Exclusive Interview with Johnny Smash, #Toronto                                     Date: Dec. 16, 2015

Interviewer: Lyndsay Brown

 

Riveting HOOKEDUPB MAG interview presents an exclusive look into Johnny Smash past, present, and future. Ask yourself this:  do you really know Johnny Smash?  HOOKEDUPB MAG & Johnny Smash got together to help clear this question up, and give a better perspective on this matter. Johnny Smash is mostly known to the underground Canadian music scene for event planning/promotion. Although, there are some other aspects that people may not know about. For instance, Johnny’s involvement in the community! During this interview Johnny Smash clears up some misconceptions or ‘gossip’ that has been lingering from the past. The most exciting part of this interview is that Johnny Smash ‘Smash Sundays’ is back & the Johnny Smash ‘Smash Bash’ is around the corner!!  Continue reading to find out the whole story:

 

Q1. > I know that you have been putting in work for the underground music scene for many years and that you are a ‘jack of all trades’ literally. First can you tell us how you got involved with the music aspect of your journeys?

 

In 1999 I was hanging out with ‘shady Characters’, I was in Chalk Farm, they asked me what I wanted to do I looked around Rexdale, I saw a lot of people excelling at music like: Red Life, Blue Scorpion, Ghetto Concept, Infinite… I decided that I’d get involved in the music industry, so my kids would have somebody to look up too. I was working as a telemarketer at that time; I didn’t want to be just a telemarketer for the rest of my life.

 

I’ve had my ups and downs in the Canadian Music Industry. I found that a lot of things in the Canadian Music Industry were shady. I’m someone who fights for the Canadian Music Industry for example: artists were buying tickets packages to be on shows. I fought against that. I felt that if you were on the show, it was because you had substance. People bought tickets. I was very angry, because I felt like the Canadian public was being "robbed". If you have a show that doesn’t have any credence, or substance what happens is when you do have a good show, people won’t show up to the show (after they have been “robbed”). 

 

I always say to them (in the Canadian Music Industry) that “the whole of dem a pirate, and the whole of dem a thief”. So, here I am now managing a couple artists, mostly in the promotion role. Before I went into the promotion role I got a big break from someone who gives a lot of people a break who is Fred E Fame. I give a lot of respect to Fred E Fame. My friends told me “you shouldn’t be an artist, you should be a host”. Fred E Fame was the first one to give me a chance to host. A lot of people don’t realize that. That can be a little bit of Canadian trivia; who first gave Johnny Smash the first opportunity to be a host… big shout to Fred E Fame!

 

I then came up with my own events. One of my first events was ‘Smash Sundays’.  Mad respect to CIM (Canadian Indie Movement), Joe Wizzy, Damion Creep Show Campbell, 2HighMedia; Creep Show Campbell is on his own now, and is an excellent person in the community, excellent Father figure, family figure, and I respect him a lot. ‘Smash Sundays’ ends up to be Toronto’s number music showcase. The event appeared in Toronto Star, got invited to Halifax, Nova Scotia, and got invited to Sudbury, Ontario.

 

 In addition to that, I created side events like ‘Smash Clash’. Now, ‘Smash Clash’ is where artists compete against each other head to head, and it’s an elimination. It’s not something that’s original, because I come from a Jamaican background we (in Jamaica) have sounds that clash, and dub plates. I decided to bring this! I just found out, in my opinion, that when I stared to do a lot of things, a lot of people started to do it too. However, a lot of artists started to complain that they weren’t getting prize money for the competition, the competition was prolonged, and there was no end…so I was very vocal for the rights of artists. What I decided to do was bring ‘Smash for Cash’ ( artists were performing, but they weren’t getting paid)…  So, I said: come perform it’s a competition, but it’s not an elimination you still get to perform”. We are supporting Canadian Music. We wanna do a showcase, and at the end of the night, we awarded somebody a cash prize, and a trophy or both.

Another, event I’m known for is ‘Smash Bash’ which is my annual birthday, the first one was a big one with Neto, CHIL Clothing. CHIL Clothing has always been my Sponsor. CHIL stands for: Canadian Hip-Hop Is Legit. I made a great video with it M Deezy from Regent Park (Toronto), did the track with CHIL, it was crazy with over 500 people at Suba.

 

Again, I felt I had my own personal issues I had to deal with. Also, the way the industry was moving I had to retreat. Then I found out that a lot of people were stealing my ideas, I had sits downs with people and found out that I’ve been taken off the project. They’re doing the show which was basically my idea; so I retreated.

 

After I retreated there was something else that was going on in the public that was in a court case, and a Canadian Rapper which I refused to name, because I refuse to give him advertising was calling my name. It got to the point where he was making serious allegations, about criminal allegations. It was a big joke, because I ended up speaking in front of the police board when he had my name plastered over the internet with these false accusations, and allegations. The point being I found out that he was doing it to other Canadian artists, and people in the underground. Nobody stood up. I was very disappointed. I started fighting against that, and saying if you don’t have Johnny Smash’s back who’s back do u have!?...

