Khofa

Born Terry Smith in 1995, Khofa is a San Diego-based rapper known for his own brand of hip-hop-infused electronic music. His sample-based, experimental arrangements have an up-to-the-minute aesthetic and relevancy.

Khofa’s love for music came at an early age. Often he would sneak into a back room with his uncle’s cassette tapes to learn the lyrics of his favorite songs. His parents were also music lovers who exposed him to a wide range of artists, from Miles Davis and The O'Jays, to Marvin Gaye and Prince. Inspired by the diverse sounds and styles, Khofa began creating his own lyrics.

Around the age of nine, Khofa began to write down lyrics in a notebook that would later become somewhat of a lyrical diary of his difficult upbringing, during which time he spent two years homeless and living in shelters with his mother.

Though he was too shy at first to share his work, Khofa eventually began to perform. Through a beautifully twisted chain of coincidence and pure luck, Khofa went on to showcase his verses and freestyles for the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Ab-soul, and Schoolboy Q. Soon, Khofa began performing and opening for acts like Iamsu!, Kevin Gates, YG, Problem, and others.

For Terry "Khofa" Smith inspiration does not only stem from heartbreak and life lesson's learned at an early age, but also from the possibilities of the things to come. With his non-profit, called XXXXXX, he is also seeking to give back to his community, with a series of programs aimed at giving children access to a variety of resources to express their creativity whether it would be through music or photography.

Other highlights of Khofa's emergent career include his mixtape "One Day At A Time" available now for download on soundcloud, and a music video for “See How It Goes (Ft. Kay Franklin)”