Poetic Noise

7. Smooth Sailing feat Drea'

Gooavel is a Mexican-American artist who was part of the group GraveYardKlikk, which pioneered the "Poppin Trunk" style in South Texas during the early 2000s. While still in school, they would sell music by performing outside of vehicles on popular streets and at various venues. Gooavel and the late rapper O.n.E, whose real name was Marvin Marcus Vega, ventured beyond a primarily Spanish-speaking audience. They traveled across Texas, entering and winning freestyle battles before recording any music. As they learned the "Do's and Don'ts" of the music business, they eventually saved enough money to rent studio time, flooding South and East Texas with their music.

As the new kids on the block who didn’t rap in Spanish, they faced both blackballing and adoration, leading to the release of their first body of work titled “Love It or Hate It.” This project inspired other groups from the border region who also strayed from the traditional “Spanish flow.” Marvin once expressed in the Laredo Morning Times, “We don't want to sound local; we want to sound global.” A reporter remarked, “GraveYardKlikk sounds like Juvenile meets South Park Mexican. It sounds so good, it doesn’t sound like it’s from here.”

As success started to emerge, so did legal troubles. They signed three recording contracts with Outbreak Records, Insomnia Records, and Dope Supply. However, Outbreak went bankrupt before their project began, and Insomnia, managed by the local radio station Hot 106.1 (which played Hip Hop and Reggaeton), was canceled when the station switched to a country music format.

Despite these setbacks, they toured as a rap duo and opened for well-known artists like Swisha House’s DJ Michael 5000 Watts, Paul Wall, Chamillionaire, South Park Mexican, Young Joc, Slim Thug, Chingo Bling, Pancho V, Tommy G, and O.n.E. collaborated with and produced tracks for artists such as SA Tru One, Lil Villain, Lil Bing, Lil Young, Grimm, and Tommy G. Gooavel also wrote a song for platinum recording artist Paula DeAnna, but it remained unreleased due to publishing issues with Freddie Records in Corpus Christi, Texas.

O.n.E faced numerous legal challenges and ultimately chose not to pursue the success he once enjoyed with GraveYardKlikk. After surviving two shooting attempts—one in which a .45 caliber pistol broke his jaw in three places—he fell into a dark place, struggling with addiction and paranoia. He was later incarcerated for running a theft ring that spanned multiple states. He was caught in Louisiana and was released on terms to return for court. Tragically, on his second day out, he was found dead in the backseat of a vehicle in Houston, Texas. His death remains a mystery; drugs were found at the scene, but not in his system, and there was no indication of foul play. O.n.E had once ominously expressed, “I’ll probably die before thirty-six, in the back seat of a car probably laid up stiff.”

Gooavel turned his life around after his daughter’s first birthday, following the mother’s disappearance. He experienced a frightening incident where he was stabbed twice, once in the face, while holding his daughter just weeks after her mother went missing. The stabbings and shootings happened within the same month, and they were uncertain if there was a connection.

After O.n.E's passing, Gooavel formed a new group with his cousin, but he couldn't replicate the same chemistry he had with GraveYardKlikk. Ultimately, he decided to go solo, stating, “Part of my love for hip hop died May first. This isn't for anybody in particular; it's just my way of saying goodbye.”