Smif-n-Wessun

Smif-n-Wessun are a Brooklyn hip-hop duo made up of Tek and Steele. They are also known as Cocoa Brovaz, a name they use after legal issues over the original spelling. The group is associated with the Boot Camp Clik, alongside Buckshot, Heltah Skeltah and O.G.C., and they are identified with boom bap, East Coast hip hop and hip hop.

Origins and early work

The duo emerges from Brownsville, Brooklyn and first appears on Black Moon’s debut album Enta Da Stage in 1993. Tek and Steele appear on the tracks “U Da Man” and “Black Smif N' Wessun,” where their use of Jamaican Patois is already evident, especially in the earlier part of their career.

In early 1994, they break through underground with “Bucktown,” a track that refers to Bedford-Stuyvesant and its violence-plagued streets. Their debut album, Dah Shinin', follows soon after and is released on Nervous Wreck Records. The album features production from the Beatminerz and combines dark, heavy production with a more melodic edge. Their rapping styles are distinct: Tek is more straight-laced, while Steele draws more on West Indian influences.

Cocoa Brovaz period

After a legal dispute with the Smith & Wesson firearm company, the duo reappear in 1997 as Cocoa Brovaz. Under that name, they release The Rude Awakening in 1998. The album is more expansive and uneven in structure than their debut, while continuing the darker tone of their earlier work. During this period they also release several singles, including “Super Brooklyn,” which uses a sample from the original Super Mario Bros. game.

Later releases and Boot Camp Clik

Smif-n-Wessun also return to work with the wider Boot Camp Clik collective. They join the group again in 2002 for The Chosen Few. In 2005, they release Reloaded under the Smif-n-Wessun name.

Labels and style

The duo are linked with independent underground rap labels, including Nervous Wreck Records and Rawkus Records. They sign to Rawkus but do not release an album there. Their sound is rooted in harsh, neck-snapping East Coast hip hop with dark production and strong emphasis on verbal imagery and street-based themes.