grew up and would you describe it as being like really fucked up in the sense that like yeah like you're just having this many crackheads around like the dudes you're looking up to are getting rich and you got all these other people wasting away right yeah so it was kind of like yeah it was it was actually fucked up because even when I was a kid too me and my brother my older brother were like he'll walk us to the basketball court and then like as we're walking he'll see like someone like shooting heroin on the street just sitting down and then like he'd get mad at them and like yo are you doing this around with my brothers and stuff like you know wow and like those are the things just

we're seeing and say, holy, this is crazy. That's crazy. What about your parents? Do they try to keep you away from that influence? Or how much, like, what kind of kid were they trying to raise you to be? So my dad went, like, to Vancouver. That's somewhere else in Canada, right? Yeah.

When it was, like, probably, like, five or something. So he wasn't really in the picture like that. And my mom, she did try, but, like, you know, as a kid, you go out and they don't really know here. doing like that until like, you know, when I get arrested and she's seeing everything that's going on and, yeah. When do you first get arrested? So my first time getting arrested was, it was actually at a hotel, we had a hotel party

and then it was like me and all their friends. That was our first turn-ups. Like we'll just get hotels and like invite beer girls and we would always turn up so much that we'd get kicked out right away. And then we're all out of. out front of the Intercontinental Hotel. That's what it's called. And then my brother there, he's actually passed away too right now.

So he was there. Yes, thanks. We're out there. And then someone tried to, one of the guys who are with actually tried to, someone was walking, like two guys and two girls. They're walking in the hotel and someone tried to talk to their girls. I don't know why they did that. They were afraid. But that vibe

You got like hell of people Just standing on the street And everybody with a girl walking by It's like somebody's gonna Everyone's drunk So everyone's just like Feeling like you know So then someone tries to talk to one of their girls

And then The guy was just saying Hey what are you guys doing And then the guy's like What do you mean? What are we doing? And then it just got heated conversation And then they ended up

Someone in the group ended up fighting and then it just became a big bra. And we're like 20 of us. And what if I was to tell you, like, 15 of those people ended up running away. So then it was just me and like probably three other people. And one of the guys was a giant eight-foot brolics black man. Like in our court, they described them as the big black man.

Wow. So we're little kids too, you know. So we're banging all, banging, banging, banging, you know? and then to the point where we end up winning, right, because they were four, and then as like cops are coming around, because it was like Tiffany Night or what's that movie thing? Tiff night, something like that, something that goes on in Toronto where it's beer movie stars.

Okay. Come somewhere and they block off. A movie festival type thing. Yeah, downtown. So cops are ready in the neighborhood. So then we're just like, yo, let's cut. Like, you know, and how we ended up leaving, me and my brother were the last two the same one that passed away were running and then I had blood

on my shirt and then I hop over a fence and a cop just tackles me you know oh sure and I'm like fuck like you know it's so cheesy they're like oh you guys just got you just got in a fight over there I'm like no I didn't like what are you talking about and then my brother actually got away but then he came back for me and he's just like what are you guys talking about we didn't get into nothing we just came from the festival whatever so like They believed us after five minutes of convincing them. And then so they let us go, and then we hopped in the taxi, right? They were like, can you take us to Pelham Park?

That's our neighborhood. We're like, take us to Pelham Park, please. Brother, he's like, hey, hey, why are you guys have blood in your shirt? No, we don't, I don't want to take you. Like, I don't take you guys. I'm like, brother, like, I take out money. I throw him like $200. I'm like, just go, like, drive, drive, drive.

Out of nowhere, the cops just open our doors and drag us all. And then they just arrest us. And they're like, like, they ended up getting the description from the front desk. And they came back for us. And then that was my first time getting arrested. Just like that was so cheese. Like, we could have left. We could have got away with the cab driver.

I actually just went, but he was being a dick, you know? Oh, my God. Damn. So was that kind of thing sort of normal for you as a kid, like just getting into fistfights in the street and shit? Yeah, because these guys, like, they're just, they like to fight a lot too. Like, the people I was with, right? So I was just like, yeah, I don't know why they did. I was never into all that hype stuff like that.

Like, you know, it's not to get money and stay out of this shit. Right, definitely. Yeah, so, I mean, there's a lot of different reasons why people might start hustling or whatever. And that's interesting to hear that you were, like, very focused on actually trying to get some paper and shit and not really focused on. Like, when you hear about all these kids shooting each other and shit, it's just like, I wish I could explain to them that this is a waste of time and that you got to, like, move on past this. too, though. It's because the people they look up to, like, they're older heads, like, that's what they're doing. Like, you know,

so I was lucky to just have that. My neighborhood was just very much, like, trap stuff going on, you know? Right, definitely. So, did you get locked up for that incident? So since that was my first charge, they gave me bill,

like, right away, like, at the police station. I got out, and then I was on curfew, a 9 o'clock curfew. And then that's when it just went down south for me because I was still breaching, like, after curfew, just doing a bunch of stuff, like, you know, just still making money, this, this, this.

