Next month, D Smoke will have the opportunity to take home a Grammy award in the Best Rap Album and Best New Artist categories. The former comes as a result of his Black Habits project, which he released at the top of 2020. With help from Snoop Dogg, Ari Lennox, SiR, and more, the album proved to be a stellar body of work as it was met with positive reviews across the board. A little over a year removed from the album’s release, and weeks after its deluxe reissue, D Smoke stopped by Ebro Darden’s Rap Life Review show on Apple Music to discuss the nominations.
“I appreciate that because, a lot of people think popularity is the determinant factor,” he said in regards to being nominated in the Best Rap Album alongside Royce Da 5’9″, Freddie Gibbs, Nas, and Jay Electronica. “A lot of people determine their success by the numbers. When you got artists on their own dime and their own time that make something happen, that’s worth recognizing.” He added, “It’s artists that stream more than me. It’s artists that have more radio play than me. But if we’re talking about what I put out and the company that I’m amongst, I’m proud to see that list.”
Next, the Inglewood native touched on which one of his Grammy nominations is more important to him. “People ask me, ‘What’s more important, the Best New Artist or the Best Rap Album?’ I’m like, the Best Rap Album, because for the culture, I think it says so much, even to just be considered amongst those names.”
You can watch his full interview with Ebro Darden here.