Smoke Screen
Cleveland, Ohio, United States | SELF
Music
Press
Ever wonder where all of the good old-school hip-hop went? Well, the first five tracks on Smoke Screen's debut, Self Educated Learning Process, could be what you've been looking for. "Go Now" and "Career Roulette" bring elements that hip-hop's been missing for a long time. Both feature basic looped beats and turntablist tricks. Once you get past those classic wonders, though, the album starts to lose focus. "Common Ground" sounds like what hip-hop has unfortunately become, leaning toward more of a mainstream hip-pop sound. The rest of the tracks follow suit. But if you want both new and old hip-hop in one place, Self Educated Learning Process is somewhere to find that. - Erika Schramm - Cleveland Scene Magazine
With one full-length CD ("The Self-Educated Learning Process") and two mixtapes ("Punch Drunk Melodies Vol. 1" and "Vol. 2") to its credit, local rap act Smoke Screen -- MCs Tommy "Street Chemist" Sheridan and Rodney "Mooke" Mynatt -- has high hopes that the Northeast Ohio hip-hop scene is about to take off. - The Plain Dealer
Their expanding popularity in part can be traced back to the Coventry-based sneaker and clothing boutique Heart & Sole, which has turned into an unofficial headquarters for the local hip-hop scene and where Smoke Screen held a breakout performance a few years back. (Their booming notoriety caught the attention of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which handpicked Smoke Screen to open for hipster faves Das Racist on July 13 as part of the Rock Hall's Summer in the City concert series.) - Scene Magazine
Discography
Self Educated Learning Process (S.E.L.P) [December 13th, 2007] (Independent Physical Release)
Punch-Drunk Melodies [October 31st, 2008] (Digital Release)
Punch-Drunk Melodies II [April 24th, 2009] (Digital Release)
Imagination Beyond Illustration [May 14th, 2010] (iTunes & Amazon/Physical Release)
Imagination Reimagined [July 24th, 2011] (Free Download)
Ice Cold Water EP [April 30th, 2012] (Digital Release)
Photos
Bio
Since 2007, the group has released 5 full-length projects. 2010's greatly-recieved "Imagination Beyond Illustration" LP was followed by 2011's adventurous remix project "ReImagined".
Chemist and Mooke, the two MCs that make up Smoke Screen have influences in disparate realms of music - alternative, Top 40, undergroud etc... but when the two Cleveland MCs combine, they have an explosive and party-starting chemistry that's rocked audiences all over the genre barrier.
Smoke Screen has done countless shows throughout the East Coast and Midwest promoting their releases. They have rocked the stage with the likes of Black Star (Mos Def & Talib Kweli), Girl Talk, Das Racist, Wale, Big Sean, Evidence, Clipse, Wiz Khalifa, Kid Cudi, Mac Miller, and more.
After a Spring 2011 East Coast Tour, performing at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and rocking the stage at The House of Blues in Cleveland, Smoke Screen remains consistent and innovative and they are continuously evolving and highly ambitious.
With the newly released Ice Cold Water EP, Smoke Screen is sure to keep you hydrated this Summer.
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