And then one time the neighborhood cops, they recognized me because, like, we dropped a song at this time, too. Like, our first song, I was in a group. And then they knew how my face looked. So then right away, the girl see me, and she said, hey, like, aren't you on? I got arrested and from there I got put on house arrest and then it was just yeah like you know

after that after I got a house arrest I was just like fuck I got bill again and then now I'm in so the way my neighborhood is is courtyards and then there's a building right here and then we'll go in the building to like trap and stuff like you know any trap houses like every floor is filled up with just trap houses and there's like 20 floors so then I was just when I was on house arrest I went one of the traps and then I'll just stay in there. I would not leave because I'm not going out there because I'm on a house rest. So I'm just going to stay in here and run it up. So like, you know, we ran up one spot so hard that it got kicked in.

And then when the cops came, the first guy, so take this in. So I'm about to use the washroom, but I'm like, this trap is dirty. I'm going to go to the one downstairs because I don't use the washroom here. So then as soon as I come out, like this is my first rookie mistake because I was young too. I don't even look outside the people to see like if anyone's there or anything. So I just had to go to wash around. Open the door. And then right away, they're about to kick in the door with the thing, right?

So I'm catching it right in motion. I open it. They're just all right there. And we're just looking at each other like this. And I'm like, fuck, I try to close back the door and they just run in. And then the first guy that was actually there too was the guy that checks on me on my house arrest to make sure I'm at home. So we already knew. I'm like, fuck, I'm already gone.

He knows I breached. So, like, they came in, and they started singing our songs and stuff. They're, like, their first song, they're like, oh, is Pelham Park niggas? Too much. And then from there, they found stuff in the spa. And that was my first actual, like, you know, after that was done. I was like, fuck. Damn.

And you were already putting out music at this point. Yeah, like, my first song was out at this time. Right. My first song. How, like, you. You know, to a lot of people, it might seem kind of crazy, like promoting yourself on the internet while also really being in the streets and really selling drugs. Did you think about that at all? Or did you see this as like, okay, maybe if I start making music, then I won't have to sell drugs forever?

So, no, not at first. I didn't see it as a, like, I was doing it for just fun and games. Like, you know, it was never something serious. I felt like the street was my main focus. It's like that was the main goal that I thought, oh, this is how I'm going to make it all. I never thought like the rap stuff was just like, I just did it because my friends wanted to do.

And like I was the least, we're in a group of like me, I was right of homie. And like I was probably the least noticeable in the group. So like I never thought like, you know, what the heck? I'm like, I'm just doing it because like we just went to the studio one day and we just dropped the song.

They told me to hop on it. But you weren't thinking to yourself as, as being like a star. You were just fucking around. Yeah, I was just like, fuck on a day. I was getting so much, so much hate. So I'm like, like, you know, what am I doing? What am I really doing?

Were you rapping in a unique style at that time? I was rapping how I do an elbow, even worse. Like, talking, just talking, like, just talking on the beat. I think it says a lot that you get so much hate because what I think what you're doing is fucking brilliant. I think it's great. I think it's so fun and so melodic and it sounds so good. And it reminds me of like, it kind of reminds me at McCona sometimes,

just in terms of like the melody and shit. But that's interesting that you always kind of had that, that flow from the beginning. Do you think that your flow is just perceived that way because you have a unique voice? Or do you feel like it's like, why do you think that your flow kind of pisses people off so much? So I feel like, yeah, it is a unique voice. And then just because when I got put in the studio, I'm just like, fuck. I never even practiced this. I'm just like, but I'm still going to do it.

So like, when I was writing it on my notes and I did the song, I'm like, it's just how it came out. You know, I'm like, fuck. I didn't know how to do the real melody things or the, you know what? So I was just like, that's my way of just rapping, I guess. And then I just perfected it. Right. Right.

So did you start getting like positive attention early on or when did you start to realize like, oh, people are kind of fucking with this? I got to run with this. So where I got the positive was kind of that same song too, because like that same, our first song was kind of like a diss song to our ops, right? Oh, okay. So it's kind of, we did have a couple ops too, right? Yeah, exactly. You got no ops.

So all of a sudden, the first song is a disc. So like, yo, it was a, it was a dis song. And looking back to hindsight, I'm like, the fuck that I do that. I don't even do that shit. Like, you know, so I was just young. And at those point, I was like, I don't. like my group and stuff, I was actually a bad kid too

just on like I wanted the politics at that point. At that point in time. It's romantic. It's sexy. Like all people hate me, people want to kill me. I want to kill them. It's just so cool. Like I understand how kids think about it, especially because you're looking at you were probably listening to like

other sort of drill type artists from your area, not to mention Chicago or New York or all these places where you see dudes embroiled in warfare, right? Yeah. So then I was, I was, I got that respect just off of that strength of, yeah, this kid's just putting in that work. So, like, we want to hear what he has to say. But, like, out of the other two guys, they were more, like, the face guys, all the girls wanted them, like, you know.

