Lil Bit

Rapping since the age of 10 and recording since he was 11, Tennessee hip-hop performer Reginald “Lil’ Bit” Smith, 21, only recently put forth his first full-length CD, “Knoxville Dungeon,” to a positive reception. Smith was born and raised in the Knoxville area, and his first live performance came in a gig opening for Grand Hustle’s Young Dro last year, but he’s making up for lost time by scheduling frequent shows around town. Despite hip-hop’s tendencies to rely heavily on studio overdubbing, Smith insists that the intensity of his live shows overwhelms any of his recordings. While Smith professes to like most local hip-hop output, he distrusts the direction in which mainstream rap is headed. Of the opinion that most modern rap hits are stale, he combines aspects of many musical genres to create his tracks. And rather than stature, it is this open-mindedness that proves the source of Smith’s rap alias, “Lil’ Bit.” “One question people ask is, ‘What’s the meaning behind Lil’ Bit’?” he says, “and the answer is that I use ‘Lil’ Bit’ as a metaphor for when folks hear a full album of mine. You will hear a li’l bit of everything — from rock samples, R&B, hip-hop, jazz and maybe some techno. I incorporate all genres of music ’cause I listen to all genres of music. “My motivation is my son and music. When my son starts to understand music , I want him to know real music and not just what is on the radio. There are a lot of folks that influence me, but the main musicians that keep me going range from Jay-Z, Eminem, System of a Down, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jae Millz, Field Mob, ICP and James Blunt, just to name a few.” True to his word, in the song “Shout,” Lil’ Bit samples the Tears for Fears song of the same name. As for the rapper’s lyrical content, it is a mixed bag. He says that this is the feature that separates his work from area competition. “Man, I cover so many different stories, from the simple raps about the cars and rims to more-serious topics like the government and war,” says Smith. “I do my best to be different from any other rapper on the radio. My lyrics are the main thing that set me apart from rappers around town. Although I do like a great amount of rappers in Knoxville, there are not many that can actually continue to change with time and keep their lyrics up to par — not only in Knoxville but on TV. Many just say the same thing to a different beat. “From my first song in 1998, I have evolved in lyric ability and smarts about knowing what people like. In the future I will only get better at all of what I do now. I can see myself at a good time in my music career in about three years. I have a steady-growing fan base now, so as long as I stick to it, I will be doing just fine. In 10 years, rap music will be at a bigger state of mind with all the changes that will face us all, from the change in the White House in 2008, the war, our ’hoods and just life. I think in a few years, music will be back to mattering about if you can actually rap or not.” Though opportunities to perform rap music at sizable venues are relatively slim in guitar-centric Knoxville, Lil’ Bit maintains that the high-energy atmosphere put out by his and others’ live shows is unmatched by your standard local show. “It’s growing, and we do have many folks that will for sure do something one day,” says Smith of the local scene. “With the support of DJs that have local nights, the hip-hop in Knoxville will be everywhere. “The show, to me, is actually better than the recordings,” says Smith. “That’s when folks really see how you really feel on a certain track. I try to make sure when they leave they want to come back to see me again. Even if you don’t like my music, I promise I will make you like the live show.”