Smif-N-Wessun

Formed in Brooklyn by Tek and Steele, Smif-N-Wessun belong to the New York rap scene of the 1990s, situated between hardcore rap, boom bap and reggae and dancehall influences that are audible in their delivery and the atmosphere of their tracks. Smif-N-Wessun first appeared within the circle of Duck Down and Boot Camp Clik, connected to Black Moon and Heltah Skeltah, before signing in 1995 the album Dah Shinin', largely produced by Da Beatminerz, which became a hallmark of the East Coast underground sound. At the end of the 1990s a legal dispute led them to adopt the name Cocoa Brovaz, under which they released The Rude Awakening in 1998; the duo later reverted to their original name. Their subsequent career alternates between group records and projects linked to their collective, including Reloaded (2005), Monumental (2011) made with Pete Rock, Born and Raised (2013) and The All (2019). Over the years Smif-N-Wessun have maintained dense writing, stories rooted in Brooklyn and a sober aesthetic built on heavy rhythms, soul samples and a rugged delivery.