Biography
Derek Ryan Smith, known professionally as Mod Sun, was born on March 10, 1987, in Bloomington, Minnesota. Growing up immersed in the local pop punk scene, his mother encouraged him to attend concerts and invite touring bands to stay at their house, fostering early connections; by eighth grade, he was designing merchandise for bands, and in his teens, he became influenced by New Jersey and Drive-Thru Records emo acts, shaping his fashion and musical interests. He began his music career in high school, drumming for pop punk band Sideline Heroes, then The Semester for four years until being kicked out post-graduation, followed by stints with post-hardcore bands Four Letter Lie (2004-2009) and Scary Kids Scaring Kids as drummer and drum tech.
Transitioning to a solo rap career in 2009 under the name Mod Sun, he developed a 'hippy hop' style, releasing five mixtapes, three EPs, and five studio albums, including his debut Look Up (2015) which topped Billboard's Top Heatseekers chart. His career evolved with collaborations in alternative hip hop duo Hotel Motel, and a stylistic shift back to pop punk on his fourth album Internet Killed the Rockstar (2021), continuing with God Save the Teen (2023). He has also ventured into poetry books, film (co-directing Machine Gun Kelly's Downfalls High), and sobriety, embracing the Gen-Z pop punk revival.
Mod Sun's legacy blends punk roots with hip hop innovation, influencing younger artists through mentorship and production, while his resilient journey from band dismissals and substance struggles to chart success cements his role as a pop punk consultant for new generations.
Fun Facts
- Fall Out Boy crashed in his living room in ninth grade, kickstarting his scene connections.
- Kicked out of The Semester three months after high school graduation for not being 'good enough,' and later from Four Letter Lie, pushing him to solo rap.
- Sold drugs briefly after being kicked out of Four Letter Lie before joining Scary Kids Scaring Kids.
- Co-directed Machine Gun Kelly's Downfalls High musical short film starring Lil Huddy and Sydney Sweeney.
Musical Connections
Mentors/Influences
- Drive-Thru Records bands - Stylistic influences from emo and pop punk scene (New Jersey emo influences) [early 2000s]
- Blink-182 - Major inspiration that changed his life (General influence on pop punk career) [teens, 2000s]
- Dashboard Confessional - Key emotional and stylistic inspiration (Influenced hippy hop and pop punk shift) [teens-2020s]
Key Collaborators
- Scary Kids Scaring Kids - Drummer and drum tech, opened solo shows on tour (Tours as Mod Sun opener) [2009-2010]
- Four Letter Lie - Band member (drummer) (Post-hardcore albums/tours) [2005-2009]
- Machine Gun Kelly - Longtime friend, frequent collaborator and co-director (Downfalls High film, pop punk tracks) [2010s-2020s]
- Travis Barker - Collaborator on pop punk revival projects (Gen-Z pop punk productions) [2020s]
- John Feldmann - Producer for alt rock and pop punk (Album productions) [2020s]
- Hotel Motel - Member of alternative hip hop duo (Duo releases) [2010s-present]
- Avril Lavigne - Collaborator on vocals and instruments ("Flames" single from Internet Killed the Rockstar)
Artists Influenced
- Lil Huddy - Mentored in Gen-Z pop punk revival (Downfalls High starring role) [2020s]
- Gen-Z pop punk artists - Acts as consultant and mentor for skatepark sounds (Collaborations with teens experimenting in genre) [2020s]
External Links
References
Heard on WWOZ
Mod Sun has been played 50 times on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.