Rhymefest
Che Smith (born July 6, 1977 in Chicago, Illinois), better known by his sta… Read Full Bio ↴Che Smith (born July 6, 1977 in Chicago, Illinois), better known by his stage name Rhymefest, is a Grammy Award winning American hip hop artist signed to Mark Ronson's Allido Records. In 2006 he released his debut album Blue Collar, and released his second album, titled El Che, in 2010. In 2005 he won a Grammy Award for the Best Rap Song, along with Kanye West, for his contribution in writing Jesus Walks.
He gained attention because his lyrics were both witty and honest, and addressed the daily struggles that the average working person goes through, and not the over-glorified life of a drug dealer or clubgoer. He returned to Scribble Jam in 2003, where he defeated Yo Momma's Pimp to capture the title. Rhymefest was born July 6, 1977 on the south side of Chicago in Jeffrey Manor. Although he dropped out of South Shore High School, he would go on to earn his GED and even enroll in college at Columbia College in Chicago to study radio broadcasting at night school. He also worked as a substitute teacher to inner-city preschoolers at the time. In addition to all this, he was also building a reputation as one of the better known freestyle battle rappers in the Midwest. After enrolling at Columbia however, he learned his girlfriend was pregnant. He married her and moved to Indianapolis because she had been attending Purdue University in nearby West Lafayette. His son, Solomon, was born in 1998 and Rhymefest was forced to work various low-paying jobs, including one as a janitor at a university, to support his family while his wife went to school. When his wife graduated and went on to get a job as a chemical engineer, Fest was then able to devote his time to his true passion, music.
While living in Indiana with his cat named Greshy, Rhymefest was introduced to Mark Ronson by then manager Ron "DJ Indiana Jones" Miner. Greshy was later the inspiration for the hit single "Brand New" because Greshy only likes stuff that is brand new, and you would occasionally see Greshy in a whip that is brand new. In February 2003, Rhymefest signed his record contract with producer and DJ Mark Ronson's Allido Records, a subsidiary of Sony BMG's J Records, managed by Clive Davis. This was despite an offer on the table from long-time friend and producer Kanye West to sign with his own record company, GOOD Music. Fest attributes this decision to having a better musical relationship with Ronson and also not wanting to be in an "employer-employee" relationship with West[citation needed], where difficulties in business could lead to a disruption of their musical relationship and even friendship. Fest had a great admiration for Ronson's ability to mesh music of different genres.
Rhymefest was featured on the track "Bout to Get Ugly" on Ronson's album "Here Comes the Fuzz" in 2003 along with Anthony Hamilton. He was also featured on the official soundtrack to the films The Rundown, Take The Lead, and Big Momma's House 2 with the track Private Dancer along with We Got Action. Fest was also a part of the Marc Eckō video game, "Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure" in 2005 and was most recently featured on the Kanye West track, "We Can Make It Better", on "Hurricane Relief: Come Together Now", a tribute CD for Hurricane Katrina.
A mixtape released in 2001 entitled "Raw Dawg" was largely produced by the then relatively-unknown producer, West. More recently and most notably, he collaborated with West on the record "Jesus Walks", from the ground-breaking album The College Dropout. On February 15, 2005, Rhymefest earned the Grammy Award for Best Rap Song, along with West, for co-writing the song. Rhymefest had the initial idea for the song and discovered the sample used in the song, Arc Choir's "Walk with Me." Rhymefest played the song for West and then gave it to him to use for the album West was working on at the time, The College Dropout. Fest didn't have a record contract at that time and he knew that if West could produce it and become famous, he would be able to gain some notoriety from it as well. Fest co-wrote the chorus and first verse with West and even wrote and performed a third verse that did not make the final cut, but is performed on his mixtape, "A Star is Born".
Rhymefest's much-anticipated first album "Blue Collar" was released July 11, 2006. On the album he works closely with long-time collaborator and producer Mark Ronson, as well as with producers Kanye West, No I.D., Just Blaze and Cool and Dre. The first single off the album is entitled, "Brand New", and is produced by and features West with a video featuring renowned Hip hop model Bria Myles. Artists he collaborates with on "Blue Collar" are Citizen Cope, Carl Thomas, Mario and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard. Rhymefest's second album is scheduled to be released Spring 2009. The album titled "El Che" is expected to show growth and dynamic talent.
