Rising Stars: Meet Bashiru Kamara of Gwinnett County

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bashiru Kamara.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
We’re Bashiru S. Kamara and Dr. Otis Eldridge — co-founders of SmoppFi, a LoFi music and culture platform built on two decades of friendship, creativity, and inside jokes.

Our story starts in the spring of 2001 on a band trip to Atlanta. We were members of the Baltimore City College High School Marching Knights, and that trip — long bus rides, theme parks, performances — is where our friendship first took root. From there, we kept it going through working side by side at the National Aquarium In Baltimore gift shop (aka the “Aqua Shop”) and laughing our way through inside jokes and shared music tastes.

One of those jokes — a made-up term called “mopp” — became a core part of our bond. “Mopp” was how we called each other out, roasted each other, and built a kind of shared language. “Smopp,” of course, was the evolved, more extreme version. That language, that humor, and that spirit of creativity lived with us through college and beyond.

Even as life took us in different directions professionally — Otis becoming a music educator and band director in Baltimore City Public Schools, and Bashiru working in operations for Fulton County Schools in Georgia — we always stayed connected.

In 2023, we finally put the idea we’d been joking about for 20 years into motion. Bashiru reached out to Otis for music on a few creative projects, and Otis responded: “Why not finally build the thing we always talked about?” That spark became SmoppFi — a LoFi/jazz/hip-hop music channel built for people who want something dope but chill to play in the background while they work, study, or just think.

Since launch, SmoppFi has quietly found its way into people’s daily routines. Whether it’s anime clips, nostalgic visuals, or late-night instrumentals, we’ve created a space that feels both personal and universal. It’s our personality in sound form.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The biggest challenge has been patience — letting the quality speak for itself in a space that often rewards flash over substance.

YouTube and streaming platforms are tough. It’s saturated. Everyone is fighting for attention. It’s tempting to chase trends or get discouraged by slow numbers. But we’ve always grounded ourselves in the mission: stay consistent, stay creative, and build something real.

We remind each other not to obsess over stats. Instead, we focus on our process: refining the music, experimenting with visuals, and staying true to our tone. We added a social media manager to our team recently, which has helped us be more intentional in how we connect with listeners.

One early win that meant a lot? Reaching our first 100 subscribers. That might sound small in internet terms, but to us, it was a signal: people we didn’t know were tuning in. That’s the moment we knew we were building something that could grow — even if slowly.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
SmoppFi is about more than just background music. It’s about capturing a mood — calm, creative, and just a little nostalgic.

We produce LoFi tracks with jazz and hip-hop influences, designed for everyday moments. Whether you’re sending emails, journaling, meal prepping, or winding down at the end of the day — SmoppFi is meant to complement, not compete with, your space.

What sets us apart is the personality behind the platform. The inside jokes. The anime edits. The language only day-ones would understand. And yet, it’s also welcoming for anyone who just wants a good vibe. It’s niche, but not exclusive.

We want to inspire other creatives to make — not just consume. That’s why we curate visuals and sounds that feel familiar but fresh. It’s not about chasing what’s hot — it’s about building something that sticks.

Any big plans?
In five years, we see SmoppFi woven into the everyday digital experience — the kind of channel that shows up in unexpected places.

We’d love to hear our tracks used as bumpers between NPR segments or soundtracking viral videos across Instagram, TikTok, and beyond. We’re aiming for 6,000+ subscribers, residual income from content we love making, and opportunities to collaborate with other creators who share our ethos.

We also want SmoppFi to be a resource for other dreamers. Whether that means mentoring younger artists, licensing music for indie media, or soundtracking educational content — we’re open to where this path leads, as long as it stays true to who we are.

For now, we’re staying consistent, building brick by brick, and laughing like we’ve been doing since Atlanta, 2001.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/smoppfi
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smoppfi/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bash-kamara/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SmoppFi