Smileyface

Stoner-friendly rapper Smileyface crafts tunes that focus on positive vibes and good times. Born Jahmon Pauling from the south side of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, the Atlanta-based emcee/producer grew up with the strong musical influence of his father, who had his own reggae band, Lion Tracks. Pauling began creating his own music at the end of high school, first rapping and then learning his way around the studio. He established Chophouze Productions with his cousin Jonathan Joyner, writing for artists like Jadakiss, 2 Chainz, Nicki Minaj, Gucci Mane, Young Thug, and more. Pauling’s own debut effort, THC: The Hippy Chronicles, arrived in 2014. He followed this with a prolific burst in 2015, which saw the release of Lost Luggage, The Reefer Club, and Feeling Groovy: For Smoke Sessions Only. In 2016, Pauling added more of a trap-heavy flavor to his typical chilled-out grooves, issuing The Stoner Next Door and Dank Smoke that year. In 2017, additional smoked-out mixtapes arrived in the form of Still High and The Wood. ~ Neil Z. Yeung