In January 2008, Rhymefest released a mixtape album dedicated to the pop star Michael Jackson. Produced by Mark Ronson, the album was called Man In The Mirror after the Jackson song of the same name. During the course of the album, which features samples of Jackson's music interspersed with humorous mock-up conversations between Jackson, Ronson and Rhymefest, the latter proclaims himself to be "the world's biggest Michael Jackson fan".
He gained attention because his lyrics were both witty and honest, and addressed the daily struggles that the average working person goes through, and not the over-glorified life of a drug dealer or clubgoer. He returned to Scribble Jam in 2003, where he defeated Yo Momma's Pimp to capture the title. Rhymefest was born July 6, 1977 on the south side of Chicago in Jeffrey Manor. Although he dropped out of South Shore High School, he would go on to earn his GED and even enroll in college at Columbia College in Chicago to study radio broadcasting at night school. He also worked as a substitute teacher to inner-city preschoolers at the time. In addition to all this, he was also building a reputation as one of the better known freestyle battle rappers in the Midwest. After enrolling at Columbia however, he learned his girlfriend was pregnant. He married her and moved to Indianapolis because she had been attending Purdue University in nearby West Lafayette. His son, Solomon, was born in 1998 and Rhymefest was forced to work various low-paying jobs, including one as a janitor at a university, to support his family while his wife went to school. When his wife graduated and went on to get a job as a chemical engineer, Fest was then able to devote his time to his true passion, music.
While living in Indiana with his cat named Greshy, Rhymefest was introduced to Mark Ronson by then manager Ron "DJ Indiana Jones" Miner. Greshy was later the inspiration for the hit single "Brand New" because Greshy only likes stuff that is brand new, and you would occasionally see Greshy in a whip that is brand new. In February 2003, Rhymefest signed his record contract with producer and DJ Mark Ronson's Allido Records, a subsidiary of Sony BMG's J Records, managed by Clive Davis. This was despite an offer on the table from long-time friend and producer Kanye West to sign with his own record company, GOOD Music. Fest attributes this decision to having a better musical relationship with Ronson and also not wanting to be in an "employer-employee" relationship with West[citation needed], where difficulties in business could lead to a disruption of their musical relationship and even friendship. Fest had a great admiration for Ronson's ability to mesh music of different genres.
Rhymefest was featured on the track "Bout to Get Ugly" on Ronson's album "Here Comes the Fuzz" in 2003 along with Anthony Hamilton. He was also featured on the official soundtrack to the films The Rundown, Take The Lead, and Big Momma's House 2 with the track Private Dancer along with We Got Action. Fest was also a part of the Marc Eckō video game, "Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure" in 2005 and was most recently featured on the Kanye West track, "We Can Make It Better", on "Hurricane Relief: Come Together Now", a tribute CD for Hurricane Katrina.
A mixtape released in 2001 entitled "Raw Dawg" was largely produced by the then relatively-unknown producer, West. More recently and most notably, he collaborated with West on the record "Jesus Walks", from the ground-breaking album The College Dropout. On February 15, 2005, Rhymefest earned the Grammy Award for Best Rap Song, along with West, for co-writing the song. Rhymefest had the initial idea for the song and discovered the sample used in the song, Arc Choir's "Walk with Me." Rhymefest played the song for West and then gave it to him to use for the album West was working on at the time, The College Dropout. Fest didn't have a record contract at that time and he knew that if West could produce it and become famous, he would be able to gain some notoriety from it as well. Fest co-wrote the chorus and first verse with West and even wrote and performed a third verse that did not make the final cut, but is performed on his mixtape, "A Star is Born".
Rhymefest's much-anticipated first album "Blue Collar" was released July 11, 2006. On the album he works closely with long-time collaborator and producer Mark Ronson, as well as with producers Kanye West, No I.D., Just Blaze and Cool and Dre. The first single off the album is entitled, "Brand New", and is produced by and features West with a video featuring renowned Hip hop model Bria Myles. Artists he collaborates with on "Blue Collar" are Citizen Cope, Carl Thomas, Mario and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard. Rhymefest's second album is scheduled to be released Spring 2009. The album titled "El Che" is expected to show growth and dynamic talent.
