<p> </p><p style="margin-bottom: 10pt;" class="Pa0"><span class="A0"><span style="font-size: 14.5pt;">“I knew I was put on earth to make music. When I dropped my first CD, my goal was to get everyone in my neighborhood to get on it. When they did, I was alright.”</span></span><span style="font-size: 14.5pt; font-family: &quot;Chaparral Pro&quot;; color: black;"> </span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 10pt;" class="Pa0"><span class="A0"><span style="font-size: 14.5pt;">Blessed with this clarity of vision, an unforgettable voice, and undeniable songwriting and MC skills, Baltimore’s <strong>Smash (A.K.A. T-Mac)</strong> is poised to become one of music’s most compelling new artists.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 10pt;" class="Pa0"><span class="A0"><span style="font-size: 14.5pt;">In late 2008, Smash was on the top of the radio charts at Radio One’s 92.3 WERQ FM, with his song <strong><em>“A Bit Too Much for Me”</em></strong> from album <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Go T-Mac</span></strong> garnering over 600 spins. The song became the most requested song by a Baltimore artist ever on the station.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 10pt;" class="Pa0"><span class="A0"><strong><em><span style="font-size: 14.5pt;">“A Bit Too Much for Me”</span></em></strong></span><span class="A0"><span style="font-size: 14.5pt;"> made quite a bit of noise outside Baltimore as well, receiving a more than respectable number of spins in other major markets. DC’s WPGC and WKYS and Greenville, NC’s WIKS FM stations showed early and consistent support of the single and online, the song boasts more than 650,000 plays on MySpace alone.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 10pt;" class="Pa0"><span class="A0"><strong><span style="font-size: 14.5pt;">Smash</span></strong></span><span class="A0"><span style="font-size: 14.5pt;"> recently released <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">I Am King</span></strong></span></span><span class="A0"><span style="font-size: 14.5pt;"> as his declaration of king. Declaring himself king is a bold statement, but one which he stands firmly behind. “My consistency—that’s what makes me a king—making good music constantly.”</span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 10pt;" class="Pa0"><span class="A0"><span style="font-size: 14.5pt;">Performances with such artists as Lil’ Wayne, Slim Thug, Bun B, Three 6 Mafia, Mike Jones, and Bobby Valentino have given <strong>Smash</strong> broader recognition and popularity, as well as sharpened his stage skills. <strong>Smash</strong> was also a part of a 2009 high school tour with Atlantic Recording artist Young Steff, performing to enthusiastic teenage crowds.<span> </span>Rhyming since middle school, Smash knew early on that a career in music was the life for him. He spent two and a half years in New York focusing on his craft, when he decided to return to his hometown. “When I was in NY, I wasn’t really in the best situation,” he recalls. “I had no friends, no females… People were just looking at me like I’m a dollar sign. That was keeping motivation for me but, when they didn’t see things happening quickly enough, it was back to square one.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="A0"><span style="font-size: 14.5pt;">After his return to Baltimore, the inspiration of the city’s dark sound dominated his music. Back in Baltimore, <strong>Smash</strong> was embraced by a many people who started a movement called ABM (All ‘Bout Music), which lead to greater popularity in the city. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="A0"><span style="font-size: 14.5pt;"> </span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 10pt;" class="Pa0"><span class="A0"><span style="font-size: 14.5pt;">Though never directly involved in the lifestyle of drugs,<strong> Smash’s</strong> relationship with, now-incarcerated, drug kingpin Goose, broadened his songwriting horizons. . “[Before I met Goose] I couldn’t talk about money, clothes, and slick cars because I didn’t know it. I didn’t want to sit there and lie about it and look stupid. It’s like someone rhyming about drugs who doesn’t know anything about that.” </span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 10pt;" class="Pa0"><span class="A0"><span style="font-size: 14.5pt;">Prior to seeing more than the mostly stark realities he had growing up, <strong>Smash</strong> says his music was very dark. “When you’re seeing bad things--nothing but negative--it’s damn near possible to make positive music. Once I found who I was, when I found that I could make my heart rhyme,” he says. “I knew whatever was in my heart, I could make a song about it that people could relate to.” </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="A0"><strong><span style="font-size: 14.5pt;">Smash</span></strong></span><span class="A0"><span style="font-size: 14.5pt;"> sees clearly that where he stands in the game. “I’ve never had any doubt that I am not just going to make it, but <em>I’m going to be the king of rap</em>.</span></span></p>
