Raybann's SoundClick page

You might have seen them in your classes or skateboarding around Eastern Michigan University’s campus. Brendon Morgan, Berris Flemmings and Jesse Morgan, also known as Chadroto, Max Kasche and Ray Bann are the founders of Smoking Good Entertainment.

Smoking Good Entertainment started when they were in high school. Brendon and Berris attended Renaissance High School in Detroit while Jesse attended Mumford High School, the rival school. They had the idea, but it really took off when the three of them came to EMU together.

Photo Courtesy | Smoking Good Entertainment / THE EASTERN ECHO
Possibly related:

LGBT advocate, EMU professor dies · Jul 29
Summer beer festival at Ypsilanti's Riverside Park · Jul 25
Shadow Art Fair: 'One day, 40 artists and 9,000 gallons of beer' · Jul 19
Michigan ElvisFest rocked Ypsilanti · Jul 16
World's only privately owned FA-2 Sea Harrier at Ypsilanti air show · Jul 13
“We’re labeled as the cool kids around campus,” joked Jesse. The latest video on Smoking Good Entertainment, Chadroto’s “Rollin’,” featuring Ray Bann, was filmed on EMU’s campus. You can see the parking structure, the Student Center, Halle Library and many other distinguishable features you see walking to and from class every day.

There are numerous videos featured on YouTube of the various artists on Smoking Good Entertainment, and they’ve been hard at work getting their songs written and their name known. “We have over 300 songs,” Brendon said. “All original, all good music.”

Listing influences ranging from Kid Cudi and Lupe Fiasco to Adele and Lana Del Rey, the artists prefer to be referred to as just that, artists, more so than rappers.

“We don’t want anyone to put us into any musical box,” Flemmings said.

“We hop in and out of boxes,” Jesse joked.

“I think that’s what people like about us,” continued Berris. We’re not really what you expect out of your average rapper.”

While the three of them perform together on a regular basis, they each have their own separate mixtapes. Their sounds are all different, but when they record and perform together, they meld very well.

The thing that’s so appealing about these artists is the fact that they’re so do it yourself.

“Our videos, our songs, our music, our editing,” Brendon said. “We all do it ourselves.”

Their songs are written by themselves, and they reflect what they’re feeling and what’s been going on in their lives.

“It’s a way of venting, like Chicken Noodle Soup for the Artist’s Soul,” Flemmings said.

They’re a lighthearted group of friends, who joke around and genuinely seem to enjoy each other’s company. They said they’ve even been considered the life of the party. But while fun and games might be a priority for them, they can get down to business when the situation calls.

They’ve put so much work into establishing something tangible that it’s impossible not to admire them for it. Not only do they focus on their own hopeful careers in the music industry, but they make it possible for other artists to have a similar journey as well.

In addition to Chadroto, Max Kasche and Ray Bann, four more artists are members of Smoking Good Entertainment. With five of the seven artists attending EMU, it’s safe to say Smoking Good Entertainment is based in Ypsilanti and it’s growing from the ground up.

“We also do studio and video production,” Brendon said. “So any people who want to reach out to us and get a video done by us, we can do that.”

The hard work and dedication is paying off already for the three of them, who this past February, were signed to Protected Records, a branch of Universal Music Group.

The music video for “Bad Advice,” by Chadroto, featuring Max Kasche and Ray Bann will be dropping on April 3 on MTV, VH1 and BET. The MP3 is also available for preorder on Amazon. Following in Eminem and Big Sean’s footsteps, “We’re th