SMKA travels at the speed of sound - GMD

A lot can happen in a year. Just ask production duo SMKA. That’s just about how long it’s taken for them to bogart Atlanta’s other-ground rap scene. And they’ve got the schedule to prove it.

They’re currently working on mixtapes featuring Atlanta artists Trimm, A. Leon Craft (formerly of the Backwudz) and, of course, the second installment of the compilation that started their buzz in the first place, The 808 Experiment: Vol. 1. Tack on a gig with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (they’re remixing a classical piece with lyrics by A. Leon Craft), and it’s easy to see why they’ve become one of the brightest spots emerging from Atlanta’s music scene.

“We learned a lot this past year,” says Mike Walbert, business manager for the duo, made up of primary producer, 808 Blake and Bobby Ray’s guitarist, Kyle “7” King. “We want Vol. 2 to have a bigger impact. Our goals are loftier. We want to open more ears to our music and even put our music on a larger plateau.”

Indeed, Vol. 1, which Walbert calls the group’s “launching pad,” has opened the doors for them to work with acts ranging from Mick Boogie to De La Soul. So for Vol. 2, they figured they’d return the favor by opening the doors to the public with a contest. The winner will have a featured track on the follow-up, due out later this year.

“A lot of people started recording to the instrumentals on Vol. 1 themselves. And since the concept for Vol. 1 was to showcase indie artists, we wanted to open the door to artists that we wouldn’t normally reach out to or who are not established,” says Walbert, adding that the winner of the contest will also receive a free shirt from Dope Couture.

Vol. 2 will also feature artists outside the Perimeter, including appearances from Chicago femcee Brittany Street. The release will also showcase more than hip-hop, with soul singer Rahbi making an appearance, among others.

“I think the basic concept for The 808 Experiment is to experiment with sounds. We didn’t want anyone to start expecting things from us,” which is to say there will be a lot less sampling on Vol. 2, he adds. “We don’t really want to be locked into a certain sound.”