So they had that, yeah. But I was still there, like, you know, doing my thing. So they always wanted to hear what I had to say to. Right. And then, yeah. And then after we kept dropping music in groups. But then after that raid, I was telling you about, like, we got house arrest. this person got curfew where cold cues he couldn't be together so then i'm just like i'm on house arrest

i was bored i called my cameraman one day i'm just like you know come to my backyard right now i want to shoot a video live like you know so that was my first song i dropped single artist ah you know and then my first rap name was actually double b which stands for big boy okay so that was my first and then i'm just like yo i'm gonna keep dropping singles right now because i can't be with these guys anyway so i'm like i'm not gonna stop this shit right now i have nothing else us to do so I'm like I'm gonna just keep doing this until we're back like no charges and stuff you could be all together and so did you end up having to do jail time from that situation so for that exact situation no I just because I was still while at those times too so they gave us

like a program I had to do for probably like two weeks that that Trappler rosvilla I was just talking about Toronto that's one thing I got struck by is wow there's a lot of rappers beating crazy ass charges in Canada. I hear it feels like people are just getting convicted left and right. Yeah, a lot of people will be just beating these charges. I heard about somebody shooting somebody in front of like 60 people and having them all be eyewitnesses and still getting away with it in Canada too last night. So I was kind of blown away by that.

It's crazy still. Yeah. But okay, so you're a youth defender still at that time? So you got off? Yeah, so I got off. And then after that, I was at, I probably got, arrested one more time after that for like a drug trafficking thing but I beat that too and then my the final one was I was at my house and then my sister's boyfriend was there and then he was in an

investigation like this project going on and he was under investigation and then we woke up one morning I just shot a video the night before it was called nine on me and it was a me and one of the guys in the group and then I was look the song was like nine on me like rondo buying switching teams like grando so you know i was just on my yeah like you know and then that same day my younger brother like he's my age two weeks younger but he was like yo do you see all these black cars like he's like i sure those are undies and stuff like you know but we weren't listening to him we're just like i don't know what you're talking about we don't want to hear this right now i'm shooting a video man the fuck so then you know we're doing our thing we had a

party that night we got drunk and then um everyone came back to my house after like all their friends are there like probably like four people and then i was on house arrest these times still so then i woke up to five in the morning just a raid etf like you know they come in dogs all this stuff flash grenades all this and then they're coming for him basically but just because the firearm was in my room and all this stuff they're just like we all get it ready to Yesterday I got breach of probation, all this stuff. And then from that, I ended up having to do it just like two months for that. Two months because it was wild still.

Like I was literally turning 18 and two weeks. Wow. So then, and I was going to get off house arrest in two weeks. I was so cheesy. I'm like, bro, I was just all taking off house rest. I was on house arrest. I felt like my whole life. So I'm just like, I get this.

And then I was just like, yo, I ended up just pleading guilty because everyone else. They tried to pinpoint it on the boyfriend, and I'm just like, he had a lot of other charges. He was, they were giving him already, so I'm just like, I just hug my own charges quick. And then after that, they put me, I was supposed to go to YO Jill, but when I was in the courts, they mistake me and brought me to the adult Jill. And then as I'm like, I'm not even supposed to be here. Like, what the heck are you guys?

They're like, oh, well, you're going to have to talk to your lawyer and all this, or because here it says you're supposed to be here. I'm like, I was just in court, pled guilty to a youth offender. And they're saying I'm supposed to go to this juvenile jail. So like, whatever. I didn't end up caring after because they brought me to like a range or it was just a bunch of my older heads from my neighborhood. So like when I went there, I was living good.

Like, you know, I was just with guys that I've never seen in a long time. And I was just like, I'd rather just do my two months here now anyways. So like, you know, after that, I was just like, yeah. So did you leave there with the mentality of I'm going to stay the fuck out of trouble or were you still kind of on the same shit? No, from there. So like during that little space time, we dropped my album and stuff, which is my first mixtape, sorry, it was by or buy. And like the tape, the album I'm about to drop right now is my first album, but it's by or by too. So like my first mixtape was by or buy it.

Right. And then we dropped it while I was in jail. doing that. And did you feel like the streets were really like anticipating you at that point? Like was it was everything starting to heat up? Yeah. Like it was anticipation still like you know, but I felt like it didn't reach its peak yet but like it was still like yeah. So then we dropped the album, the mixtape and then during that time like it was bubbling up, bubbling up and then it got the attention of Drake and stuff. And then he, He used follow me on Instagram.

