The Octagon
Former frosh 2 Krayze just keeps rappin'Tuesday, January 13, 2009 By Caitlin McNally, Page Editor
Sixteen-year-old pop singer Miley Cyrus was a cheerleader before she became Hannah Montana. Fourteen-year-old Girl Scout Dakota Fanning has now been in roughly 28 movies. These formerly typical teens made their way to the limelight. Can former Country Day student Brandon “2 Krayze” Smith do the same? Before leaving the school in 2006 after one year of attendance, Smith was doing inspirational rap performances about staying in school, respecting your parents, and abstaining from drugs, alcohol, and sex. He was in the middle of finishing his self-titled album. “Brandon was trying very hard. His parents were backing him and pushing him a great deal,” teacher Daniel Neukom said. “When he performed for the student body, he seemed to have a good deal of talent, but big-time success…there’s a lot of luck involved in that.” Smith, along with backup dancer junior Molly Tash, rapped at the NBA All-Star game during half-time and at a pre-game event in Denver, Colo., in 2005. “I believe that he had a good message, but his music wasn’t catchy. His songs weren’t something people would want to listen to on the radio and sing along to,” Tash said. After his freshman year, Smith left Sacramento to pursue his rapping and acting career in Los Angeles. He was home-schooled sophomore year, but started at New Roads High School in Santa Monica as a junior to play basketball and prepare for college. Smith, who hopes to play basketball in college, said he is looking at USC, UCLA, Pepperdine, Mesa State, Barry University, and Loyola Marymount University. He is also interested in going to law school. “I want to get my law degree while continuing the entertainment business,” Smith said. Smith says his most popular songs are “Stay In School,” “Mama’s Boi,” and “My Life,” some of which play on Radio Disney. His “Stay in School” music video has played on the Disney Channel. “[Smith] is multi-talented, and his mesage is wholesome and refreshing. Maybe people are ready for that,” G. William Hunter, executive director of the NBA Players Association, said on 2 Krayze’s Facebook page. Since he’s left Sacramento, Smith’s album ( 2 Krayze ) has been released onto iTunes and has been on the Billboard music charts for R&B/Hip-Hop albums. He is currently working on another album, yet to be named. “I treat every performance the same no matter how many people are there or how big the production is,” Smith said of how it feels to perform. Smith performed at the House of Blues in Anaheim with R&B artist Bobby Brown. Smith was invited to perform for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference in Washington D.C., in November of 2003 and 2005, by California congresswoman Maxine Waters, who was featured in Smith’s “Stay in School” music video. The second time he received the “Young, Gifted, and Black” award, given out by Waters to people who make a difference in the community. In 2006, Smith starred in an episode of the TV series “Hogan Knows Best.” In 2008 he played himself as 2 Krayze in the film “Little Hercules in 3-D,” in which he worked with actors Hulk Hogan, Judd Nelson, Robin Givens, and John Heard. “The feeling of being on set is amazing, and I loved learning from more experienced actors,” Smith said. Smith said he is working on his next movie “Botboy,” an action/adventure film in which he has a leading role. “‘Botboy’ is about an African American teenager who loses his mom and most of his body in a freak car accident, and his mad scientist dad rebuilds him in order to seek revenge on who caused the accident,” Smith said. “2 Krayze is going to be big. I just know it!” Sacramento Kings owner Joe Maloof is quoted as saying on 2 Krayze’s Facebook page. Smith has performed for the Kings. While Smith isn’t as well known as Hannah Montana yet, he hasn’t lost heart. On his Facebook page, Smith says, “I see myself as a ‘Superstar’ and I intend to be ‘The Next Big Thing!” |