D smoke is the winner of Rhythm + Flow, the hip hop reality show where talented artists fought for their chance at the quarter million dollar grand prize.
The finalist were all amazing talents with rappers like Londynn B, Troyman and Flawless Realtalk putting up great tracks. Rhythm + Flow took to twitter to express a similar sentiment.
It was D Smoke, however, who took home the grand prize. The 33 year old rapper won over the judges with his versatility, his lyrics and the mastery of several musical instruments. Troyman got fourth place with Londdynn B and Flawless RealTalk in third and second places respectively.
D Smoke said, reacting to his win “I’m overwhelmed, man. I got my family over there, my loved ones are here. I shared this stage with some incredible contestants. I appreciate y’all. I appreciate everybody, man. I’m overwhelmed.”
D Smoke: Rapper Background
D Smoke’s road to success wasn’t easy. The rapper revealed that he had a difficult childhood as his father went to prison in the 1980s on drug-related charges.
“I can’t say that I would have the same degree of strength if I hadn’t felt that absence first and then his presence,” D Smoke told PEOPLE. “I was a knucklehead when my dad was locked up, and in doing so, I became real acquainted with the side of myself that didn’t take s— from nobody, you know?”
D Smoke credits his mom for shaping him and his brothers into the musicians they are today.
“My mom was everything to us,” he says. “She gave us piano lessons, vocal lessons, like, very structured musical education in the house in addition to leading the music at church every week. So she had a very direct, tangible influence on who my brothers and I grew up to be as musicians. I personally took to the piano. I enjoyed the medium of expression on it. It led into me getting into production and artistry.”
Things changed for the better with the family when his dad came back, D Smoke said.
“It was a beautiful adjustment,” he says. “We prayed for it every night as kids and then when he gets there, he exceeds our expectations. My dad was a baseball coach, he was driving us around, chauffeuring us around. He was very present and very active in our lives. Part of the reason why I have such a big passion for mentorship is because he was a hands-on dad.”
D smoke worked as a Spanish and music recording teacher before the show.
Social Media and Where to find D Smoke’s song Last Supper?
The Inglewood rapper has an Instagram where he treats followers to his impressive piano skills while promoting himself on Rhythm + Flow. He also has a twitter account and has 34 available tracks on his SoundCloud.
Last Supper is now available on Spotify with the songs of the other four finalists.