And then that was their first, like, me knowing, like, oh, guys listening. And actually, no, before that was that same nine on me song, Boy Wanda. Right. Shout out, Boy Wanda and Simon. Because I was just watching your interview with We Love Hip Hop. Shout out to Freddie. And that was, I think, like, over two years ago. And it was like when the clip had come out of Drake singing along to one of your songs in the club or some shit, but not, like, he hadn't fully reached.

out to you to work together or anything like that at that point so i'm going to tell you exactly how we got the whole timeline all right so all right so yeah so um boy window is the first one to like put it out there that i knew he was watching he's like he tweeted nine on me like rondo and all this stuff and then so now when i was in jail and he followed my me on instagram and then he did on me he didn't know that i was actually in jail or anything and then i seen whatever my girl told me me oh like he just DM'd you Drake just DM'd you and I'm like oh like what he said type of shit and I just say he just said like you know this album's hard and stuff like just keep going doing all this like just positive message and then I was just like oh like this is crazy it was just

like I felt like at that point I'm just like what am I like doing like this is actually that that was the first time where I'm just like you know music thing is just like, is a vision now. Like, you know, like, fuck all the other shit. Like, you know, this shit could actually work. So I came out now and I'm just there, like, I'm going to take music serious, all this stuff. And then the next thing Drake did was just our mixtape. We dropped a tape to remember, like, probably, I'm not good with the timeline, but it's probably like two months,

three months or four months later after that tape. And then there was a song on that called Intro. And then woke up one morning. That was in, like my Instagram just going crazy. I'm like, what the heck's going? And so then I go on my Instagram. And then he posted on his page. He's in the pool singing the song, intro.

And then from there it was just, that was like a major push. Like, that was like, that was crazy. So that was like, that was the next big thing. Like, you know. Damn. So, but that must have been pretty mind-blowing because it's like, you know, there's different levels to like what you could possibly expect for yourself. And at a certain point, you know, if you're getting a couple hundred thousand views,

that might feel like this is, this is as good as it gets. So maybe I can get a million views. But then to have Drake acknowledge you and to see him actually enjoying your music and shouting you out, not because he had signed you, but just because he was fucking with it, I mean, that must have felt crazy. It was crazy too because like, yeah, my Instagram skyrocketed up, everything, everything. But then it was still, so I dropped the video probably like a month or two months later, which kind of dropped the ball on that.

But like, then my views was like on that. I probably got like 40K or 50K. So I'm like, the fuck, how are they still not like trying to listen? So it's like I realized like it's, yo, you have to put in crazy amount of work and just keep going. Like, you know, just keep going. never stop and so like that was just my mentality after that I was just like I just have to go hard to the mocks right because it's it's kind of like two different mentalities where if you're pushing a song or pushing your rap career you might not make any money really that day whereas if

you're selling drugs you're making money every day you know and it's like you kind of have to convince yourself to put all your eggs in that basket and just push your music whether it's going to clubs performing other people's shows doing more music, doing music videos. You got to do all these little things that might not make you money immediately, but in the long run they'll be big, right? Yeah, for sure.

And that was like my first rap check too that I seen was just say, you know, this makes sense. This makes fucking sense. Had you not seen anybody from your neighborhood make it or anybody that, on a more underground level? So yes, to me,

they're always like those top-nodge nightmare Blaka, me growing up just watching them was inspiring and I was just like they were doing their super thing but no one's they've never got to that level where it was just like where they want to be

like you know so it's just like growing up it was very like I was like holy this is what's going on Blocka's putting in that work like you know he made like we shot a music video together and we're just like I was looking up to him type of stuff you know and then it was this crazy one, like, I just sky rocked up and I was just like, I still see them all doing their

thing and it's just, I like it's very creative too, but it's just, it's hard and this, it's tough, you know, like to get the people's attention, especially coming from our neighborhood. It's just low-key neighborhood and we're not into the hype like that. So it's kind of tough for all of us, though, like, you know. Right. Do you keep the street stuff out of your music for the most part. Yeah, just because like I'm not in those vibes no more like you know I'm feeling great space right now. I'm full artist mode and it's just I'm not trying to promote all that shit like that you know. Yeah because that that documentary I'm talking about that was last night I realized that there's a lot of a lot of dissing going on of different people's loved ones

and that there's a lot of crazy shit going on in some of these songs I heard without me even realizing that that's what was going on and it's kind of like damn on one hand that shit is going to kind of hold you back from being a bigger artist. But in the short term, people just pay attention to a lot of that stuff. I feel like, yeah, like what you just said, it works both the ways. Like, you know, I feel like it gives you that extra push too. But like you said, long term, same thing, right? Right. Definitely. So then at some point, how does it go from Drake, just like listening to you or posting your music to you guys tapping in? Because it's like a couple, You just put out your first song with him a couple months ago,

but how did he reach out to you or more so? It was, all right, so like, from there, I kept just posting music to, like, my stories or sometimes I'll just be, like, I'll post my story, just me bumping one of my unreleased songs, and then he'll be like, oh, like, that song's hard, like, you know, send me some songs. Like, he's just, like, he gave me his number.

