Joshua Luke Smith, a British rapper, poet, and producer known for his dramatic and socially conscious approach laced with Christian themes, first drew notice in 2012 through the EP Between the Saddle and the Ground. He steadily added to his body of work, issuing most of it via the independent outlet Orphan No More that he established himself. Subsequent releases such as the 2018 EP Dead Man and the 2019 set Beats and Pieces broadened his following before his debut full-length, The Void, arrived in 2021. In addition to recording, Smith has traveled as a motivational speaker and directs his own philanthropic group.
Having been born in London, brought up partly in Pakistan, and spent time living in Canada, the artist drew on those varied experiences when launching his career. The 2012 EP Between the Saddle and the Ground benefited from this perspective, climbing into the Top Ten on both U.K. and international digital charts while receiving airplay on BBC Radio 6. Choosing to operate outside conventional industry structures, he launched Orphan No More as both a personal imprint and a platform for other distinctive emerging voices. His next project, the expansive 2015 EP Your Beauty, further extended his reach. Later he aligned with the U.S. label Residence, which issued the 2018 EPs Dead Man and The Revolution Within. During the following period he added public-speaking appearances, delivered a TED Talk, and advanced the work of his charity the Psalmists.
Recording continued alongside these activities, yielding the 2019 EP Beats and Pieces and then the 2021 album The Void. A joint EP with Wild Sons surfaced in 2022, setting the stage for his second studio album. Liberated appeared in November 2024 and included contributions from frequent collaborator Jacques Miché along with Praise Lubangu, John Mark McMillan, and additional guests.
