Photos By Cyril Agard & Kevin Mo.
We had the opportunity to chill backstage during Wiz Khalifa and ASAP Rocky's Under The Influence Tour, and encountered Smoke DZA in his usual state (high) doing what he usually does (blazing). You know we had to pick the KushedGod's brain, and what better subject to tackle than weed? The master told us about perfecting his rolling technique, the origin of his "KushedGod" alias, his Bob Marley effigy chain and more.
We suggest you roll one up and prepare for some Weed Talk. Check out pics of DZA both on and backstage in the gallery above, and stay tuned for more HNHH coverage of The Under Influence Tour.
HNHH: Do you prefer blunts or papers?
Smoke DZA: Yeah, I smoke out of papers - shout out to RAW papers, what up Josh? I'm smokin' cardboard right now [he was smoking on a blunt], but shit happens… preferably, that's what it is. I'm from New York, so I get caught up in the blunts 'cause that's what we came up from. The older guys were smokin' papers at that point… but now, being a semi-older guy, older than I was in my younger ages, I fuck with papers.
HNHH: When did you learn to roll?
Smoke DZA: I perfected my roll [recently] … when you roll so many joints and blunts, you just become a fuckin' expert. And I just happened to become an expert, you know? They used to tease me for my joint rolling skills. They used to laugh at me 'cause my shits used to be soggy and shit. Now my shit is all superb and neat - you can smoke it… it's smokable.
HNHH: Do you have a line of weed products? If not, is that something you'd be interested in doing?
Smoke DZA: Yeah, I would do it… shout out to everybody that's doin' it, 'cause I'm sure they're gonna holler after this. Yeah, I would do it - if you tryna get some money, come holler.
HNHH: Do you use a grinder?
Smoke DZA: This is my grinder right now [holds up fingers]. These have been my grinder for life… I ain't got no time for all of that shit. [There's] some cool shit, like a grinder card, a fuckin' cheese grater for weed. You gotta use that for cones. When you smokin' out of cones, that's when you need a grinder. If I did my own little RAW cone, I would do a grinder to come with it. But I'm sure somebody'd jack me for that - that's what they do, it happens.
HNHH: The chain you're wearing - the Jesus piece has a joint in his mouth.
Smoke DZA: Oh, this is not Jesus. This is Bob Marley, I would never do the Lord like this, I wouldn't do that to him… I mean, nobody even knows what Jesus looks like, that's the funniest shit. They be like "is that Jesus?", and I'm like "where you seein' Jesus?" Yeah, I get that often, but this is Bob Marley. This is the original KushedGod.
HNHH: Where did you get the piece? Who made it for you?
Smoke DZA: I got this piece made in New York City - shout out to Danny.
HNHH: What's your favorite strain of weed?
Smoke DZA: OG… no doubt. And I love Dour, of course - Sour Diesel. I call it "Dour" 'cause it's like the "diesel" for the "D", and then the "sour". So I just put it together and call it "Dour" … that's some KushedGod slang.
HNHH: When did you become the KushedGod?
Smoke DZA: The day I was born… nah, that's a joke. To be honest, when Lil B was doin' his Based God shit, I thought that shit was so cool. He was the Based God, and I didn't know what that meant, but it was like "everything's based". So I'm like "everything's kushed". I'm the fuckin' KushedGod - who's gonna tell me I'm not the KushedGod? That's how it happened.
HNHH: Can you explain the title of your latest collective project, R.F.C. (Ralphie's Forgotten Children)?
Smoke DZA: Well, shout out to the original RFC, first and foremost. That name was inspired by them. The original RFC in the 90s, they ran around. They was Ralphie's Forgotten Children, Razor Face Cutters, that was they thing. Our whole thing is more inspired off the fashion side, as you see (points to hoodie). You know, like Ralph - Ralph Lauren. And we all do that, you know? Different brands of Ralph Lauren… the [mixtape] art was was very Polo [inspired] - the art has history behind it, 'cause [it] was actually designed by the same person that designed this shirt, and designed Rugby for the past five years, before they closed down. Shout out to Drew, that's my homie.
HNHH: Who's in the collective?
Smoke DZA: RFC is myself, NymLo, Al Doe, Chase N. Cashe, Mookie Jones, 183rd - it's my homies, we all came together like The Expendables… that's what we did.
HNHH: Are you working on any solo material?
Smoke DZA: Yeah, Nymlo working' on his project - his project is actually done, it'll be out soon. Al Doe's workin' on his new project. Chase has Charm out right now, you can do download that on iTunes, support the homies… That's my team… you know Smoke DZA has shit comin' all the time. George Kush The Button: The Second Term, Dreams Don't Achieve, that's comin' soon. I've got a lot of shit.
HNHH: How do you differentiate between albums and mixtapes?
Smoke DZA: I've dropped one mixtape, to me. That's 'cause I felt like it… that was a mixtape 'cause I rap over other people's beats. So when you rap over somebody's else's shit, it's not original. But when you put out original content, it's original, so it's an album. So, I mean, I count George Kush, and I count Rollin' Stoned, and THC, and Coney - all them shits is albums. Sweet Baby Kushed God - album. Because they're all original content, and it's my shit.
HNHH: Any memorable moments you'd like to share from the tour?
Smoke DZA: Every moment is memorable, every show has been memorable. It's thousands of people, it's like a sea of people. You get lost, you see so many hands… You know when you on a plane and see you little houses? That's how the people be lookin' in the crowd 'cause it's so many people… that shit is just fuckin' overwhelming, and it's just love. So many tours people go on, it's like people don't get along with other people, and this tour, everybody gets along. We all love each other… we all chill, we play basketball, you know, some guys skateboard, some guys throw frisbees. Some guys tell jokes. Some guys smoke weed. We play fight, and we ride dirt bikes - we have a good time. This is just the peace and love and fuckin' weed tour right here.
HNHH: Anything you'd like to let the HotNewHipHop fans know?
Smoke DZA: KushedGod is comin' with new shit soon, for everybody that stalks me on Twitter and tells me they want new shit. And speaking of that - 'cause they always say I come with the real shit when I come on HotNewHipHop - artists put out music for people to grow with and hold onto and enjoy for a moment in time. We don't put out music to last for two weeks, and put out something else the next two weeks, because it's quality over quantity. So the KushedGod will be comin' with some new shit, I'm featured on a lot of people's shit that's comin' out… shit, I'm on the Under The Influence tour, the best tour in the world right now.