Na-Kel Smith Releases Debut Album

Na-Kel Smith is a professional skateboarder, actor, model, and rapper. Last week he released his debut album, “Twothousan Nakten” on A DREAM NO LONGER DEFERRED RECORD/NARCOWAVE. Smith has been making music for some years now; collaborating with the likes of Tyler The Creator, Earl Sweatshirt, Buddy, and Frank Ocean.

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_ll_UYSwniymk7lYmHyKkMy8oFKFXD4n0I

“Twothousan Nakten” is a grand entrance to the new year. In 2018 Na-Kel starred in “Mid-’90s”, the directorial debut by Johal Hill. This year he aims to expand his musical output. Twothousan Nakten is 19 minutes long and produced solely by in house producer Narcowave. The two mix organically for a quick and concise album.

The stand out tracks are “Vinny Chase” and “Night Morning”. Vinny Chase is an ode to character Vinny Chase from the popular HBO show Entourage. The song is a feel-good anthem about needing no one to achieve goals. He raps, “Bitch I’m flying solo, need no entourage. Thought I was Vinny Chase.” Na-Kel rides the up-tempo trap beat well. His theme is relatable, especially to those who have seen the show.

Compared to “Vinny Chase,” “Night Morning” is laidback. Na-Kel ditches his rap flow for a more melodic singing inflection. He speaks to a variety of topics including skateboarding, rapping, and spending time with girl and family. He incorporates the metaphor, “grinding” to describe both his hard work and skateboarding career.

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Na-Kel’s skateboarding career is full of accomplishments. He skates for “Team Supreme,” the same Supreme that makes high-end streetwear, and has his own Adidas shoe. This project introduces Na-Kel to the rap world nicely. It is not a groundbreaking record, but at 19 minutes it serves its purpose well. Na-Kel’s appeal and strength are his crossovers to skaters and co-signs. With the likes of Frank Ocean and Earl Sweatshirt supporting his rap endeavors, Na-Kel is just getting started.