Smilez and Southstar
| Smilez & Southstar | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Orlando, Florida, U.S. |
| Genres | Hip-Hop, Southern Hip-Hop |
| Years active | 2002–2010 |
| Labels | ARTISTdirect Records |
| Associated acts | |
| Website | Smilez & Southstar MySpace |
| Past members | Rodney "Smilez" Bailey Rob "Southstar" Campman |
Smilez & Southstar was a hip-hop duo based in Orlando, Florida. The group was made up of Rodney "Smilez" Bailey and Rob "Southstar" Campman. They were managed by Alfonso J Alvarez and Gilbert Alvarez of StreetDwellaz Management and signed to Ted Field's ARTISTdirect Records (aka ADR). Ted Field, co-founder of Intersope Records, had recently left Interscope Records when he signed a preliminary agreement to become Chairman and CEO of ARTISTdirect.ARTISTdirect Records was a co-venture between ARTISTdirect, Inc., Ted Field, and BMG. Smilez & Southstar were the first hip-hop duo out of Orlando, FL to appear on nationally televised shows such as Late Night with Conan O'brien and Jimmy Kimmel Live!. Their Top 40 hit "Tell Me" was produced by DJ Nasty & LVM of Nastybeatmakerz and Dakari of Just Anotha Smash.
Prior to becoming a group, both Smilez and Southstar had promising solo careers. Smilez had been doing ghostwriting for rappers that Dakari had produced. Southstar was performing locally and was part of a promotions company (street team) called StreetDwellaz Promotions. He joined StreetDwellaz Promotions because he was interested in the business side of the music industry. StreetDwellaz Promotions was owned by Alfonso J Alvarez and Gilbert Alvarez which later became StreetDwellaz Management.
Southstar used to play basketball at the same court Dakari played at. One day after a basketball game Dakari overheard Southstar talk about how him and his boys had gotten into an altercation with a group they were opening up for. Dakari asked him "What do you do?" and Southstar replied "I rap". Dakari asked Southtar to walk with him over to his car where Dakari played him some instrumentals and asked him to star rapping. Southstar started freestyling which led Dakari to invite Southstar to the studio he worked out of, to work on some songs.
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