Roots of Smoke DZA

Carlton Errington Grant, better known by his stage name Spragga Benz, is a Jamaican dancehall singer.

Shawn Corey Carter, known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, businessman, and record executive. In 2023, Billboard and Vibe ranked him as the greatest rapper of all time. Rooted in East Coast hip-hop, Jay-Z is known for his complex lyricism that often uses double entendres, wordplay, and braggadocio. His music is built on a rags to riches narrative. According to Forbes, he is the wealthiest music artist in history, worth an estimated US$2.8 billion as of 2026.

Mason Durell Betha, known professionally as Mase, is an American rapper. Best known for his work with Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs' Bad Boy Records, he signed with the label in 1996 and quickly found mainstream recognition as Combs' hype man. He guest appeared on Combs' 1997 single "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down", which peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100, while his first two singles as a lead artist, "Feel So Good" and "What You Want", both peaked within the chart's top ten. Released in October of that year, his debut studio album, Harlem World (1997), peaked atop the Billboard 200 chart, received quadruple platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and spawned his third top ten single as a lead artist, "Lookin' at Me". Furthermore, his guest performances on labelmate the Notorious B.I.G.'s single "Mo Money Mo Problems" and Combs' "Been Around the World" peaked at numbers one and two on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively, that same year.

Lamont Coleman, known professionally as Big L, was an American rapper and record producer. Emerging from Harlem in New York City in 1992, Big L became known among underground hip-hop fans for his freestyling ability. He was eventually signed to Columbia Records, where, in 1995, he released his debut studio album, Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous. He was fatally shot in a drive-by shooting in Harlem in 1999.

MellowHype was an American hip-hop duo from Los Angeles, California, that consisted of rapper-producer Hodgy and producer-rapper Left Brain. Both were members of hip-hop collective Odd Future. They have released two studio albums, which both charted on the Billboard 200 albums chart, and four mixtapes.

Bryan James Sledge, better known by his stage name BJ the Chicago Kid, is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Chicago, Sledge is best known for frequently collaborating with Top Dawg Entertainment recording artists Schoolboy Q, Ab-Soul, Kendrick Lamar, and Jay Rock. He has also worked with several other prominent rappers, such as Freddie Gibbs, Warren G, Nekfeu, Chance the Rapper, Big K.R.I.T., GLC, Kanye West, Anderson .Paak, and Joey Badass, among numerous others.

Devin Charles Copeland, better known by his stage name Devin the Dude, is an American rapper. In 2025, he co-created Coughee by Devin the Dude, a hemp and cannabis-culture brand.

Pro Era is an American hip-hop collective from Brooklyn, New York. The group is a collective of rappers and record producers that currently includes East Coast rappers Joey Badass, CJ Fly, Kirk Knight, Nyck Caution, Dessy Hinds and Aaron Rose, along with producers Chuck Strangers and Powers Pleasant. The collective was formed in 2011 by the late Capital STEEZ and Powers Pleasant, with Joey Badass and CJ Fly among its founding members.

Kenneth Charles Blume III, formerly known professionally as Kenny Beats, is an American record producer, DJ, audio engineer, and songwriter.

Gregg Michael Gillis, known professionally as Girl Talk, is an American disc jockey who specializes in mash-ups and digital sampling. He blends elements from a vast array of pop, hip-hop, and electronic music, creating dense, danceable tracks. His live performances are known for their immersive, party-like atmosphere, often featuring crowdsourced dancers and a celebratory vibe. Gillis has released five LPs on the record label Illegal Art and EPs on both 333 and 12 Apostles. He gained widespread recognition with albums like Night Ripper (2006) and All Day (2010), both of which were released for free online, contributing to his significant online following and influence on the mashup genre. His work has sparked discussions about copyright, sampling, and the nature of artistic creation in the digital age. He was trained as an engineer.