Maya McFadden Photo
Smitty Bop: Newhallville proud, on the move.
Rising New Haven rapper Smitty Bop, known for music videos celebrating New Haven and local street life, has broadened his message in a new single to target police brutality nationwide and support the Black Lives Matter movement.
Here’s the hook:
I ain’t with that cappin shit /
A cop killin me? I ain’t having it /
won’t get down on my knees like I’m Kaepernick /
cops killing with they knees, that ain’t average /
Smitty Bop is Michael Smith, a 25-year-old Newhallville native and prolific rapper and recording artist.
The single is called “Kaepernick.” The video, shot in New Haven, also features multiple viral clips from this year’s Black Lives Matter protests.
After the death of George Floyd sparked national protest against police brutality, Smitty said, he felt it was his responsibility to speak out.
“It’s rubbed me the wrong way. He [George Floyd] was my skin complexion,” Smitty said. “The internet was cluttered with the video of him dying, It got stuck in my head. I just kept thinking, ‘I’m not going out like that.’”
Smitty said he was reminded of his own uncomfortable interactions with police officers in the past.
Smitty was released from prison in 2018 after serving two years for an illegal-gun charge, and resumed a recording career. Smitty no longer writes his raps in advance. He freestyles his songs while in the studio. “I just spit until I messed up,” he said.
Smitty freestyled “Kaepernick.” weeks before its release days after Floyd’s May 25 murders. Colleagues in the studio were already talking about the death of Floyd and the following protest for justice.
After recording the song, Smitty titled it “Average” from the line that says, “Cops killing with they knees, that ain’t average.”
He later changed the title to “Kaepernick” to reference the football player taking a knee in 2016 during the playing of the national anthem to peacefully protest against police brutality. Smitty’s track reflects a decision by rappers nationwide, such as Lil Baby and Meek Mill, to explore the “the bigger picture” “other side of America” presented by Kaepernick’s experience and the BLM protests.
Back On The Block
Smitty and I met for an interview in front of the Salvation and Deliverance Church right next to the Farmington Canal Trail along Thompson Street, where he grew up. Much of the video was shot there, in keeping with his previous work.
Smitty offered an explanation for the song’s hook: “I’m not getting down to have a knee put on my neck. I’m not risking my life by getting down on my knees like the police ask because obviously even listening to them can get you killed.”
The video was produced by Smitty. He didn’t decide where he was making the video until the day of the shoot. He just knew he wanted shots in the neighborhood where he grew up.
Some friends advised him not to include the viral protest clips. He chose to include them.
Smitty selected the featured clips to spark a conversation amongst viewers. “I looked for clips that spoke volumes to get people talking,” he said.
After deciding to shoot in front of the church on his block, Smitty called up his videographer Frankie Fire, three to four friends, and his mother to borrow her Audi to park alongside his Mercedes-Benz.
The group expanded as friends and neighbors recognized Smitty on Thompson Street and joined in video shots to bop to the music and dance while flaunting bottles, cash, and smoke clouds with the rapper.
As I watched the video alongside Smitty, I saw a depiction of two often-colliding worlds for much of the Black community. Along with his lyrics, Smitty assumes the task of speaking up for justice and demanding change while also trying to enjoy being young and having fun.
In a video shot, the group is driving down Dixwell Avenue. Smitty leans out the passenger side of the car bopping and singing along to the songs lyrics “they trying to say that shit an accident.”
“We were wilin’ out because we’re sick of it,” he said.
After the release of the video, Smitty said, a member of the Salvation and Deliverance Church posted on Facebook complaining about the group gathering outside of the church. Smitty said the post has since been removed.
Next Moves
In May, the city tapped Smitty Bop to serve as an “influencer” on public-service billboards urging people to mask up to stop the spread of Covid-19.
Smitty is now working on releasing an EP this August, a mixtape, and an album in the coming months. While working in the studio weekly on those projects, Smitty continues to drop singles. His most recent is called “IDK,” for which he also plans to record a video soon. Smitty recorded “IDK” in the studio the same day he recorded “Kaepernick,” and decided to drop “Kaepernick” first. “It felt like the perfect time,” he said. “But I’m working on not holding my music too long anymore. I got to stop hesitating.”
Smitty in Atlanta.
In addition to using his musical platform to speak up, Smitty attended a BLM protest when he traveled to Atlanta in June.
He will rap about losing close friend Kaymar Tanner in an upcoming album he’s working on called “Niggas in Boston.” Tanner and Smitty attended the St. Francis & St. Rose of Lima School and Wilbur Cross High School together.
As in his many other songs, released and unreleased, Smitty raps about how he feels at the moment and always focuses on putting his thoughts into lyrics.
Smitty releases his music on Tidal, Spotify, Google Music, SoundCloud, and iTunes.
The new video ends with the message, “In loving memory of George Floyd.”
Smitty Bop with recently released father, after a 10 year sentence.
In July, Smitty was reunited with his father. “It’s great to get to talk and see him for real now,” he said.
His father, Michael Smith was among 105 people arrested in 2012 during “Operation Bloodline,” which targeted alleged drug-gang members. His father was sentenced to 10 years after getting caught up in New Haven’s biggest-ever drug sweep.
Currently, Smitty’s father is released from prison but will remain housed away until November to get resettled. “We’ve always talked about this stuff but he loves my music,” Smitty said. “I’m a family person that’s what keeps me motivated,” he said.
While I liked the music from Smitty's Kaepernick, other than the protest footage, the video is the same old cash flash and bulky jewelry and calling women bitches and I feel like that's such a tired vision. It's been around since the 80's as the go-to for hip hop and rap videos.
Maybe it's time to aspire for more and inspire for a better life?
I loved the Lil Baby Bigger Picture video, it was truly inspirational and talks about a better world and working together for a change. The video footage of people marching, protesting, rallying together for justice brought to my mind the Good Trouble that John Lewis spoke of.
Smitty Bop, think of a life where you can make real change. Encourage people to vote. To run for political office. To change the community and the country. To become lawyers and judges to change laws. To be poll workers to enable people to vote. To become police officers to change policing. To wear masks whenever out in public to protect health. To respect women as equal partners. To become community organizers to inspire people and work for change in the community. To give up guns and join anti-violence groups in stopping the violence that plagues this country.
I can imagine a world where your Father, even as a former convict, can vote, can get trained and hired in a good job, can afford to buy his own home, and doesn't have to be belong in a gang or deal with illegal drugs to survive, and doesn't have to always keep an eye out for violence coming his way.
Your generation can make this future possible by getting involved with making these changes, will you inspire your community and the world to aspire for more? I believe you can become a voice for change.