LASMOUVE
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LASMOUVE

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"Rapper Dedicates Song to City's Teen Homicide Victim - Reported By Brittany Lyte - CT Post Newspaper"

Rapper Dedicates Song to City's Teen Homicide Victim - Reported By Brittany Lyte - CT Post Newspaper

BRIDGEPORT -- In his basement recording studio, Johantz Wilson bobs his head to the base line of the anti-violence anthem he penned for Bridgeport's youth.

An image of the shrine of graffiti and candles on Seaview Avenue -- a memorial for 14-year-old homicide victim Justin Thompson -- flashes on the computer monitor in front of him. The footage is part of the music video Wilson filmed with a shaky hand while driving through the city's most impoverished neighborhoods.

The track starts to fade, and Wilson quietly sings the final lyrics: "Cryin' voices, life's so precious, must be careful what you do, could be me or could be you."

Wilson, 41, wrote, performed and produced "Kryin Voices" over a two-week period last month. News of the killing of a middle school student in the city's East End on Jan. 8 inspired the contemplative rap about gun violence, choices and consequences in the Park City.

Wilson didn't know Justin Thompson, but he knew he wanted to do something to change the violent street culture that seemed to have taken the city in its grip. So he turned to music, a constant in his life.

Thompson, a Barnum School student, was gunned down Jan. 8 while walking along Seaview Avenue after leaving a party. His death galvanized residents, hundreds of whom turned out to march against violence.

Wilson, who used to craft turntables out of bamboo and Styrofoam as a kid in Liberia, immigrated to the United States with his grandmother in 1982. His parents sent him here because they wanted him to have a better education than his homeland, which is plagued by civil conflict, could offer.

Wilson and his grandmother started out in New Jersey, but soon moved to Bridgeport, where Wilson enrolled in Winthrop School and later graduated from Central High School.

Wilson's mother still lives in Liberia and has visited twice since her son has been in the United States.

"She's always asking me, `How's the music, how's the music?' " said Wilson, who frequently talks with his mother on the phone. "She knows it's important to me."

His father eventually left Liberia and moved to Staten Island. But he has since died.

When Wilson was in high school, his father gave him $1,000. He spent it all on his first set of turntables.

By mimicking his favorite disc jockeys, DJs Jazzy Jeff and Terrible T, he taught himself to spin records.

As technology evolved, so did Wilson's skills. After high school, he established himself locally as a rap music producer.

Wilson, who is known in the hip hop community as LaSmouves, guesses he's invested about $150,000 into equipment over the years.

"My love for music is a passionate thing for me," he said. "I take it seriously."

Wilson caught his biggest break in 2000. After slipping a disc containing some of his instrumental tracks to a bodyguard who lived in Bridgeport and worked for Terror Squad, he got a phone call from rapper Fat Joe.

Fat Joe liked his music. He liked one track in particular and wanted Tony Sunshine and Cuban Link to rap over it on an upcoming album.

The gig would require about a month of work. Wilson would be paid about $10,000 plus royalties.

Fat Joe wanted him to start the next day. Wilson was ecstatic. But there was a problem.


"I couldn't find the track, the one he liked. I didn't have it anymore," said Wilson, recounting the episode. "I stayed up until 5 a.m. that night recreating the whole thing from scratch."

But it all worked out. The song, "My Kind of Girl", is track 14 on Terror Squad's premier album, The album, a gold record marking 50,000 sales of the album is framed in the basement studio at Wilson's Goodwin Street home.

Later that year, Wilson launched Lasmouves Records, an independent label that distributes original music by local hip-hop artists to 40 online music vendors, including iTunes and Amazon.

As an engineer, Wilson mixes and produces songs performed by other rappers and singers. At most, he might ad-lib on a track.

Wilson's ode to gun violence victims in Bridgeport, called "Kryin Voices," is performed exclusively by him. Wilson said he felt so strongly about the project that he wanted to take it on himself.

Wilson hopes the song will inspire the city's youth to live outside the culture of gangs, guns and violence.

"You get the message across to them with the music without them even knowing it, and it's fun," Wilson said. "If you put the kids in a classroom and try to teach that message to them, it's not gonna go through. They're learning by listening without even knowing it."

- Reported By Brittany Lyte - CT Post Newspaper


Discography

MY KIND OF GIRL FAT JOE AND TERROR SQUAD

KRYIN VOICES LASMOUVE

I'M A WINNER VARIOUS ARTISTS

KEEP IT REAL LASMOUVE

Photos

Bio

LASMOUVE BIO

Every person, at some point, has aspirations of accomplishing all their goals in life. Only a certain few get that opportunity to achieve those goals and take them to that level. For Johantz Wilson, those goals were always at arms length with the grace of God on his side. The blessing of fulfilling his dreams to be a DJ, a producer, and a successful CEO of a record label all started at an early age.

Growing up as a young boy in his native Africa, Johantz Wilson had his heart settled in the sounds of music. At the early age of five, he would cleverly craft a fictitious turntable set out of Styrofoam and bamboo sticks. When his family decided to live in the United States of America, Johantz soon came to realize, like others, his dreams were not far from reality.

Living in a diverse country of opportunity gave Johantz Wilson a wide perspective of music. Being heavily influenced by the Hip-Hop scene and culture, Johantz decided to start accomplishing his goals; Johantz Wilson was known as DJ LaSmouve. The DJ that was so “smooth” on the wheels displayed his talents at local parties and shows. Eventually he collaborated with friends to form a Rap group known as Smooth Concepts in 1986.

Smooth Concept was one of the few rap groups from Bridgeport, CT besides the Skinny Boys, that actually had an opportunity to perform with such acts like Nikki D, McLyte, Cypress Hill, and Naughty by Nature just to name a few. Smooth Concept’s essence dwelled in the smooth production created by Johantz “LaSmouve” Wilson. Introducing the unique blend of diverse sounds and beats along with catchy rhymes and hooks gave Johantz that voice to proceed to the next level.

In 1990, Johantz created a production company called LaSmouve Productions, and within the years has worked along side some of the best in the industry. He has generated hits and tracks for both independent local acts and major recording groups such as Justice Family Entertainment’s Big Nugz (formerly Nuggie-J), Warner Brothers’ Phajja, and recently Atlantic Records’ Terror Squad, Cuban Link, Fat Joe, and Big Pun.

It doesn’t stop there for Johantz Wilson. Along with the LaSmouve Production Company, Johantz has also established LaSmouve Records, Inc. and plans to introduce R&B singer Michelle Bradshaw. Even though with his latest projects, this producer, CEO, and family man still finds the time to create tracks and extend his hand out to those who need that smooth touch.

Johantz ‘LaSmouve” Wilson …Still seeking to reach next level.
- Terror Squad – Atlantic Records
- Phajja - Warner Brothers
- Michele Bradshaw - LaSmouve Records
- Nuggie-J - Justice Fam. Ent.
- Ralow Mont - Pow-Wow Records
- Big Nugz - Justice Fam, Ent.
- Kidada - Lasmouve Records
- DJ Flame-Lasmouve Records
- Josh Harp-Lasmouve Records
- DapDon -Lasmouve Records