 

I see myself as being king of media, and the reason why I see myself as king of media is, because give media opportunities. I seem to be born with a ‘house shoe’.  I’m very camera hungry, and everywhere I see a camera I try to get involved. What happened was a lot of artists wanted to be interviewed. They would call Johnny Smash to do the interview, and one of my big breaks was with FUSION RADIO. Shango was a DJ that DJ’d for me at ‘Smash Sundays’, a very good friend of mine. He gave me the opportunity to do interviews on FUSION RADIO.

 

I saw a lot of people trying to imitate my moves or go around the thing, so I just kind’ a retreated back. Again, with the artists saying stuff about me I found that I needed to reinvent myself.  I needed to come back in a different way. I basically cussed off the Canadian music industry, and retreated back at the same time I built my international links!

 

I got lucky! My god-brother knew somebody by the name of Fadda Chris. Fadda Chris is very very important in my life right now because Fadda Chris is not someone who is a big superstar he’s Jamaican underground. Than you have some other underground Jamaican artists that he was able to link me with. One of those artists in particular was John Bling, ends up that John Bling organizes the dancers out in Jamaica. They were getting disrespected, so I have mad respect for John Bling. He organized something in Jamaica, and created headlines. John Bling is in a movie. Jamaican mafia movie which is basically a shotah’s movie…top rated, underground movie ever in the history of Jamaica. The movie just got released last Friday (Dec. 11, 2015). I brought John Bling to Canada, and he will be at my ‘Smash Sundays’ which I’ve re-launched again at Harlem. I also have Latty which is the creator of “HOT UP DANCE”; “HOT UP DANCE” is the hottest dance right now in Jamaica sung by a Toronto artist Razor B. If you stick to the formula you see that there will be success, because here’s a Toronto artist with a hit song in Jamaica, hit Reggae song, which is very hard for Canadian artists to do. But, Razor B has done it! In addition to that Gabbidon will be coming Gabbidon is the creator of “Gimme Way Dance”; “Gimme Way Dance”, is sung by Capleton. These are all artists on the cutting edge. They’re not Movado, they’re not Beenie Man, but they will be in my eyes! They’re going to be at my ‘Smash Sundays’ on Sunday Dec. 27, 2015.

 

Q2. > You are mostly known for event planning for the underground/indie market in the GTA and you have two events lined up: one on Dec. 27, 2015, and your ‘Annual Birthday Bash’ on January 22, 2016. What are some of the details that make the two events exciting for others to attend?

 

For the 27th you have Latty Dance, John Bling, and Gabbidon! For my ‘Smash Bash’ I always look forward to it ‘cause it is my birthday. Vertex is one of the sounds that I usually use. Vertex is considered Canada’s champion Reggae sounds and the great thing about Vertex is that they’re a studio, actually not just a sound it’s a studio, so the music just keeps pumpin’. I always gravitated to Vertex. DJ White Boy was on it, now he’s on his own. He is probably one of the best solo DJ’s in all of Toronto. It was through the connection of DJ White Boy that I first got to network with Vertex. Vertex is controlled through Breadfruit a great guy, who is always helping me out! ‘Smash Bash’, this year is going to be with Neto from CHIL Clothing. The thing with Johnny Smash and CHIL we have done so much stuff for Canadian music. I felt that a lot of stuff that he (Neto) does is not respected so I’m glad that he’s back. Some people might think that I’m on a ‘high horse’, but I think a lot of people should show homage to us. I think we have done a lot for Canadian music!

 

Q3. > Are there any specific genres you focus on for events, and how does it depend on the event success?

 

Being of Jamaican background I actually grew up in the era of Hip-Hop I can actually tell you when the message came out, and I always tell ‘em “if you can make the old man dance” you’re doing pretty good. I was there when Run DMC came to Toronto. Shout out the pioneers such as: Ron Nelson who brought Run DMC here… played on 89.1 CKLN, and shout out to all the radio stations.

 

As you know I’ve been interviewed on those stations; helped them with support when they had their fundraisers etc. I’ve appeared on 89.5 CKLN numerous times. For internet radio I had my own internet show called: ‘Run a Boat’, it was on AllStars Radio; it’s on a Hiatus right now, it will be back.

 

Q4. > I am under the impression that you do community mentoring, does that directly or indirectly related to your music relations, and how?

 

In regard to the community stuff I have to thank my mom; my mom immigrated to Canada, then we came here with my two sisters. I never had a man figure in the household my mom did it all by herself. She raised us, who are great kids. My sister graduated from Harvard with honours, my other sister works as a bookkeeper! Everyone is successful… I’m the ‘black sheep’ of the family. I’m trying to make my mark in the Canadian music industry. Because, of my mother’s determination…my mother always says: “fight fight fight”.

 

As I said before I suffer from recidivism, homelessness, substance abuse so I’ve been in the streets, and I know what it is like to be in the streets!  I want to give back to the community. Smash kids my 7 kids: Shade, Shylee, Shiloi, Taijah, KeyShawn, Andre, Elijah. They inspire me, and I love Smash kids. A lot of people always knock me because I’m always saying “fyah on abortion”; it’s something that I believe in. I don’t believe in violence, and I believe that women have a choice, but I also have a choice to be vocal about something I believe in. I always say to them that “if my mother chose not to have me, we wouldn’t have a ‘Smash Bash’ 2016 now would we”…okay!