In January 2008, Rhymefest released a mixtape album dedicated to the pop star Michael Jackson. Produced by Mark Ronson, the album was called Man In The Mirror after the Jackson song of the same name. During the course of the album, which features samples of Jackson's music interspersed with humorous mock-up conversations between Jackson, Ronson and Rhymefest, the latter proclaims himself to be "the world's biggest Michael Jackson fan".
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Rhymefest Lyrics
All Girls Cheat [Rhymefest] {"And everything's gonna work out fine"} I don…
All I Do [Rhymefest] Mr. Blue Collar, yeah... you know what? It's ti…
All That I've Got Is You [Rhymefest] Somebody up and said "'Fest if I was you, I'd…
Brand New [Intro] (Brand New) x5 [Hook: Kanye West] x2 I don't like i…
Breakadawn [Rhymefest] This Rhymefest right here... On the Michael Ja…
Build Me Up [Intro] Dear Ol' Dirty Bastard, no no Dear, Baby Jesus,…
Build Me Up ft Ol' Dirty Bastard [Intro] Dear Ol' Dirty Bastard, no no Dear, Baby Jesus,…
Bullet Straight outta high school he didn't know what to do…
Can't Help It (Make it up) we can make it better (Make it up)…
Can't Make It {*Michael Jackson sample from "You Can't Win"*} "You can't …
Chicago Rilla´s Meet them Chicago-Rillas Yeah, and we some cold hard killas …
Coolie High You need to come inside and check Lo Relax yourself and…
Dancin' Machine Dancin, dancin, dancin! She's a dancin' machine Oh babe, m…
Devil's Pie ("Oh someday, no I ain't wastin' no more time") [Rhymefest]…
Dynomite [scratched: "Dy-no-might!"] Just Blaaaaze! [Rhymefest] Wai…
Dynomite (Going Postal) [scratched: "Dy-no-mite!"] Just Blaaaaze! [Rhymef…
Dynomite! [scratched: "Dy-no-might!"] Just Blaaaaze! [Rhymefest] Wai…
Exodus 5.1 [Intro]: Even the black folk who got big money, they still…
Fever [Intro] Neverrr know how much I love you (woo!) Neverrr know…
Fight With the Best [Verse One] [Kanye West] Ayo, rippin' you niggas is the eas…
Foolin' Around "Don't let your baby catch you foolin' around You just migh…
Get Down [Chorus One: female singer + (male voice)] You need to get…
Get Plugged [Intro]: Say what say what what? Ooh. [x4] RTC. C'mon. …
Good Ass Job [Mikkey Halsted] That nigga Mikkey. Kanye. Y'all know Ma…
How High [Chorus] (Rhymefest): Everybody wishes they could live this…
Intro: The Agent "The door is closing" Yeah man I finally got e'rything toge…
Jesus Walks I ain't innocent Jesus walked me to the Grammys Thank you Go…
Make It Better (Make it up) we can make it better (Make it up)…
Man In The Mirror Can't you see? When the pain goes deep You need an…
Martyr [Verse One] Yo, yo Don't call it a comeback, I've been her…
Maybe Tomorrow I don't know how many stars there are Up in the…
More Yeah, this joint right here man, is for all my…
Never Can Say Goodbye [Rhymefest] El Che is comin! Uh Plug City! Yeah The Best …
No Sunshine [Intro] [Michael Jackson talking] You ever want something..…
On 10 In A Benz [Intro] [Kanye talking] You rap. I'm gonna rap the way I…
Sister [Rhymefest] Yeah, this song right here Is about a lot…
Some of These Days (Some of these days) I wanna bust some heads (Some of these…
Stick [Rhymfest] Woo! Yeah... Ladies and gentlemen, what you are…
Tell A Story This is your life, yo You got ups and you got…
The Cipher [Intro] [Michael Jackson talking] Oh boy. What could I sing?…
These Days (Chorus) (Some of these days) I wanna bust some heads (So…
Wanted It′s Chi Town, don't get caught slippin′ Gangbangers can't a…
What Do I Do [Rhymefest] Mr. Blue Collar, yeah... you know what? It's …