To see Big Smo (real name John Lee Smith) nowadays is to wonder how the country rapper got his name. Once a 400-pound artist living a party life filled with excessive drinking, smoking, and poor eating habits, Smith has undergone a remarkable transformation. His journey, marked by a quadruple bypass surgery in 2015 and significant lifestyle changes, showcases an inspiring commitment to health and well-being. Today, he is almost unrecognizable from the man he was nearly a decade ago.
The Wake-Up Call: Heart Surgery and a Change in Perspective
Smith's turning point came in 2015 when he had a quadruple bypass surgery. This experience served as a harsh wake-up call, prompting him to re-evaluate his priorities. "I realized there was more to life than just a party," Smith said. As a single father of three teenage daughters, he recognized the importance of being a solid, present parent. "Thank God that I was given the opportunity to resurrect the true me from the ashes and be present now more than I ever have been in their lives.”
From Party Life to Positive Impact
Smith had been living a party life for years, which he said began when he was 12 or 13. He insists that is something firmly rooted in his past. Pour in a half-gallon of whiskey, add heaping helpings of fried foods and red meat, then remove exercise and you’ve got the perfect recipe for a heart attack. Post-surgery, Smith made the resolute decision to cut out drinking, smoking, and getting high. As a hip-hop artist, Smith felt it was his obligation to make a positive impact on his fans’ lives. “We have an opportunity and a responsibility (as artists) to share things with people and we might have people listen to us a little bit closer than others. And I feel like I have the responsibility to let people know that you don’t have to live this way,” said the artist. “There’s a whole other way to live. According to him, “I have been evolving into a new type of person,”
The Transformation: Diet and Exercise
The transformation began with significant changes to his diet and exercise routine. Smith exercises twice a day. Neighbors who see him in the grocery store often ask about his weight loss. He gives them a tour and points out the foods he is no longer eating. He started to implement the usual changes like eating healthier and quitting drinking, yielding some results, but not enough. Smo came home from a duck hunt on Jan. She was already on day one. Looking to catch up, he gave his hunting friend the ducks they’d brought home and hasn’t eaten meat or animal products since. After just three days of going vegan, the acid reflux that had so powerfully pestered him the past 25 years was gone.
Despite the big win, the couple still wasn’t satisfied. They found themselves on an unhealthy path full of processed foods that were technically vegan, like French fries and cookies. “If you’ve never seen a grown man throw a temper tantrum in aisle five at the grocery store,” Smo said, “Take a normal man and make him shop vegan and gluten-free. Not long after ceasing gluten, something else was now off the table: additives like guar gum and xanthan gum. “My wife was embarrassed to be with me,” Smo said. “Oh, when she took gums out of my menu . . . Despite the embarrassment, she stuck by him. “I’ve got the best woman in my life which is who I really ultimately have to thank for all of my success and health,” Smo said.
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The difficulty of having so much removed from their diets was met with a newfound appreciation for what they were able to add back into it. In between taste-testing, Sara Beth also learned the cleansing benefits of celery juice. Smo attributes his now-clear skin to drinking the green juice daily. The changes kept coming. Oils were removed from their diets, and he started swimming and going to the gym five days a week.
A Shift in Perspective: From Country Rapper to Health Advocate
Born John Lee Smith, the country rapper from Unionville, Tennessee known as Smo has since dropped over 200 pounds (and the “Big” from his stage name). He not only went down to a large from a size 6XL in shirts but now said he understands what it means to be happy. He’s found peace in the drastic changes to his health, lifestyle and outlook on the world. “It seems my direction of where my career is going has been more like health, motivational speaking and guidance rather than being a country rap entertainer,” Smo told the Murfreesboro Pulse. “Even though I’m still recording music and putting out music on a consistent basis . . . Just eight years ago he looked like he was having the time of his life-performing on stages across the West Coast and Canada, landing a record deal with Warner Brothers and filming his reality TV show on A&E. But he was feeling the worst he’d ever felt.
“A lot of people responded to me with like, ‘Hey, you’re too young to have that happen. And I’m like, ‘No, I just lived the lifestyle that was dished out to me,’” Smo said. “It was my domestication. It was the way that my parents raised me to eat-how society raised us all to eat-and I fell victim to that. “People are scared to change because they’re scared it’s gonna change who they are. And that’s scary to me,” Smo said. “Because I’m scared had I not changed my lifestyle, I don’t think I would still be here right now. Young Smo wouldn’t recognize the man he is today. He was raised on good old fashioned country values: Hunt your food, then deep-fry it or smother it in butter. But his stance on killing animals has completely reversed. “When you stop eating animals, you start seeing animals differently. The same way that you would look at a dog and not think about eating a dog,” Smo said. “I built a career around [being] country, bad diets and eating meat,” Smo said. “Everybody seems to have terrible diet and lots of eating meat as like the number one thing that you’re required to do to be country.
“A lot of people don’t like the skinny Smo,” he said. “They don’t like me being smaller, which is a real weird thing for me to hear coming from people who claim to be a fan. ‘I liked you better when you were fat.’ I’m like ‘Really? Because I could’ve used your help tying my shoes when I was fat, and I’m happier now. But people are resistant to change, and his music has transformed too. He no longer raps about hunting. He made a music video for his 2019 song “Bone Splitta,” which likely would have been well received by longtime fans. “It has affected my decision making and it has affected the way that I stroke my brush on the canvas,” Smo said. “’Cause I’ve always kept it real in my music. He’s still the same guy, hanging out with the same people who are positive influences in his life and living on the same farm.
“My fan base is a lot of people that are just like me in a lot of different ways, but a lot of us struggle from obesity. And if not obesity then definitely overweight. You must want to change and get educated, Smo advised. Start by removing one bad thing from your diet, like snack cakes, and replacing it with fruit. Then remove gluten and oil. He’s not only focusing on his own wellness, but currently caring for his mother, too. And he’s still making music. “I’m excited to get onstage and show people what I’ve built,” Smo said.
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SMOliscious Mobile Eatery: Spreading the Message of Healthy Living
Today, SMO’s food truck The SMOliscious Mobile Eatery, is whipping up plant-based, gluten-free, and oil-free meals in his hometown of Shelbyville, Tennessee. He’s got some strong words on:Food addiction and how it’s no different than other bad habits.The manipulative tactics of the food industry.And a new understanding of how what we eat affects everything-from how we feel to how we live. In early 2024, he revealed that he had lost a total of 225 pounds, dropping from 387 pounds down to 162 pounds. Fans and the public were amazed at his journey, with many offering words of encouragement and admiration for his determination. Despite the success, Big Smo remains humble. “It’s been a journey, and I’m not done yet,” he says. “I’ve learned a lot about myself, and I still have work to do.
Big Smo's Weight Loss Journey: A Beacon of Hope
Big Smo’s weight loss journey is an incredible story of determination, resilience, and transformation. Through his struggles and triumphs, he has shown that weight loss is not just about the numbers on a scale-it’s about the mindset, the emotional healing, and the unwavering commitment to change. His transformation has inspired not only his fans but also his music career. Now that Smo has achieved his weight loss goals, he’s ready to move forward with a new chapter in his life. One of Smo’s most exciting ventures is his food truck, which he plans to open in 2024. For Big Smo, the future is brighter than ever.
Future Ventures: Music and Beyond
Music hasn’t left the building, but SMO’s main gig is health now. He’s got one more album cooking for his 50th birthday, but for now, he’s: Growing SMO's Food Truck,Soaking up family time,Scoping out new TV opportunities,And staying laser-focused on spreading his healthy-living message. This isn’t just a transformation-it’s a revolution.
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