He's like, send me some songs right now. In Miami, I'm trying to bump some shit. you know and then from there gave him um bear's songs unreleased and all these stuff and i never really posted none of these things to my instagram like him like dm and this and i don't think it's bad or anything but i just feel like i played it right the whole time it's just not me to do those type of things right so from there i guess he just fucked with me like even more and then it was just a lot of conversations going around like you know he's just like oh Like, this song's hard, like, can't use this?

Like, it was just, we build it up such a, like, from that whole time, like, a relationship. Because when Drake first DM'd me, I remember I seen Reese LaFleer from Atlanta, like, right after. And Reese was just like, he goes, Drake don't like when people post shit that he DMs them or whatever. He goes, like, if I were you, he goes, I'll just, you know, if he hits you up about anything or whatever, just don't post it. And I was like, oh, all right, like, you know, that makes sense. Yeah, because it's just so fucked up. It's like, what the fuck? Because you know if you're him.

Like, if I just see it's like, me and you are messaging something and you're just going to go fucking post. Like, it's not something bad, but it's just like, fuck. Now I know what to watch what I say with you. Because you could be having a real conversation. And if your first thing that comes to your brain is like, oh, I'm going to convert this conversation into some clout on my story. It's kind of like, okay, well, what are your intentions? Yeah, fucks, fuck. I could understand why.

Like, I kind of feel the same way. Sometimes I'll hit people up and they pop. post right away. I don't look down on them, but it definitely might make me think twice before I said something else to him. Yeah, for sure. And that's what it is. Right. So you guys just kept sending songs back and forth. And like, how did he end up dropping on the one that you guys put out together? So at first, too, it was a lot of, I was in contact with a lot of them to, like Oliver, shout Oliver, he sent me a lot of merch, you know, 40 and Morgan, Mr. Morgan. So it's just like, I was just in tune with a lot of them, and they liked what I was doing and everything.

So it was just, they'll send me, sometimes send me beats to go on. Some didn't make it, like, you know, but then one just hit, and that was basically the Tate Keith one. Like, he sent me that beat, and then. Did you feel like you did anything different than what you normally doing that beat? Because that, I mean, just the pace of that song, like, everybody I played around, like, I'm playing around my girl and my personal trainer this morning. and they both kind of like right away, like, you know, they started getting into it.

So, yeah, but, like, all the new music I have right now is kind of, like, like, like that faster tempo. And, like, probably just because what you heard on Spotify is, like, stuff from, like... A lot of older shit, yeah. Like, you know, two years or something. So it's, like, a lot of my new stuff is like that. But that specific one is just, like,

when he sent it to me, there was the hook on it already his part. Oh, so you already heard his before you rap. Yeah. So then I'm just like, oh, Lee, like, Like, this is a beat right here. Like, oh. So then I was in the car. I'm just like, I just freestyle that product on Gucci.

I'm going together at the beginning. And I'm just like, yeah. Like, you know, I wrote that part down. Like, when I go to studio, I'm going to do that. So then I just got that. I knew for a fact, like it was a vibe. Like, even when I told my team and so I'm like, this has to be there.

Like, you know? And then the verse, I did it kind of like probably three or four different times. three or four different times like i'm just like i'm not feeling this and i you know i told the boy i'm like not feeling this still i want to redo it just like i hear when you see that like you want to change your verse like fam like have confidence in your stuff and what you see and all this shit and i'm like yeah real shit you know fuck it because your music in general it doesn't feel like you're like you're like you're just kind of in the moment having fun it's not like you're like trying to make your bars super complicated but it's just it's kind of energy music and i feel like

like, so did you end up using like your fourth version of that of, yeah, because after he said down, I'm just like, yeah, like, why am I just doing this? Like, you know, I'm just not being confident at the moment just because I know it's about to go on that largest skill. And I'm like, trying to be mindful of like, but, you know, that just made me think like, yeah. Definitely. So what, what was the conversation about signing? Like, how did that go? So for that, it's kind of like basically me. It was a me thing bringing it up because I just feel like my loyalty is

over there and it's just like that's where I felt like I want to give back to the whole team like you know I fuck with all of them and I didn't see it no other way like kind of like it was my decision. Right. You know? That's dope. Yeah. And everybody was receptive to it? Like what was

that process like? Like what's the OVO machine look like from the inside, bro? We all need to know. So it's just, I have a great team there. Like, it's just very, like, much, it's very good. So, like, you know. Hell yeah. It's good. It's going to have, like, talk to a lot of people, and it's just, it's working good, you know.

