Shawn Smith: The 'Up If You Need Me' live performance is all types of motivational

Need a little motivation in your life? Look no further than what hip-hop artist Shawn Smith is serving up these days coming courtesy of the newly released ‘Up If You Need Me’ anthem. But more than just a single, how about a full-fledged performance?

It’s all about seeing the facial expressions and movements here. Tap in.

Music and art have always played a vital role in the life of Shawn Smith. A product of Southwest Philadelphia, the birthplace of The Roots, Jill Scott, Teddy Pendergrass, Eve, Musiq Soulchild, Jazmine Sullivan and the city where John Coltrane established his sound, the innovative and prolific rapper has carved out his own niche merging all things cool, audibly and aesthetically.

With an ability to spit insatiable freestyles while crafting intricate stories Shawn Smith believes his new single “Up If You Need Me” is an important record about allegiance. “Up If You Need Me is an audio illustration about putting family first and making it out hero-battling circumstances,” says Shawn. Recorded in his hometown the second single off his forthcoming EP was produced by Jay the Great whose credits also include 2 Chainz, Symba and Yella Beezy.

Still keeping tabs on Shawn Smith? Need to know more about his grind? Gotcha.

On “Up If You Need Me” Shawn shares his thoughts on topics ranging from Bill Cosby to Artificial Intelligence while bringing listeners back to the song’s hook expressing his devotion to his comrades “It’s up if you need me, we suffer completely, we want to stunt on the TV, we hustle get greedy, cause nothing was easy.” The Philly MC recently returned to NYC’s iconic hip hop platform Major Stage to perform his latest track for an exclusive in-studio performance.

Major Stage comes on the heels of Shawn’s freestyle for On the Radar and internet buzz surrounding last month’s release of “Chain Gang” featuring legendary mixtape DJ Don Cannon. The first single found the young virtuoso on the streets of his hometown paying homage to state property and posing existential questions. In the music video, Shawn was seen decked out in a Marcus Garvey inspired Pan-African flag poised underneath Artist Miguel Horn’s latest alleyway sculptural project ContraFuerte. Both “Chain Gang” and “Up If You Need Me” will be featured on Shawn Smith’s forthcoming EP aptly entitled Hope Dealer.