 

Q5. > December 2015 you were at the Regent Park community Christmas Food Drive, same with Finance Minister Bill Morneau. You had an impromptu interview with him on that day; where does your passion for these kinds of impulses come from?

 

Yes, like I said I come from a very small place in Jamaica, Naggo Head a place of champions, and I come from Mount Olive, Rexdale, and Rexdale, is a place of champions! So I’m just continuing the history. I was basically born with a ‘horse shoe’ up you know where.

 

I was at a Meal Program to show the reality of the Canadian music industry, and what we go through here. A lot of people pay you peanuts, and this is what I fight against in the Canadian Music industry; we’re not rich! I was in need of the Meal Program and that’s why I was actually there. It was great that I see the Head of Finance there, and again this is something that I was more lucky with. I have a gift for gab I’m camera hungry, and I wanted to get the interview. I asked Bill Morneau about the Syrian’s, and I asked him about the Pension Plan for Ontario.

 

Q6. > It’s becoming a trend to mix urban music with politics (ie. Drake & Norm Kelly, Jay-Z & Obama), what do you think the benefits and downfalls are for the reflective public towards you as a business man?

 

I wouldn’t say to mix music with politics. I’m not one for politics. Coming from Jamaica, where politics where so volatile, and every four years it’s just ‘kill and be killed’. I was in Jamaica 1980, and it was the wickedest election. I see a lot of ups, and downs with politicians; what we call the dons of the area so I’m not one to support politics. However, I’m one to support community.  I think what every artist should too!

 

For example like Johnny Smash! Like I said before I suffered from recidivism, I’ve been shot a couple times, I advocate against violence especially guns. I think there’s a lot of ‘black on black crime’, and I think there’s a lot of crime in marginalized communities with people opposing each other. I think we’re over policed. I always tell the artists that in ‘todays day and age’ a person wants to get to know you up close, and personal! You must have some kind of social cause! I try to influence my kids in stuff like: environment, make sure they know what’s going on in the world today, in history, and to read books; I’m a very strong believer in reading.

 

When we were kids you had to be the best…my grandmother (I love her very much)… I was raised by my mother, and my Grandmother, so I always big up women. I’m a big matriarch supporter.  I believe in the strength of women, and that women are needed in various places. When I was very young I was forced to read a lot. I remember when I was like three years old reading to my grandmother while she was washing the clothes…the funny thing is I was a fast reader, faster than most! The one word I had a problem with was “a= auh” I was looking at it like it was “A” she was like “no, it’s: ‘auh’” so I got enough beatings for that (lol).

 

Q7. > Please tell us about your contribution to the MAC Committee?

 

MAC Committee is a Member’s Advocacy Committee. We fought for welfare startups- we won! We fought for shelter beds we won! We speak in front of Police Headquarters’ regarding carding; that’s something that’s close to home, because of my recidivism, and the community around me. We take issues to City Hall meetings… It’s not personal issues; it is what the community tells us. We take their issues to City Hall.

 

Since, I’m in that community, mostly you can find me at the Kensington Market location & St. Stephen’s Drop-In (I’ve been a member of it, and I also volunteer there). That’s the reason for my MAC involvement! MAC has really nothing to do with St. Stephen’s it’s for Member Advocacy Committee that was started by a friend of mine Russell from Members of Drop-In. This is truly grassroots movement not no ‘fancy- shmancy’; it’s the people actually involved in the community.

What we do is deputations; any private citizen can do deputations. Since, I am the spokesperson for MAC committee I get all the attention. This has also accelerated me into the media. I’ve had stories done on me in Toronto Star, appeared in NOW Magazine, I’ve appeared on the Network Channel, FOOD CHANNEL, MTV Canada, CFRB Radio, CityTV,  CTV, CBC, and Global Television.

 

The Global Television story was very good for my career. The video kind of went viral. It was about the Danzig Shooting, and the Danzig Shooting was the biggest shooting in the history of Toronto; they asked me comment on it. I commented on it again, saying we need mentors in the community. Coming from a small community (Rexdale) I found that all the heroes were either drug dealers or gang bangers. We looked up to them.  I felt if we had trades people or people who worked in banks, and managers we would gravitate to those people.

 

Again, I’m a father of 7. Smash kids to me are probably the most famous kids on the internet. I have 4 sons, and 3 daughters. I’m also a grandfather of 3 grandkids! I love my kids. I try to instill family values in my company, and in my image!

 

Q8. > As we wrap up the interview is there anything else you like to add?

 

Shout out to the: Smash kids the ‘whole a dem a pirate, and the whole dem thief’ (lol)!

 

“It’s me, Johnny Smash the girl dem pet, and the man dem threat”.

 

I’ll be back… I found that there’s been a space left in the Canadian music industry, so I’m here to fight for the artists, give artists an excellent platform to perform. I believe in integrity, and I believe in quality…that’s what I drive for!! 

 

 

Contact Johnny Smash:

Twitter: @johnnysmash416

IG: johnnysmash416

Facebook: Johnny Smash

 

 

 

 

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