I'm excited for what's to come now. You already had some popular records, but then was this song, like, this song coming out with Drake? Was that just, like, a game changer in terms of what it was, like, watching this shit blow? It was game changer still, because I had one before two with him that, leaked and that was the first time they're just like oh people are like this guy's a song with Drake and stuff like from there everyone

already knew like this guy has a song with Drake. What was it like on the song leaked because like you're hyped but you can't really promote it right? I was in LA and like we had a whole rollout plan for that song and stuff and that might tape and then we're in the pool that one day I was just

there and I see a blog site posted in I was saying no fucking wait like what the fuck his whole verse too i'm like and his wrist was yellow tape like it was hard like you know so i was just i was like fuck you know and then from there i was just like it was like it got leaked so i already knew it was no good no more so then right now when this one dropped it was just it went it just went skyrocket like you know i was just like fuck yeah this was the one And so the same day now, when it's about to drop, we're there in our house.

We're getting ready for tonight. Big job. No one even knows it's about to come out. And then, fucking, we're looking on our phones again. Leak. It leaked like right before I came out. Yeah. Like leakage.

I'm like, what the fuck, fam? We're there, me, my team and shit. We're just, like, we can't believe this. That does happen again, you know? And then from right there, we just. made the Instagram post like oh coming out tonight uh-uh-uh and then from there my Instagram like crazy and then it just still dropped at midnight. How do you feel like this shit leaks because his shit doesn't normally leak right?

So like for that one I don't know how because it was a different kind of leak. It leaked with the the artwork but it was coming from like Europe so I don't know I don't know how that one worked but it leaked. I guess like they're sending it to stream and service. and shit so maybe somebody along the way could just put it out early if they wanted I don't know I don't know that's just crazy was cheese I was like holy fuck again did you feel like your your shit was ruined yeah I felt like it was ruined for that whole 20 minutes I'm just say fuck I just don't want like it's gonna look like I leaked it or dropped the ball or anything I'm like fuck it wasn't I didn't

dropped the ball on this shit so I just cheese like fuck man right damn that's crazy I feel like if it leaks you know within like a day and just because I was cheese because it kind of anticipated it even more but like I wanted it to be a surprise rate at 12 for you know everyone it must be crazy for like the people you grew up around to see you doing stuff like this though like how do you feel like they feel especially given that you were literally like a criminal on the block in the trap house like a couple years ago I feel like they love it like they're inspired you know inspired them and i make them want to really take it serious and like yeah like i feel like even when they tell me certain things like how much of like oh like

it's crazy what you're doing all this it motivates me even more because like yo i'm really doing something that they can't believe so it's just i like going back to toronto sometimes and feeling that different energy and like how they look at me now So it motivates me even more. 100%. Yeah, because, I mean, there's a lot of artists coming out of Toronto, but I feel like what's cool about your shit is that, at least in the music, you kind of have left a lot of the bullshit behind,

and it's like the music is happy and fun for the most part, motivational, energetic shit. But you are somebody that's really from that environment and has really been through a whole bunch of shit. So it's like, I don't know, I feel like that's important. There's a lot of people who've been through shit, but then they make music about it. all that shit but I feel like with your shit it's dope because that's what I feel like you've emerged

past that yeah and that's why I feel like it was so hard for me to catch on at first because it's just like there wasn't a reason for them to come tune into my music just because it's like he's not talking about none of these things we want to hear the politics shit so I was just like I felt like that was a thing too do you feel like now that you're blowing up or or doing much better that you kind of can have the whole city behind you because you're not necessarily just tied into one place. Yeah, like, I'm pretty sure they all know, like, they're all like, know that I'm not into all the politics and stuff, you know, there might be some people that feel away, but like, you know, so be it.

So, like, most part everyone else knows, like, I'm not into that shit. So it's like, if you do hate, you just a little shit, you know. So, but you said that you don't really go back that much? Like where do you stay at now or how has your life changed in terms of where you're living at now? Right now I stay in like Beverly Hills and stuff. Oh, nice. And how's that going? It's a different lifestyle.

Yeah, for sure. Like I could go fucking walk outside my house, walk up the hill, run, you know, feel good. I don't have to go back. None of this shit. So it's good for your motivation. It feels like home now to me. It just feels like home. When I go back to Toronto, so much precautions after.

take after I move like this this I'm not on my social media like this a lot no more like so I just don't like the energy but I just love to go see my family and everything like you know definitely but does it ever get boring out here that you're kind of just not because I'm kind of like boring laid-back type of guy too right I'm routine guys so it's just like I go everyday work out twice a day studio and that's my routine every day and if something comes up and I do want to go out or party, I'll go do it. But other than that, my routine, I'm not distracted, so I love it.

