KIN  SMUV

   Specific labels elude Kin Smuv’s 360 degree entrenchment in music. From soulful crooning exposing his singing prowess to relentless rapping playing on his narrative nature to his leadership and guidance when producing and engineering for a variety of acts – Kin Smuv is a musical mosaic of talents, influences and experiences.

Although he didn’t put together his first project until 2003, Kin Smuv’s ears were working overtime from the very beginning of hip hop as a genre. Speaking with a nostalgic tone, Smuv remembers his cousin showing him Kurtis Blow’s “The Breaks” and following the lineage of hip hop through Sugar Hill Gang to Run DMC and LL Cool J. He felt the energy and thrived on its intrinsically new sensibilities. This was fresh, this was dynamic, this allowed for lawless creation. But hip-hop was even more relevant because of the type of music that surrounded it according to Smuv. Growing up, his parents cultured him with music by the likes of Miles Davis, Curtis Mayfield, Glady’s Knight, Teddy Pendergrass and Kenny Rogers among others, which became the well he would later draw from.

It was way back in grade seven that Smuv stayed back during recess with a few friends, pulled out the tape recorder and started freestyling over a live beatbox. But instead of simply having some fun and leaving it at that, Smuv decided to take the recording home and listen to it a few more times. Somewhat impressed with himself, he moved to the pen and soon found a new portal for his ideas, boasts and insecurities in life.

Initially keen on being the MC in the group, Smuv hooked up with his cousin Rush to form the group Xplicit. With Smuv, Rush and DJ Mercilless his other cousin, on production,  Smuv released  the “Streets President EP.” Two years later, an extended version including some new songs along with remixes was released as an LP. But soon Rush wanted to branch out and produce for different acts so the group split, but Smuv remained a willing collaborator with Rush while Smuv and DJ Mercilless formed a new partnership, building a recording studio together.