Smoothe Lou shares new single Miami Vices

Miami Vices, the new single from Hamilton versatile rapper, singer, producer, engineer, proud queer and BIPOC artist, Smoothie Lou, drops today. Unlike its Leftover Crack predecessor, Miami Vices takes a slight step out of the autobiographical and emotionally themed spotlight, and instead focuses on capturing the feeling of a warm summer night with the top down, sound system cranked, and nowhere to be but in the moment. In his unmistakable snare and tone, Smoothie Lou raps in the chorus “I feel like coke in Miami / I don’t think you understand me,” and in his words, “This is the catchiest song on the album.” Listen here and watch the live performance video filmed out front of Hamilton’s Corktown Pub and PINK TUNNEL (directed by Dead Brothers for Red Loom productions).

Featuring Flowzus & am.gwala, Miami Vices is the second single from Smoothie Lou’s forthcoming album, Gary, due out August 7 (via Smoothie Gang Entertainment). The album was recorded, engineered and produced at Smoothie Studios in Hamilton, with the help of fellow producer, hall. Where Leftover Crack was a dark introduction to the story being told on Gary, Miami Vices is a more fun and upbeat approach to the nostalgia and often “rose coloured glasses” that come with being an addict in recovery. On the new single, and coming album, Smoothie Lou finds connections to his father in his own addiction history as he looks back through the memories.

“The album was originally called ‘Crack’ but I wanted to add the personal touch of my father’s name, which in itself is synonymous with crack anyway,” explains Smoothie Lou. “Garrison Vincent Stone, if I'm to believe what he told my mother; though he was a pathological liar so I won't be sure till I check his ID. Gary was an addict, the definition of an addict. His picture could be right in the dictionary beside ‘crackhead,’ he was fucking crazy. My dad had at least 6 children and that was all allegedly in pursuit of creating a village of his own children and wives, and they were all to be of different races. Very bizarre. He lied to, cheated, stole from, bullied and hurt everyone that ever cared about him. But to his credit, he was committed to cocaine and I guess I have to respect that dedication. In honour of that, this album is dedicated to my father Gary, but with much more spite than someone with a better father-son relationship would create.”

Everything Smoothie Lou does is methodical and intentional which sets him a part from the rest (and probably why he’s also released 170 tracks to date on streaming services). Being a proud queer and BIPOC artist of African American Decent, he advocates for awareness, sensitivity, and inclusivity within his music and community.

“Who doesn’t have trouble showing their real face to the world,” says Smoothie Lou. “Being who you are is best. Be who you are. Leftover crack doesn’t exist, but I do. I’m the metaphor of crack my dad made and then ran away from. It’s a lighthearted take on a lot of drama and I wanted this album to be more about the trauma than him.”

Another thing that sets Smoothie Lou a part from the rest is that he doesn’t write his lyrics in advance, at all. He puts it all together in his head while standing at the mic. “I don’t write. I just get on the mic and say what I say. One of the reasons I don’t write is to remove the middleman and let my subconscious say what it wants to, rather than me. The creation is really free form.”

Leftover Crack received praise and coverage from Exclaim! (Eh! List playlist), WWETV, and The Indy Review, among others.

Tickets are now sold out for his Hamilton release show, The Crackbaby Shower, at Emerson 109 Pub on August 7 with support from Sugar Report. But be sure to stayed tuned for more from Smoothie Lou in the coming weeks leading up to the album release.

MORE ABOUT SMOOTHIE LOU:

An independent artist from Hamilton, Ontario, Smoothie Lou is a versatile rapper, singer, producer, and engineer. Influenced by a range of artists including Kid Cudi, Logic, Migos and Linkin Park, he weaves confident rhymes with heartfelt lyrics. A graduate of the Metalworks Institute, Smoothie Lou is also a proud queer and BIPOC artist who advocates for awareness, sensitivity, and inclusivity within his music and community. At nearly 8 years in addiction recovery, Smoothie Lou frequently talks about his past and present struggles with drugs and alcohol and the impact it’s had on his upbringing. Beyond his recorded works, Smoothie Lou is an active participant in the local music scene, performing at festivals like Supercrawl and FreshUp Fest in Hamilton, as well as OddFest in Cambridge. His new album is expected later this summer.