Like, you know? My thing is just, like, Toronto is the city with such energy. Like, you could just walk around and the food, the music, and everything is just so beautiful that I feel like I would miss that to a certain extent. But, I mean, I don't know. Maybe that wasn't really what your experience was like out there anyway. To me, it was just, just the bigger picture, like, fuck.

I had to come out here and just change my life. And it's just like there, even there, like, I just get mad in the gym. Like, oh, everyone comes out there, picture, picture. I'm fucking sweating right now. I'm working all. Like, what do you mean? Picture, picture? Like, it kills me.

But here now it's happening too. So it's like, oh, me. That's crazy. That's really good to hear. But so, okay, you're working out twice a day. Are you, uh, that, this has been like a way lost journey? Like, how much weight have you actually lost to this point? 60, 60 pounds.

Nice. Because I was 280 and now I'm 220. Actually, I weighed myself this one. I was like 216. That's the lowest I've been. But it feels amazing. I've lost weight like many times of like having lost like 40 pounds plus and it's the best. Just walking around after like when you really like the other day I threw on like a 30 pound weight vest and I was like damn like I was I weighed this much.

I was walking around waiting this much, like, not that long. How much did you wait at your moss? I got up to, like, 280 at one point. And right now I'm like 240. But at one point, I was down to like 210. So before COVID, bro, I had such a good grind going. And then COVID, fuck me up. You are, like, how much?

I'm okay with it, but I'm definitely not, like, super happy with it. I definitely need to lose, like, 10, 20, 30 before I could be like. Doesn't it look like, you know, it looks. Yeah. Just got probably tighten it up. I'm just tall. Also, it's like spread out a lot, you know? That's like cheese me too, because I'm short too.

I'm like, fuck that shit. What's your favorite things you're doing the gym? Yeah, let's go with the gym first. What are the things you find most effective of the things that you gravitate towards doing cardio, lifting weights? Yeah, I like cardio just because of great now. I feel like I'm just doing a lot of cardio. So when I get to a certain point that I'm happy with, I'm going to start just. I still lift weights, but I'm just more on the cardio side for now.

And then once I get to that size I want to, I'll be more like weight tightening up and stuff, you know? You're trying to look like like Tyson Beckford or something, trying to have the six-back? I don't know what I'm trying to look like, well, I'm just, when I get happy, you know, the vice. Yeah, that sounds good. What have you learned about, like, food, though? Because I feel like you can work out as much as you want, but ultimately the food is number one. realize it's just like it's a lot to do with the the diet it's like 60% diet 40% working out and I was like I was at a point where I was just like you know what I could still eat like how I want

as much if I work out three times a day or twice and go hard and then I'm realizing I'm staying at the same fucking block I'm like like this is good if I want to stay like this but now I'm trying to lose so I'm like fuck back to the fucking diet back to the internet fasting. Do you drink? So that's how I gained so much weight when I was like in the streets and stuff trapping just in the car 24-7 drinking Hennessy like a whole bottle to myself, eating fast food three times a day.

But I was just like because that was just the lifestyle was in. But like why? I always had that drive to like because as a kid I was always active and stuff, you know. But it's kind of like in that time. I was just drinking too much eating fast food that I got skyrocket, you know? And now I'm just like, now when I had time out here, I'm just like, that's not what I wanted. So now I'm going to just work on it. But it was just hard at first.

Like, no results. I was just like, fuck, I didn't understand. But as you keep doing something, you see what you have to do and you see, you know? Yeah, I mean, like, losing. At some point where it was hard, like I had to go vegetarian mode. Oh, really? And that's where I seen the most results. even once a day vegetarian world, you know?

Right. So it's crazy. Yeah, that's the crazy thing about, I just ordered a couple salads. They're getting here now. That's the crazy thing about losing weight is that it's like you have to be so on point to make a small difference, like, in terms of like how much fat you're losing. And then you have to just do that over and over and over hundreds of days in a row of you. Like, because even like if you were to lose like a pound or two in a week, that's good.

So it's like every day that you're eating healthy and exercising might. be the equivalent of you losing like, you know, one, like 10% of a pound or 15% of a pound. That's a lot of fucking days in a row of working to just lose a couple pounds. But ultimately, like, I feel like that discipline is really good for your life in general, you know? Because, like, you'll wake up and you'll want change right away. So, like, I'll see the same shit. I'm like, I just turn vegetarian for three days for fucking no change. I just killed myself for no reason.

