▁lot ▁to ▁me , ▁especially ▁because ▁there ▁was ▁a ▁black ▁actor ▁that ▁wasn ' t ▁in ▁the ▁gh etto , ▁and ▁there ▁wer en ' t ▁a ▁lot ▁of ▁politics . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁being ▁a ▁human ▁being ▁and ▁not ▁only ▁a ▁black ▁actor . ▁And ▁that ▁meant ▁a ▁lot ▁to ▁me . ▁ ▁Smith ▁played ▁on ▁the ▁crit ically ▁acc laimed ▁albums ▁Return ▁to ▁Cook ie ▁Mountain , ▁D ear ▁Science , ▁and ▁N ine ▁Types ▁of ▁Light . ▁ ▁As ide ▁from ▁writing ▁music ▁and ▁playing ▁bass ▁and ▁key boards ▁in ▁TV ▁on ▁the ▁Radio , ▁Smith , ▁along ▁with ▁A deb im pe , ▁composed ▁the ▁score ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁document ary ▁feature ▁The ▁Lot tery , ▁( now ▁Success ▁Academy ▁Har lem ). ▁ ▁T ributes ▁The ▁song ▁" K iller ▁C rane " ▁from ▁N ine ▁Types ▁Of ▁Light ▁was ▁written ▁about ▁the ▁band ▁coming ▁to ▁terms ▁with ▁Smith ' s ▁imp ending ▁death , ▁and ▁the ▁song ' s ▁video ▁serves ▁as ▁a ▁t ribute ▁to ▁him , ▁featuring ▁many ▁sh ots ▁of ▁Smith . ▁ ▁Upon ▁learning ▁of ▁his ▁death ▁on ▁April ▁ 2 0 , ▁the ▁band ▁The ▁National ▁played ▁" About ▁Today " ▁in ▁his ▁memory ▁at ▁their ▁concert ▁at ▁Star light ▁Theater ▁in ▁Kansas ▁City , ▁Missouri . ▁ ▁The ▁song ▁" Wh ile ▁You ' re ▁Here " ▁on ▁D irty ▁Project ors ' ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁EP ▁About ▁to ▁Die ▁is ▁a ▁t ribute ▁to