Smooky Margielaa grew up is apart of a musically inclined family tree. Being that he spent his time either in The Boogy Down Bronx or on the road with his father on tour, he was destined to become a star. His father introduced him to the musical scene when he was only seven years old. Abdoulaye Diabaté brought his son alongside where he accompanied the Malian singer by pounding on African drums such as the onbalafon and djembe. By traveling at a young age and learning the art of performance, it is safe to say that music and entertainment of the masses was ingrained within his persona early on.
Chosen One
Once back on American soil, Smooky played the role of influencer without even knowing what he was doing. He became his own man fast by growing up in The Bronx. By telling stories, sharing experiences and creating music to be passed around by his classmates, he was executing the role of an artist simply by being himself. To grow up in an environment surrounded by leaders and positive mentors with musical talent certainly directed his trajectory into the limelight. One of the early superstars that impacted Smooky Margielaa was Michael Jackson. His father showed him the glory of, “The King” at a young age and ever since he wished to imitate his dance moves and ability to enthrall a crowd.
Although, Smooky is not pop oriented he learned significant cues from his idol, Michael Jackson. As a matter of fact, his persistence to get into the rap game came about from constant grinding. The way that he came about entering the game and pursuing a career in hip-hop came about very organically. At school, his tutor had access to a studio with high quality equipment and recording tools. Smooky and his friend, Drew Drippy would tell their parents that they were attending an after school program. In reality, their tutor who is now their manager (Jelly Man) was grooming them into the performance artists that they are today. With a consistent output of effort and an undying hunger, Smooky has become one of the youngest rappers to boost upon scene at only fifteen years old.
Early Start, Early Rise
This Bronx native began rapping with a program called, “Garage Band” at the ripe age of thirteen. He knew he had a chance to be great because his classmates would continuously play his music and give him positive reinforcement. Wisely, he arrived in the hip-hop game properly by first building a steady fan base in high school. The constructive feedback from his peers coupled with his outpouring of trial runs in the studio gives him an advantage considering that he has reached popular airwaves as a teenager. He has gotten much farther to a point in the music industry than many aspiring artists ever could imagine and he clearly has several years to only continue to soar.
A few years back, he was able to enter a nightclub with some of his friends due to the good rapport he had built with the club owner. The only rule was that he and his entourage had to leave the function at midnight once alcohol started getting served. Upon leaving, three black SUV’s pulled up, each one transporting members of the A$AP Mob. Eventually, Smooky and his crew snuck in the back door and he went on to perform onstage. He courageously introduced himself to A$AP Rocky and let him know of his performance to happen later that evening. Rocky stuck around and was impressed by his performance so much that the two exchanged information. Today, he is apart of the A$AP Mob and continues to elevate his game by surrounding himself with like-minded successful individuals. One major aspect of his overall artist package that he wishes to improve upon is crowd control and comfortability on stage.
Smooky’s own clique goes by the name of Jelly or GRAPE. G.R.A.P.E. stands for Get Rich and Pray Everyday and consists of himself, Drew Drippy and his manager, the Jelly Man who helps keep his homeschooling in tune while they travel for performances. It is rather ironic because in Africa, his descendants also belong to the Djeli Tribe. As a very young artist, he understands the aspect of gratitude and pays it forward any chance that he gets. He is keenly aware of the ones who paved the way before him to make it possible and significantly gives them props within his revelatory songscapes.
Smooky Margielaa describes his sound as melodic and his vocals flow smoothly over every track that he releases. He has gawky confidence and his unbothered predisposition shines through every song, performance and interview he gives. He fits in very well to the A$AP lifestyle because he has experimental rhymes, dresses to the nines and is unafraid to take chances within the realms of music, fashion and entertainment. It is a very strategic method from Rocky to bring this youngster onto his roster and will pay dividends for years to come.
Some ways that Smooky tries to improve his abilities are through freestyling and collaboration. By freestyling instead of writing, he finds that he can express his thoughts in a more openly productive manner. This approach allows him to boost his creative ability and try new things at once such as adlibs or different rhyme schemes or cadences that he may not have developed with the pen and pad method. King Combs (P Diddy’s son) is someone that is very similar to Smooky and they would compliment each other very well on the track. They each feature smooth barrages of braggadocious flavor and are budding prodigies.
Smooky, although young, preaches to those who are aspiring artists to stay out of trouble and focus on your goals. For proof of where that might get you, look no further than his placement on A$AP Mob’s Cozy Tapes Volume 2. He is featured on songs such as Bahamas and Black Card. Some of his more popular songs are Come Up and Mozart. He will soon be releasing his projects, Margielaa Mad Man (Produced by CashMoneyAP) and a Tribe Called Grape. Check out his most recent single featuring Juicy J, Chris Brown and A$AP Rocky titled, “Flight to Memphis.”
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