And it was just, like, annoying because I felt like that became another. their goal. So I had already my career, the rap shit was my main focus and then this became another focus and I'm trying to balance the both of them. So I was like, fuck, like I have to keep getting both of them like right, like you know, but it was hard

balancing the gym stuff with my studio stuff because like my studio stuff I was like, I like to get my vibe drinking stuff but I'm like I'm a discipline myself, no drinking no smoking and then I just balanced it out and it was just hard at first too because I'll get super tired

off the working out twice a day and then now I'm just mastered it Is it hard for you to record though without alcohol At first I'm just telling myself this shit

but it's like I'm like Why am I seeing this? Right Because I realized I made one A song sober That was a banger And I'm like

I gotta stop thinking like that Of course it's more fun To just catch a vibe And do it But now that I go studio Every day too It's just like I do it sober

I don't need Do you Do you go cold turkey You were drinking or do you still turn up a little bit? I want a cold turkey, but like, now, like, let's say tomorrow if I want to drink. I'll be able to drink. Like, so it's so funny, I set up this routine last week or two weeks ago.

I was just say, I'm going to just be sober all week. And then on the weekend, I'm a drink and, you know, turn up for just the weekend and stuff. And then I did that for one week. And then the next week, Friday, I turned up at the studio. And I'll only do it if I'm going studio, too. So I turned up on Friday at the studio with Cash Money AP and then the next day I'm just like I don't even want to do it no more. So it's like easy for me to really control it now. Right.

Yeah, because I realize it's too much. When I drink and smoke, I want to eat like fucking a bison. Like I just want to fucking munchies and shit. You had to leave the smoking behind too. Yeah, but I was mostly a drink or two, but smoking, you know, you know. Because, like, there's been long periods of time where I, like, got my diet so on point, got to exercise and so good, but then I was still rolling blunts. And that was, like, the one thing that I'm just looking at these blunts, like, these things don't got no calories. I'm going to be all right.

But, I mean, sometimes I feel like, yeah, like, getting high and just eating too many fucking chips or crackers has, like, been the problem for me many, many times. So I see a lot of people do that and they could work like that. But for me, it just can't work just because, like, the smooth. Smoking, first it makes me lazy, and I eat even more after, like, you know, and then it makes me just want to sleep. So it's like, weed's not for me, you know? So I realize that, like, I see people still working out smoking. I'm like, it works for you, but it just doesn't work for me. What's your process like when you get in the studio, though?

You just throw on beats until you hear something you like and get to work? Or how many songs you make in a session? So, like, now probably like three or four. But like, now I just go studio alone. And when I get there, I'll probably just listen a couple of songs, like, you know, that I just feel like listening to it. And then I'll listen to beats. And then I'll go through bare beats and one that just catches me, then I'll just rate to it. And then I'll just keep doing that over and over again.

And then now, even when I go to studio, now, because I go every day, I'll leave and go to the gym and then come back. You know, so that's my routine. That's a good shit, though, because, like, I'll be working in my... office and then go work out for an hour take a shower and I'll feel like a new man like ready to like it cleanses your fucking brain yeah it's real so for sure um okay so you got anything the the album's dropping one yeah you have a rough date on that so I'm looking at drop it October 22nd and yeah bye bye two like 15 songs on there and yeah I can't wait to drop it definitely I mean I think it's pretty exciting

because you're like a different image of what a Toronto youth could be like you know like you're bringing a totally different flavor and I feel like I feel like you could be huge and I feel like I like seeing the city embrace you and seeing people in general embrace you seeing the boy embrace you has been

crazy to see. I know I appreciate you even seeing that because at first I'm just like I wonder because I actually listen to your interviews and everything I watch it. Like, you know, even yesterday last night, I was watching some interviews. And I'm like, I wonder if he's even going to like me. Like, I wonder if he even likes this, like, my sound.

Like, I feel like he's not going to like it. So for you to see it, I'll just say it's respect. Usually I, like, respect the artist's music, but maybe don't, like, really want to listen to it that much. But I was really, like, actually driving around, listening to your shit and, like, really thinking about how, I think it's what the game needs right now. Yeah. For sure. For sure, for show. Appreciate you, man.

Anybody you want to thank or any shoutouts, anything like that? So I want to shout you guys all, first, no jumper, you know, everyone in here. Appreciate it. I want to shout out my team. I want to shout out the OVO team, my family, and all my friends and stuff. And, you know, just keep putting it work, you know. If you see someone could do it, you could do it too. So you just got to stay strong and keep going.

And, yeah, a whole lot of else by, buy, free MK shit gang. That shit. Smiley. I know why they call you Smiley, because this guy's always always. was smiling. I didn't even have to ask that one. All right, Smiley. Appreciate you, man. Much love. Much love. No Jumper. Coolest podcast

in the world. Check us on on YouTube, SoundCloud, iTunes, Patreon, only fans, all that shit. Like, comment, subscribe. Nojumper.com if you want to support. You want any edible candy? Maybe I should have you too much because this will have you really stuck. All right. Well, hey, we try.

Thank you, though. Smiley. Appreciate you, man.