D Smoke, recognizable for winning Netflix’s Rhythm + Flow competition made history this Juneteenth weekend as he became the first rapper to receive the keys to The City of Inglewood.
One is awarded the keys to a city based on their significant contributions, achievements, and their positive impact on the community. The key is a token of appreciation to publicly acknowledge their role in shaping the city’s identity and future.
His impact on the community was first recognized when he got his degree from UCLA in Spanish and went back to his Alma Mater, Inglewood High School to teach Spanish and music theory.
D Smoke, born Daniel Anthony Farris, grew up in Inglewood, California–a multicultural city that exposed him to the rich sounds of Latin music, particularly Spanish rap. His ability to seemingless flow back and forth in both Spanish and English gives him a unique sound like no other.
His bilingual artistry connects people of different backgrounds bridging musical genres and uniting cultures through the power of music making him a trailblazer in the hip-hop community.
D Smoke is also a Grammy-nominee artist and he also made a guest appearance of himself on hit series “Bel-Air.” Most recently, he teamed up with his brother, SiR for the collaboration song “Work Hard Play Hard.”
The next time you see D Smoke around the city, be sure to congratulate him for making history as the first rapper to receive the keys to The City of Inglewood.
Article by Shivonne Peart