He has a passion for music and is determined to take his dream to the next level! Check out new music from All.dat! feat. Lil Scrappy, You Gotta Work. If you want him to know what you think, leave a comment. Here you go!
Entertainment
Scooter Smiff…He’s on His Rise to the Top!
If there’s one thing I harbor a slight regret for, it’s waiting so long to follow my dreams. One piece of advice I would offer is to start young and dream big. With this in mind, it’s no coincidence that I wanted to snag a moment of Scooter Smiff’s time…such a young talent with a world of promise. Born Jermaine Smith, in Baltimore, MD, Scooter Smiff brings a lot to the table. He can dance, rap and act and his talents have been noticed by some big name industry moguls. At the age of 5 he wowed the crowd with his performance on Showtime at the Apollo, showcasing his dancing and rapping abilities to the world. Continuing on his success train, he played the role of “Daniel” on Season 3 of the hit show, Lost and joined Tom Arnold in the film, Gardens of the Night.
One of his biggest opportunities came when, super star, Chris Brown brought Scooter Smiff along to perform on the 
Grammy’s with him. He was signed to Brown’s independent label, CBE Records, having the opportunity to work along side one of the people he looked up to. Scooter Smiff landed it big time when he toured with Chris Brown during his “Up Close and Personal Tour” and was featured in videos such as Wall to Wall and Kiss Kiss. Now 16 and no longer signed to CBE Records, he has released a solo mixtape, First Period, with collaborations such as Mario and Wale. How does he process his success? Is he still able to enjoy being a teenager? What was it like working with Chris Brown? Scooter Smiff answers all of the above and more; take a look at what he has to say about his success thus far!
1. You’re an amazing dancer, rapper, actor; if you had to choose, which would be your ultimate career choice?
I always say that I’m a dancer first and foremost. Thats how I started and thats what I really love to do but I think my ultimate career choice would be acting. I’ve acted in the past and its something that I would love to get better at.
2. You performed with Chris Brown at the Grammy’s, how were you able to digest such a monumental moment in your career?
I was so young but it was still crazy. We did the Grammy’s, Oprah, The Today Show, & Good Morning America, which was my favorite. I am really grateful for that time I had with Chris because I saw so much.
3. How is your business relationship with CB, present day?
It’s good, Chris is like my big bro. I’m so happy to see everything going great for him now because he’s a big inspiration for me.
4. What was your motivation/inspiration for “First Period”?
My determination to get back into the game and show everybody what I was capable of. That kept me focused and inspired to get in the studio and work.
5. If you had to pick your favorite track from the mixtape, which one would it be?
That’s a hard one. If I had to chose though I would say it would be a tie between “Could Be” & “Stop It”.
“Could Be” Ft Mario
http://soundcloud.com/scootersmiff/06-could-be-feat-mario-prod-by
“Stop It” Ft. Lil Twist
http://soundcloud.com/scootersmiff/11-stop-it-ft-lil-twist-prod
6. How do you balance the success of your career and still being able to enjoy your teenage years?
My team makes sure I still get to be a teen and do regular teenage things while working and on the road. I keep a really good balance between the two.
7. How is your “sound” different from other rappers, i.e. what makes you unique?
I think my voice and flow are very unique. Also I don’t curse or talk about anything out of my age range in my raps.
8. What advice can you offer other young artists on their journey to the top?
I would say just to stay focused and get yourself out there. If I would have never done that talent contest at the Apollo I wouldn’t be where I am now.
9. What’s one fun/quirky thing about you that your fans may not know already?
Haha I love to eat cookie dough. Before I get into the studio to record or write I gotta have Nestle Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough!
He’s down to earth with so much more to accomplish and he’s already experienced more than most artists in the beginning stages of their careers. If there’s one thing Scooter Smiff has shown the Dreamworld, it’s that you can dream as big as you want to…the sky is the limit. Let his story be the reason why you put goals into action!
From His Pen to Our Ears! Donnell Shawn Butler
Continuing my series on amazing stories of success, perseverance and the ultimate search of life’s purpose, here’s a glimpse into the world of Donnell Shawn Butler. At first glance you may not recognize his name, but within the music industry this young talent is a force to be reckoned with. He is blessed with the ability to sing better than many popular (high paid) crooners, write tracks for platinum-selling artists, produce and play keyboard!
He first fell in love with music at the innocent age of 5. Who might have been his first attention grabber? Stevie? Marvin? Nope. The Gap Band, singing “I’m in Love” on the radio! If you’ve ever heard him sing, you’d think he spent top dollars on the best vocal coach, but he managed to teach himself. In his own words, “I was whack at first then kept singing all day.” His ability to write songs began in much the same way as he explains, “I just sat down and wrote a song. Not a lot of thought to it.” How did he become so good at creating masterpieces? He believes, “Practice makes a successful anything.” Despite his raw, self-taught, skills Donnell’s journey hasn’t always been the easiest; it took sacrifice and walking out on faith…oh and of course, being told “no.”
If you were wondering whether or not Donnell faced rejection along the way, his insight is simple, “HAHA…rejection is the name of the game. I’ve been told “no” almost my whole life.” He also had to discover that his hometown wasn’t the best place to fully birth his talents. Although Philly is where his passion sparked, L.A. was the fuel to his flame. The opportunity to leave the City of Brotherly Love and relocate to the City of Angels was the start of his new beginning, but it meant leaving his family behind in order to gain exposure and mold his future. The risk has certainly been worth the reward and Donnell is making his new area code work for him in every way. When asked what it was about L.A. that had him pack his bags quick, fast and in a hurry he says:
Los Angeles is where the artists are and where people are really networking hard. The atmosphere is entertainment. [My] transition wasn’t very hard at all…it was very natural because I’m in my environment. The studio. Everyone here is networking and willing to work with each other…no one is keeping secrets or staying in a clique.
Have Mr. Butler’s years in Philly and leap into “Smog City” paid off at all? You be the judge. He’s written music for Craig David, Timbo, Letoya Luckett, Boyz 2 Men, Kevin Rudolf, Jesse McCartney, BlackStreet, Day26, Bridget Kelly, Lil Wayne and most recently Mary J. Blige (“Irreversible” off of her latest album, My Life II…The Journey Continues (Act I)). Even with all of his success, he still isn’t 100% sure of his God-given purpose, but knows that he is meant to inspire others at the very least. Donnell has learned that, “You have to be present in whatever you do. Go places and meet people and force your way into the door. Continue to write and write and write…something will give.” For his fellow, future young stars, he leaves them with this additional bit of advice:
Make sure it’s what you want. Make sure you can compete…Practice. Practice. Evolve. Take criticism always and get better. Be happy and grateful for anything you get. Be a nice person!…Nice and friendly get you a LONG way over talent. Non-stop work is the secret weapon. Stay up and do one extra thing and that could be the thing that takes you to the next level.
In the midst of his many blessings, Donnell has the rare ability to remain humble and grounded; something that seems to be missing from many stars today. His journey can inspire just about anybody that reads this and that’s what makes this whole thing called life very magical. Anybody can learn from their environment and the people around them; however, it’s up to each person to pay attention! Sometimes elevating to the next level requires taking a risk that may or may not work out in your favor, but lucky for Donnell Shawn Butler, his risks are paying off in every way imaginable…will yours?
Danithedreamgirl 