SMASH Movement / Members
Duece
Recording Artist Songwriter Worship LeaderFounder,
Steve-o
Recording Artist SongwriterMy name is Steven Hightower and I am known by my artist name Steve-o. I was born and raised in Huntsville, TX. I was raised predominately by my mother. I never had much of a father figure around to show me the right way to be a man. I was a good kid in school who never got written up or sent to the principal’s office. I never got into any violent crimes at all, but I still had my struggles growing up. Those included mostly lack of confidence, which resulted in low self esteem and poverty because of my mom having to raise me, my brother and my niece as a single parent. I had a lot of self esteem struggles because I got picked up every day in school from the 5th grade on up until I graduated high school and even past that. I went to bed many nights starving and with tears on my pillow. I was raised in the church and went to private school, so I had those Christian morals within me, but after high school, I took a different route. I started hanging with the wrong people around the age of 19 while attending SHSU. I did not get much attention and love shown to me in high school. So I thought that drinking, partying and getting female’s numbers would make me become an important person and fill that void of emptiness that I had. Truth be told, it never did, yet I kept doing it lying to myself. But it took that one day after I came back from the club back in 2010 that I truly wanted to change. I had laid on my bed that night needing a solution to this unacceptable life I was living. I wanted to stop fornicating, drinking and clubbing, so I had called my mom on the phone crying. I could not face her face to face because of all the sin I was in and I was ashamed of how I was living. She told me that I had a void in my life and that I needed Jesus, so I received that and started going to church. In the beginning of 2011, I fully rededicated my life back to Him and I had stopped cursing, drinking and fornicating. Later on in the middle of 2012, I had moved to Houston with a stronger faith. I had linked up with some other young individuals months later that were on the same path as me. I had joined their ministry that I represent to this day as the S.M.A.S.H. Movement Clique (S.M.C.). I use my gift of rapping to portray to the world my form of expression that I use to help people gain hope and comfort in that we all have struggles and pain. I will continue to be a far from perfect human being representing the faith that helped saved my life before it could be lost!
Young Ju
Recording Studio SongwriterMy name is Julius aka Ju Broady I was born in Houston Texas. Grew up in the neighbor hood of acres homes, where there is a lot of poverty growing up. "I love music." If I had headphone I'm in my own world none of the struggles life cause wouldn't stop me from drifting off to the place where music take me. As a young child me and my older brother use to be in daycare and they hosted a talent show, at first they wanted me in their dance group, but in my mind I wanted to be like the greatest rapper" lil Wayne". Around this time my father was somewhat in the picture and they say I get my love of music from him. He use to rap then all of sudden stop! The process of changing took a while like I stop listen to music altogether I said, I wasn't gonna rap no more so put my pen and pad away I had no music to listen to cause I was scared God would let the voices come back but music was in my heart, if I heard music at work a lil freestyle comes out of me. I just couldn't stop so I started listen to music but the music have to have purpose either about God or the rapper talking about the struggles of life that's all my spirit would let me listen to. Then one day at my job at the church my cousin Jay "Yung Jay" had start working with us but he played one song by Lecrae "No Regrets" man it changed me within weeks time I jammed that song over 300 time according to my " iTunes Player" when I saw that I was shock but I knew a change was taking place this was my first gospel rap song. Then heard more, and more, more, then that ambition to change other as I change came over me so I knew then I wanna pick the mic and tell others about Christ who died and hell is the place I'm trying to avoid I start reading the scriptures praying and my lyrical skill actually increase so I truly think these is my calling music brought to the cross so I wanna bring other to the cross that same way.
Yung Jay
Cover Art Design Recording Artist SongwriterJay formally known as "Jim Burton" was born and raised in Houston TX. At the age of three his Aunt adopted him and his two younger brothers due to a apartment fire. Jay's Biological mother and father separated at the age of six. While dealing with biological parents in and out of his of his life , he had behavior problems in school consistently year after year. Jay soon started going to alternative school and getting worse in his behavior. After getting into a altercation with a family member Jay went to juvenile for a day. "My eyes started opening up after seeing and hearing things that night", Jay was slowly changing. Growing up with mentors , Jay slowed down. His Cousin introduced him to christian rap,"G.R.I.T.S. was the first christian rap artist I heard." Jay started looking into more and more christian rap artists and found Lecrae. With Jay being influence by christian rap and Aunt as a Minister, he started getting into religion (Christianity) more. Jay and two of his cousins started a Ministry named"S.M.A.S.H Ministries. Jay has dedicated the life that God gave him to letting God speak through him to the youth nd young adults to draw them away from worldly way and bring them in ministry,"S.M.A.S.H is more than a Ministry to me, it's my life." Jay will continue motivational speaking/rapping and bringing God's Word everywhere he goes.
