D Smoke was the winner of the inaugural season of “Rhythm & Flow.” Since then, D Smoke has turned himself into a household name collaborating with the biggest names in music, had a few acting roles and has turned himself into an entrepreneur. He was at the watch party for the Season 2 finale of “Rhythm & Flow” in Atlanta and he discussed the latest season of the hit Netflix show.
What are your thoughts on Season 2?
Season 2 was beautiful. Season 2 … was my first time being able to enjoy it without feeling the nerves, the pressure of the memories — you know, being removed from the pressure and just getting to enjoy … diverse talent, people with different gifts … It was beautiful because it was competitive to me … People were so different [in Season 1] that it’s hard to compare. It’s like, you know, Serena Williams versus LeBron James. You know what I’m saying? Like, I didn’t argue. We can’t do that. It’s hard to do. And so, I just think so many people are going to come out of this show and have incredible careers.
Like American Idol, we’ve seen tons of people win and disappear. Even in the rap game, we’ve seen winners we never heard from again. What did you do differently to make sure you weren’t one of those cases?
I kept showing up; I fight to maintain my professionalism. A lot of times, that’s what determines if you get another opportunity and another one and another. Keep putting out music. Staying open-minded to the different types of opportunities that come. I’ve done speaking engagements; I’ve done panels — educational things — and then done stuff for the community and giving back. You know, a lot of times when you make giving a lifestyle; it opens the door for abundance in your life. So that’s been the blessing of this experience. … I’ve gotten calls that I didn’t expect. I’ve been on shows and gotten an acting bag. But the best advice I could give to the artists on this show is to find a way and don’t wait on anybody. Find a way to get in front of your audience in different cities, take your ass around the United States of America, then go to South America, Africa, Europe, Australia. If you can take your ass to Iceland, do that, too.
What are your thoughts on Season 2 winner, DreTL?
DreTL is special. DreTL is so different from me, which makes it so much more meaningful that he went up there and impacted people instantly and stole the hearts of the judges and the audience and myself. And so, I can’t speak highly enough about him. I think what people … discovered is that he’s so … full of surprises. And there’s no limit to the well of like hidden wisdom and knowledge and creativity and heart, you know what I’m saying? That he keeps showing up with. And the surface — you can’t see it on the surface because he’s a good dude. Yeah, he’s a good dude, but he comes alive, which is, like, what he wants. It was only right. He came out with the Superman thing because he walks around this world like he is Clark Kent — but when he hits the stage, he’s Superman.
