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Purgatory EP coming soon. Preview pre-release tracks below.
Purgatory is a collection of remixes and collaborations between J.Smo of BUNKS and…
- UK Progressive Rock Band Permanent Moods ft Zion Antoni
- Australian Folk singer/songwriter Bob Crain
- Canadian Indie Pop/Rock singer/songwriter Leslie Rohonczy
- Wisconsin alt-rock band FM Down
- Canadian electro-rock producer Brother Octopus
- Tennessee alt-country songwriter C Bret of Stephenson Rd
“Hip Hop has taken me from small town Tennessee to Brooklyn, New York to Sacramento, California and a growing list of places in between. Considering some of the things I have done and people I have met, I am humbled yet amazed looking at my journey through music. There’s no reason to slow down now…”, J.Smo states while discussing his new album, The Joshua Story.
Father, husband, songwriter, producer, music blogger, and consultant are only a few of the hats he wears on any given day.
One-half of the Manchester, Tennessee collective BUNKS, J.Smo has been molding the sounds, the rhythms, the feelings, and the stories in over a decade’s worth of recordings. BUNKS – Bringing Unmatched Noise Knowledge & Sound – began releasing music in 1999 and have an expansive catalog in their crates.
“Everything you hear in rap songs, I’ve done…but those times are over, I’m back to the music,” J.Smo reflects about the new album. “The Joshua Story has been a long process. This album is the abridged version of everything that happened from the time I left Coffee County until I relocated to the West Coast in August 2013. A few of these stories have never been told to my family and will shock 99% of the people who knew me growing up…
This record is also about remaining true to the roots of Hip Hop music and the culture that created it; the culture that raised me, the culture that’s made me.”
Originally from Manchester, TN, he recently relocated to Northern California. After signing distribution and publishing deals with Unlimited Sounds, LLC, J.Smo was named CMO of the company in the first quarter of 2015. He is putting the finishing touches on his solo album, The Joshua Story.
J.Smo actively supports and promotes the indie music community through Middle Tennessee Music. He has been mentioned in the book Your Band Is A Virus by James Moore, interviewed by LA Weekly, and his writing has been published on Ariel Hyatt’s’ CyberPR blog as well as Music Think Tank. In 2013, he self-published and co-authored Getting Your Music Heard Online alongside C Bret Campbell.
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Cool facts
- J.Smo opened for Sage Francis at Harlow’s in Sacramento with Mr. P Chill, January 2015.
- J.Smo Interviewed Masta Ace and Zoolay after their show in Sacramento, December 2013.
- Toured the US twice since 2013 expanding the BUNKS’ brand beyond Mid-TN.
- We placed 3rd in Murfreesboro Daily News Journal’s Battle of the Bands 2009.
- Probably the only Hip Hop group to ever appear on WMSR in Manchester, TN.
- Boropulse.com artist spotlight alongside NIMA album of the year winners, Streetlight Allstars.
Press/Buzz
“BUNKS puts a magnifying glass over the overlooked.” –Holly Strickland, Indiemunity.com
“When a group is able to create something that is bigger than themselves it gives them lasting power and the ability to stick together through the ups and downs of a music career.” –Keith Profeta, IndieBandGuru.com
“Amidst the flashy dashy, bling bling materialist, candy coated I wanna be a thug hip hop, the BUNKS’ call to action couldn’t come at a better time. The hard hitting and crowd moving “Generica,” is a subtle lyrical tirade of hip-hop awareness. Laced with fiery socially conscious messages, banging bass lines, and revolutionary themes, the album is almost enough to single-handedly kill off closed-minded elitist cultures.” –Rick Jamm, Jamsphere.com
Links
- Seven Indie Musicians You Need On Your Playlists via PopWrapped.com
- The Power Of Old School: J.Smo Releases ‘Banks Of Savannah X Endurance’ via PopWrapped.com
- Hip Hop And Impact: An Interview with J.Smo of BUNKS via UL Sounds
- Forsaken Veteran of the Drug Wars – Folk/Rap Fusion With A Message via IndieBandGuru.com
- Interview with J.Smo on Riot’s Modern Life Podcast
- Exclusive Interview with Author, Musician & Music Marketer via Independent Music Promotions
- Interview on Social Media for Musicians via Reputation.com
- Are You Guilty? Four Ways Indie Musicians Are Killing Social Media via CyberPR
- The Big Business of Fake Fans via LA Weekly
- BUNKS, This is More Than Impressive Hip Hop – This Is A Movement via IndieBandGuru.com
- Generica by BUNKS via Coyote Music
- It’s One Amazing BUNKSperience! via Indiemunity.com
- The BUNKS: “Generica,” A Subtle Lyrical Tirade Of HipHop Awareness via Jamsphere.com
- Interview with J.Smo on TDB Pirate Radio via Timothy Dean Blog
- Generica by BUNKS – Album Review via Murfreesboro Pulse
- NeuFutur Magazine Introduces BUNKS
Also featured on:
Out of the rough, comes this polished diamond of a group. BUNKS has brought a new sound; one that needs to be heard by all those who love music that makes you move… What was most surprising to me; for one of the first times; I wanted to listen to the words and not just the beat. Each song was a new experience and I have noticed the range these guys’ posses. It is a force to be reckoned with. J. Gro & J. Smo have unique, distinct voices that just work. The flow of the songs has been selected perfectly. A perfect duo that is in it to win! This has just become my new favorite CD, and I’m sure it will be yours too. –Shexy, music lover
Unlike most commercial rap music and its profanity-laden jabbering about thug life and violence, this record is actually relatable for a Tennessee hillbilly, with songs about crusin’ around the Tennessee backroads, improving American society and the struggles and joys of being a parent… The artists touch on consumerism, chemical dependency, obesity, materialism and other social observations multiple times, and the themes tie the record together and let us know these guys are about more than making cool beats… Also the album’s very inspirational for an expecting father to hear. –Bracken Mayo, Murfreesboro Pulse
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