Smoke Dza

Harlem rapper Smoke DZA fuses timeless hip-hop sensibilities with present-day sensibilities, drawing listeners who appreciate both eras. Since emerging in the early 2000s, the New York native first gained traction in the duo Smoke & Numbers before establishing himself independently through unfiltered, cannabis-centric mixtapes such as Rolling Stoned, Rugby Thompson, and Dream.Zone.Achieve. The three projects appeared on Billboard's R&B/hip-hop chart between 2011 and 2014, paving the way for broader commercial reach in 2016 via the full-length Don't Smoke Rock, a partnership with Pete Rock. The industrious artist has since issued numerous joint and solo efforts, among them the 2019 release Statue of Limitations alongside Benny the Butcher and 2022's Full Court Press, which united him with Wiz Khalifa, Big K.R.I.T., and Girl Talk.

Smoke DZA initially performed locally in Smoke & Numbers, the act he formed with fellow MC Numbers. Adopting the acronym DZA to signify Dream Zone Achieved, he secured a recording contract in 2002 and later worked behind the scenes with Big K.R.I.T. at Cinematic Music Group. The arrival of twin daughters in 2007 prompted a decisive push toward a solo path. A run of weed-themed mixtapes soon followed, including titles like Sweet Baby Kushed God and Substance Abuse. Rolling Stoned became his first entry on the charts in 2011 and earned High Times Magazine's Doobie Award as that year's top hip-hop album. The publication then signed him to its High Times imprint, issuing Rugby Thompson the next year—an album entirely produced by Harry Fraud and featuring Action Bronson, Curren$y, Domo Genesis, and ScHoolboy Q—which debuted at number 45 on the R&B/hip-hop chart. His third album, Dream.Zone.Achieve, arrived in 2014 and reached number 30.

Early 2016 brought He Has Risen, which included a guest verse from Snoop Dogg. Later that year DZA linked with Pete Rock for Don't Smoke Rock, highlighted by the single "Milestone" featuring BJ the Chicago Kid, Jadakiss, and Styles P that climbed to number 26. Additional collaborative singles followed, among them 2017's "How Many?" with Statik Selektah, Young Roddy, and Trademark Da Skydiver, plus 2018's "The Mood" alongside Joey Bada$$ and "Moves" with Delivery Boys. In 2019 he teamed with Benny the Butcher for the Pete Rock-produced EP Statue of Limitations, which showcased Conway the Machine and Westside Gunn of the Griselda collective.

Entering the new decade, DZA delivered A Closed Mouth Don't Get Fed, boasting appearances by T-Pain, Wale, and Dave East. Homegrown surfaced that October and contained the track "Santos Party House" with Wiz Khalifa, Big K.R.I.T., and Curren$y. Following several 2021 mixtapes, he reunited with Wiz Khalifa and Big K.R.I.T. to record Full Court Press alongside producer Girl Talk, issuing the project in 2022 on Taylor Gang.