Meet Maribased1, The Seattle-Hailed Artist On The Rise

US-based artist Jamari Smith better known as “Maribased1” is the next generation of Seattle music stars. Born and raised in West Seattle, he went to Chief Seattle High school and graduated from South Seattle community college majoring in culinary arts.

Maribased1 is an award-winning independent rapper, songwriter, and producer. He is of the opinion that Seattle music is authentic, that it is a movement and not a game.

Jamari has made groundbreaking achievements within the Seattle music scene. His current project “Talk Talk Talk” where he teamed up with one of the hottest artists out of Nigeria, Yung6ix, just hit over 1 million plays on AudioMack. The video has also garnered steady airplay on BET Jams, Soundcity, and MTVBase as well as on national & international radio stations.

Our associate editor Toks Asher Young recently had a conversation with him about his career achievements in the past months and his plans going forward.

What is your real name? What’s the story behind MARIBASED1?My name is Jamari Smith, friends and family call me “Mari”, which is a short version of Jamari, but most people know me by my alias “Maribased1”.

You are from Seattle, and one of the artists putting West Seattle on the map, not just in America but globally. How does it feel to be a trailblazer?It feels good that I am able to lead and represent Seattle as a whole and show the world that Seattle music is real & it’s not a game, it’s a movement!

A lot of artists do not have a close relationship with their parents, but yours is different. Do you have a close working and personal relationship with your father? What’s the secret?The secret is to just listen and learn. To pay attention and soak up all the game, and assimilate as much knowledge as possible. And then apply all the pressure and execute!

Have you collaborated with any African or Nigerian artists before Yung6ix? How did that collaboration happen? Can you give us a little background on that?No, I haven’t, Yung6ix is the first Nigerian artist I ever worked with musically. That collaboration came about from my video directer ‘The VideoDopeDealer’. He hooked me up with Yung6ix. We put the play in motion and the rest was history.

What’s your creating process for your songs? Have you written for other artists?My creation process for songs comes naturally. Depending on the style of music or beat is usually how I direct my sound and style. Yes, I have helped co-write for a few artists.

Who are some of the artists you look up to and hope to collaborate with someday?An artist that I look up to and hope to collaborate with someday is E-40. I admire and respect his grind, especially coming up and hustling as an independent artist, plus all his various adventures. I also like how he stays relevant and adapts to the times and the next generation.

What’s your take on the global recognition of Afrobeats and Nigerian music? Was that part of your motivation to collaborate with Yung6ix?I love it! I love how Afrobeats has its own unique sound combined with the flair of the culture & the next generation wave of music. It also influenced my collaboration with Yung6ix.

African artists, especially Nigerians are currently getting attention and the spotlight internationally. Which other Nigerian or African artist would you like to work with given the opportunity?I’d like to work with WizKid, Burna Boy, Davido, and anybody else that’s ready to work. I just want to make good music and build connections.

As a rising young artist, what are some of the challenges you face on a daily basis?Honestly, I don’t really face any challenges on a daily. But if I do come across any challenges music related sometimes it’s when I have writer’s block in the studio. That’s the most frustrating at times because you want the recording to go a certain way but because of the block, you have to do a couple of takes and retakes until you get it right.

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