Kevin Silva (Smokio)

Summary

• Kevin Silva is a Sri Lankan rap artist, lyricist, and an actor commonly known as "Smokio".
• Lyrics and music videos of many of his songs and in songs in which he is featured as a rap artist contain lyrics and scenes promoting and normalising use of tobacco, alcohol, and other substances.
• All his social media profiles contained content that promotes use of tobacco, alcohol, and other substances.

Background

Kevin Silva, known by his stage name (Smokio) is a rap artist, a lyricist, and an actor in Sri Lanka. He was born on 26 October 1994. He studied at Lumbini College, Colombo 05. His father, Prasad Silva, is a musician and known as a social activist. His brother, commonly known as Ramesses Reezy, is also a rap artist.

Kevin Silva started his music career in 2012 as a member of the rap crew ’’Rasthiyadu Padanama’’ (රස්තියාදු පදනම). He joined the “duty 4 Four” (44 Kalliya/44 කල්ලිය) rap crew in 2014. In 2016, Smokio joined Illinois Records, owned by Iraj Weerarathne, and released his first song “Mudukkuwen Eliyata” (මුඩුක්කුවෙන් එළියට). Following its release, he earned a strong youth support and a large fanbase, while some fans reportedly followed his fashion and lifestyle.

Kevin Silva underwent residential treatment for heroin addiction at Mithuru Mithuro, a residential treatment centre for individuals with substance use disorder in Ratnapura, Sri Lanka, in 2018. After treatment, he claimed to be trained as a peer counsellor at the centre, and involved in conducting programmes for drug addicted youth. However, after approximately two and a half years, he returned to the music industry in 2020. Upon the return to the industry, he was identified as a survivor of drug addiction and was portrayed as a role model for his recovery from substance use.. However, his content created after his comeback continued to portray smoking, alcohol, and cannabis use. In addition, photographs posted on his public Facebook and Instagram accounts after rehabilitation depicted him smoking.

Image 1: Kevin Silva. Source: LetsLoop

Tobacco related activities

Portraying smoking in his own music videos

Kevin Silva frequently depicted tobacco smoking in his rap song videos as a recurring visual element. There are numerous music videos containing tobacco smoking scenes depicted by Kevin Silva.

Image 2: Kevin Silva depicting smoking in his “KUDDAH” music video. Excerpt from ‘KUDDAH (Reply Diss) O.M.V’ music video. Source: YouTube

Portraying smoking in others’ music videos

The following collaborative rap music videos featuring Kevin Silva include depictions of tobacco smoking. Gallery:

• Gallery
• 

  Image 3: Kevin and other rappers depicting smoking in the collaborative rap music video “Sape inne” with Prasa Kg. Excerpt from ‘Sape inne’ music video

• 

  Image 4: Kevin depicting smoking in the collaborative rap music video “Mudukkuwen Eliyata” with Iraj. Excerpt from ‘Mudukkuwen Eliyata’ music video

• 

  Image 5: Kevin depicting smoking in the collaborative rap music video “100/100” with SYKO KYAN. Excerpt from “100/100” music video

• 

  Image 6: Kevin and his friends depicting smoking in the collaborative rap music video “UKUZA” with Costa. Excerpt from ‘Smokio x Prathap Costa - UKUZA (official music video)’

• 

  Image 7: Kevin depicting smoking in the collaborative rap music video “Pazi” with Tee Cee. Excerpt from ‘Pazi’ music video

Portraying smoking on his Social Media Profiles

The following photographs of portraying cigarette smoking were posted on his Instagram account. Gallery:

• Gallery
• 

  Image 8: Excerpt from Instagram profile published on 29 November 2025

• 

  Image 9: Excerpt from Instagram profile published on 06 December 2025

• 

  Image 10: Excerpt from YouTube video published on 2020

• 

  Image 11: Excerpt from Facebook profile published on 10 January 2023. This is his current Facebook profile picture

Alcohol related activities

Portraying alcohol use in others’ music videos

Several music videos featuring Kevin Silva contained alcohol promoting scenes including his 100/100, UKUZA, and Shanthi (ශාන්ති). Gallery:

• Gallery
• 

  Image 12: Kevin depicting alcohol use in the collaborative rap music video “100/100” with SYKO KYAN. Excerpt from “100/100” music video

• 

  Image 13: Kevin and group depicting alcohol use in the collaborative rap music video “UKUZA” with Prathap Costa. Excerpt from ‘Smokio x Costa - UKUZA (official music video)’

• 

  Image 14: Alcohol product placement in the music video ශාන්ති (Shanthi), produced by Fill T and featuring Smokio’s rap performance. Excerpt from “ශාන්ති (Shanthi) - Fill T Ft. Smokio” music video

Portraying alcohol use on his Social Media Profiles

The following photographs of portraying alcohol use were posted on his Facebook account. Gallery:

• Gallery
• 

  Image 15: Excerpt from Facebook profile published on 02 February 2022

• 

  Image 16: Excerpt from Facebook profile published on 02 July 2022

Promoting alcohol in lyrics of others’ rap songs

Kevin and his collaborative partners promote and normalise alcohol consumption through the lyrics of their rap songs.

Image 17: Excerpt from ‘Kasippu’ song. Source: YouTube

Cannabis and other substances related activities

Portraying cannabis use in his music videos

Kevin Silva frequently depicts cannabis use in his music videos. Gallery:

• Gallery
• 

  Image 18: Depicting cannabis use in his “pathra” rap music video, excerpt from ‘pathra’ music video

• 

  Image 19: Depicting cannabis stick production in his “pathra” rap music video, excerpt from ‘pathra’ music video

Portraying cannabis use in others’ music videos

Kevin Silva depicts cannabis use in his collaborative musical creations.

Image 20: Depicting cannabis use in his “Sape inne” rap music video. Excerpt from ‘Sape inne’ music video. Source: YouTube

Promoting cannabis and other substances in lyrics of his and others’ rap songs

Kevin Silva frequently promotes and normalises the use of cannabis through both his own lyrics (Pathra) and in collaborative creations with other rap artists. Gallery:

• Gallery
• 

  Image 21: Excerpt from ‘Pathra’ song

• 

  Image 22: Excerpt from ‘Raawaya’ song

• 

  Image 23: Excerpt from ‘Kuddah’ song

• 

  Image 24: Excerpt from ‘Sape Inne’ song

Implications

Multiple research studies have shown that exposure to portrayal of tobacco products or their use in television and in movies is associated with initiation of smoking among viewers, especially among adolescents and youth, and sustenance of smoking among current smokers. A large body of evidence suggests that tobacco industry is known to have commissioned celebrities to promote tobacco and related products in media and through entertainment activities.

National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA) Act is the main legal framework for tobacco and alcohol control in Sri Lanka. Section 35 of the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA) Act prohibits tobacco and alcohol advertisements and promotion in media including ‘the internet’. NATA Act defines tobacco advertisements as, “any writing, still or moving picture, sign, symbol or distinctive colours or other visual image or any audible message or any combination of the aforesaid that promotes or is intended to promote – smoking, the purchase or use of a tobacco product, a trademark registered in respect of a tobacco product or articles that include tobacco products, a brand name associated with a tobacco product, the name of the manufacturer of a tobacco product.” Thus, portrayal of tobacco products and their use have a negative effect on tobacco control measures in the country and violates the NATA Act.

Tobacco Unmasked Resources

• National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA) Act
• Prathap Costa

The local language translations