Smudo, aka Michael B. Schmidt, is the co-founder of the band Die Fanstastischen Vier, is active in racing and is concerned with the future in the music industry.
Smudo is a German lyricist and rapper for the hip-hop group Die Fantastischen Vier, and also works as a voice actor and actor. After graduating from high school, Smudo went to the U.S. with Thomas D. for three and a half months. Smudo’s musical career began in 1986, when he founded the “Terminal Team” with Andreas Rieke. At the same time he started programming on the C64; several of his programs were published by INPUT 64. In 1989 Michael Beck and Thomas D. joined the “Terminal Team” and from then on they called themselves Die Fantastischen Vier.
Smudo’s lecture topics
- The change of the music world by Artificial Intelligence – How does it look like in other industries?
- Disruption of the industry: from vinyl to streaming
- Renewable energies: Sustainability in the racing industry
- Dieda, MfG & Zusammen – The Phenomenon Die Fantastischen Vier
Inspired by the racing simulation “Grand Prix Legends”, Michael B. Schmidt, aka Smudo, acquired his DMSB license in the International C category in 1999. Since 2000, the Fanta Four frontman has been active in racing together with Thomas von Löwis of Menar (Tom von Löwis) and no longer just rocks the stages, but also the nation’s racetracks. In his very first year, he finished 11th overall in the ADAC New Beetle Cup – even though he had to sit out two races due to musical commitments.
Since 2003, “the raving rapper” has been competing in the VLN and 24-hour races on the legendary Nürburgring-Nordschleife for the Four Motors motorsport team led by team boss Tom von Löwis. Renewable energies and sustainability in mobility are not dreams of the future for the two, but part of their motorsport commitment. After all, “if Rudolf Diesel and August Otto knew that we’re still basically driving around today with the engines they invented, they’d be turning in their graves.” Their very first vehicle was a biodiesel-powered VW New Beetle. In the years that followed, Smudo’s racing team Four Motors worked with partners from research and development to create various bioconcept cars with body parts, interiors and interior trim made from renewable raw materials every two to three years, making it Germany’s first racing team to specialize in sustainability in motorsport.
With the green pioneer Smudo as ambassador, the green wave thus entered racing. In 2016 and 2017, Four Motors racing drivers Smudo, Tom von Löwis, Daniel Schellhaas and Axel Duffner competed in the races with a Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport. In 2017, Smudo and his team took victory in the Alternative Fuel class at the 24h race and finished 46th overall out of approximately 160 starters. Smudo also secured several AT class wins together with Four Motors at the 2017 VLN Endurance Championship. Since 2018, Smudo has been competing in the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup for the green pioneers.
Furthermore, Smudo has had a flying license since 2005 and owned a four-seater Beechcraft Bonanza (D-EIZK). in 2006, he acquired the aerobatic license on a Zlín 526. he acquired the instrument rating (instrument flight license) in 2009. since 2012, he has been flying a twin-engine Piper PA-34 Seneca V220T built in 1998 (D-GIPA) instead of the Bonanza.