Bio Dirty Wormz / Smackola Bio Dirty Wormz are a hip hop infused rock band based in Austin, Texas. Dirty Wormz was formed in 2001 and is the brain child of rapper/producer Thomas Chapman a.k.a. Smackola. Early Life Smackola has been rapping and writing poetry since the third grade. During his early childhood he delved into musical genres such as R&B, soul and funk, but he got really heavy into hip hop when he moved to Clark AFB in the Philippines. During middle and high school Smackola also fell in love with rock music and he could routinely be found in front of his house doing BMX freestyle and skate board tricks. In high school Smackola played in the marching band. He found a love for drums and performed in multiple talent shows, clubs and basement parties. As he progressed into electro funk and hip hop music he became a B-boy break dancer (Spider T), dabbled in tagging/graffiti, became a DJ (DJ Dog), and then he went on to being an aspiring rapper (Hitman Ice). Career After graduating high school in 1991 he moved to Montgomery, Alabama and started to pursue his music. After some failed attempts of getting his music out he decided to join the U.S. ARMY, which landed him at Ft. Hood, Texas. During his time in the military he traveled back and forth on weekends to Sacramento to record his first group album with Mr. Dizz. The album was titled Mayjor Playahz. In 1998 Smackola had a son and during the recording process his son passed away from SIDS before the Mayjor Playahz album was to be released. Not one to give up, he got out the military in 1997 and proceeded to record his first solo project What Tha F%#k I Tell Ya. He performed in numerous shows and went on tour opening for 2 Live Crew and others. He then met DJ Crash and the two began to rehearse and record together. His name was starting a buzz in Austin because of his unique style of hip hop music and dynamic stage presence. In 1998 Smackola caught the ear of World Boxing Champion Roy Jones Jr. who signed him to Body Head Entertainment. He released his first solo album VERBAL KONKUZIONZ in 2000. Smackola was inspired by the onslaught of the 9/11 attacks to add more rock elements into his hip hop style. Initially, this new direction met with much criticism from his colleagues, fans and friends. Smackola set out to find someone who could relate to the style of rock music he envisioned producing. In time he stumbled onto A.J. and Alex Vallejo (from the award-winning band Vallejo). Smackola hummed A.J. some guitar riffs and A.J. played them identically on his guitar. Smackola developed the Dirty Wormz sound, style and vision and with the help of Vallejo they set out to create the band Dirty Wormz. In the fall of 2002, Dirty Wormz released their debut CD The Infektion (Vmg / Waay Foul Muzick) to the rock masses and their first single “Top Of The Food Chain” (featuring Tony Park of the band Pushmonkey). It immediately catapulted its way up to the year’s top requested single on Austin’s 101X FM, as well as many other alternative rock stations. Dirty Wormz then hit the road quickly building a rabid fan base, winning numerous awards such as Austin’s “Best Hip Hop” award, and scored numerous songs on national television shows such as UPN’s America’s Top Model and MTV’s Road Rules. In 2003 Dirty Wormz release the Epidemik DVD (directed by Louie Fattz for Fat Boi Media & Smackola for Waay Foul Television) with music videos, live performances and behind the scenes interviews of how the Dirty Wormz band came together -winning awards such as the Austin Music Awards and Austin Music Network “Best Urban Video”. In 2006 Dirty Wormz recorded Parizite (Waay Foul Muzick / Ressurection) with Producer Dwight Baker setting their buzz even more ablaze. You couldn’t go anywhere in Austin, Texas with out seeing a Dirty Wormz t-shirt (Worm Wear) or hearing their music blazing out of a car passing by, but they seemed to fall victim to being overlooked when it came to festival shows and media. Many claimed it was because of their political views and hardcore and aggressive style. In 2008 Smackola stepped more into the roll of being a producer of his music by producing, directing and editing his own music videos under his company name Dirty Made Filmz. Smackola released the Dirty Wormz mixtape projects: Re-Infektion, Uncontrolled Audio Experiment (mixed by Dj Wes Sanders), and Mass Metal Mixslaughter. In 2009 Dirty Wormz re-released The Parazite on Bieler Bros Records (Skindred, Nonpoint, Soil). In 2011 Smackola released his long awaited critically-acclaimed solo EP album Smackola-Syndrome Of The Al-Qaeda Sand Spider ,which is the prequel to the Infektion album and is the sequel to Worm Head the movie starring and directed by Smackola. In 2012 Dirty Wormz released a dupstep mixtape called Art Of The Bloodbath, mixed by DJ Exceed that included 5 remixes, numerous music videos, and a dubstep video DVD. The band continued its trek across the US sharing the stage with national acts such as Korn, Skindred, Ice Cube, Naughty by Nature, Ying Yang Twins, Tech N9ne, and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. Current Projects In 2012, the new CD from Dirty Wormz titled Outbreak (produced by Smackola & AJ Vallejo) takes their game to a new level – spitting harder rhymes and churning faster wig splitting riffs guaranteed to make any pit erupt. Featuring guest appearances from Tech n9ne, Krizz Kaliko, and Benji Webb of Skindred. Not one to sit back and relax -Smackola just released a free Dirty Wormz app for all smartphones to keep up with tour dates and news. Smackola will also begin a follow up solo album to Syndrome of the Al Qaeda Sand Spider called Ghost of Bin Laden immediately after the release of Outbreak. There is another solo project (currently untitled) set to be released in 2013 that will be co-produced by Clown of Slipknot. 2013 will also see the release of the movie Worm Head and a Worm Head comic book (DWZ Comix). Dirty Wormz have recently caught the ear of the number one independent rapper in the world Tech N9ne of Strange Music. Who has asked them to join his K.A.B.O.S.H. ( Killing America’s Beliefs On Society’s Hoods) rock project. They have already recorded a few songs and will release an album together later in 2013 entitled Amafrican Psycho. Dirty Wormz is more than just a band it’s a brand! And they will continue to keep it greasy and spread the infection. Style and Influence Smackola has been influenced most by his mother, Aretha Franklin and Michael Jackson. His style is a unique blend of hip hop, metal, dubstep, rap, and hard rock. In Popular Culture (film, video games, TV) Smackola has starred in a few independent motion pictures such as Pineapple (2006), and the upcoming Machete Kills sequel from acclaimed director Robert Rodriguez. Smackola’s first directorial debut is set to be released in 2013 titled Worm Head- The Movie. Smackola has scored numerous songs on national television shows such as UPN’s America’s Next Top Model and MTV’s Road Rules. Discography Solo What the F%#k I Tell Ya (1997) Mayjor Playahz (1998) Verbal Konkuzionz (2000) Syndrome Of The Al-Qaeda Sand Spider (2011) Ghost of Bin Laden (2013) Dirty Wormz The Infektion (2002) Epidemik DVD (2003) Parizite (2006) The Parazite (Bieler Bros Records, 2009) Outbreak (2012) Art of the Blood Bath DVD (2012) Mixtapes Re-Infektion (2003) Uncontrolled Audio Experiment (2008) Mass Metal Mixslaughter (2010) Art Of The Bloodbath (2012) Awards and Nominations Austin’s “Best Hip Hop” award Austin Music Awards and Austin Music Network “Best Urban Video”