Know One

In a world of increasingly mundane radio hits, It's refreshing to hear a vocalist pushing the envelope so far, & in so many different directions as MC Know One. Born Roan Smith to an artist mother & musician father, Know One was raised in the arts. It was only a matter of time before he took an intrest in music. After going to college to study graphic design, he decided to join his brother, singer song writer Kelly Carlyle, & his father, guitarist Tim Smith in New Orleans to see what he could do on the music scene. He soon hooked up with a group of MC's and producers to start an underground Hip- Hop label called Media Darling Records. Know One was a member of Three groups on the label. The Blank Space with producer Damnathan, 3 Lucky Stiffs with Bionik Brown & Quickie Mart, & Space God, the teaming up of the groups The Blanks Space & God Awul. As a part of these groups, and as a solo act, Know One has had the pleasure of playing with, and opening for such acts as Dr. John, Galactic, Jusrassic Five, Murs, The Dekah Hip-Hop Orchestra, P.M. Dawn, RJD2, Lyrics Born, Gift Of Gab, Dose One, Gel, Sage Francis, and many more. After an LP from each of his three groups, an award winning compilation, touring, a life changing car accident, and a city crushing hurricane, Know One felt it was time to put his solo project together. With 2007 came the release of Know One's Home. A tribute to New Orleans that fuses the many musical genre's heard regularly on the streets of his adopted city. Crirically acclaimed, yet seriously under funded in promotion, the album continues to gain a following online with fans of timeless Hip-Hop. The single from Know One's Home, "My Back In The Day Song", was recently featured in a McDonald's commercial selling sweet Tea. After the release of his solo project, he started a Hip-Hop/Jazz fusion group with his brother Kelly on bass, Eduardo Tozato on keys, The Able Chris on turntables and vocals., & Kevin O'Day on drums. The group, called Alive, only recorded three songs of the proposed full length LP. These songs will be released on a future solo project. Know One has since released an official 3 Lucky stiffs LP that had been put on hold by hurricane Katrina & includes a previosly unreleased tribute to Bionik Brown who passed away in 2008, featuring New Orleans own Impulss, Jimi Clever, Ben Ellman of Gallactic, and DJ Quickie Mart. Know One is now preparing to release his most artistic endeavor yet. Titled "Sound Track-The Ballad Of Know One & DamNathan", this album marks the second time the duo has teamed up to create something truly unique that plays wrecklessly with the boundries of music making. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.