Na‐Kel Smith
Gritty, unpolished hip-hop with a skate-video soul. Distorted loops and deadpan delivery for late nights and concrete sessions.
Gritty, unpolished hip-hop with a skate-video soul. Distorted loops and deadpan delivery for late nights and concrete sessions.
Na-Kel Smith creates music that feels like a raw, unedited skate tape found in a dusty garage. It is characterized by a heavy reliance on lo-fi textures, where the samples are often muffled and the bass is pushed to the point of pleasant distortion. The energy is restless but focused, capturing the DIY spirit of Los Angeles street culture without the gloss of major label interference.
What sets him apart is his refusal to adhere to traditional song structures. His tracks are often short, punchy bursts of emotion and rhythm that end as abruptly as they begin. His vocal delivery is frequently deadpan and conversational, layered with subtle effects that make him sound like he is rapping through a megaphone or a broken radio, adding a layer of grit to his introspective lyrics.
Start with 'A DREAM NO LONGER DEFERRED' to hear his most cohesive vision. It perfectly balances his experimental tendencies with the soulful, sample-heavy foundations of modern underground rap, making it the ideal entry point for anyone coming from the Odd Future or sLUms orbit.
Na-Kel Allah Smith (born July 22, 1994) is an American skateboarder, rapper, songwriter and actor. Originally a skateboarder from the Los Angeles area, he was known for his association with the hip hop collective Odd Future, appearing in music videos, vlogs and their Adult Swim TV show Loiter Squad, and performing live with the collective and its members.
Shares abstract hip-hop, cloud rap, lo-fi hip-hop (subgenres); lo fi, bedroom production, sample based (production style)
Shares abstract hip-hop, cloud rap, lo-fi hip-hop (subgenres); restless, confident, playful (moods)
Shares abstract hip-hop, cloud rap, lo-fi hip-hop (subgenres); lo fi, bedroom production, sample based (production style)
Shares abstract hip-hop, cloud rap, lo-fi hip-hop (subgenres); lo fi, bedroom production, sample based (production style)
Shares lo fi, bedroom production, sample based (production style); abstract hip-hop, lo-fi hip-hop (subgenres)
Shares lo fi, bedroom production, sample based (production style); abstract hip-hop, lo-fi hip-hop (subgenres)
Shares abstract hip-hop, cloud rap, lo-fi hip-hop (subgenres); bedroom production, lo fi, sample based (production style)
Shares abstract hip-hop, cloud rap, lo-fi hip-hop (subgenres); lo fi, bedroom production, sample based (production style)
Shares abstract hip-hop, cloud rap, lo-fi hip-hop (subgenres); lo fi, sample based, bedroom production (production style)
Shares abstract hip-hop, cloud rap, lo-fi hip-hop (subgenres); lo fi, bedroom production, noise textured (production style)
Shares abstract hip-hop, lo fi, cloud rap, lo-fi hip-hop (signature)
Shares lo fi, cloud rap, lo-fi hip-hop, abstract hip-hop (signature)
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