Supastition

Seven Years of Bad Luck, the debut release of Southern rapper Supastition, received critical approval and led to seminal fame, allowing this intricate rhyme fanatic to enjoy notoriety and success. However, record company foibles led to some down time and the rising star was left in the lurches. That is, until Soul Spazm picked up the microphone genius, releasing a well timed EP prior to letting loose with this sophomore banger.

Chain Letters is the album that Supastition says he wants people to walk away from saying, “That’s one of the best albums out there.” Featuring guest appearances by North Carolina vets Little Brother, and production by Jake One, Illmind and M-Phazes, the kid from the same Greenville,N.C. streets as Petey Pablo just might have that, delivery here with thumping tracks that mix southern depth with East Coast sensibilities.

Supastition is known for his battle rhymes and sick punchlines, as evidenced on the string induced “Don’t Stop,” or the “Chain Letters (intro),” where the savvy MC says things like: “Not a midwife, but I’m known for my delivery,” and “They say I’m nastier than public restrooms.” He also takes aim at his former label mates, stating: “No corny niggas involved, yeah I said it/ No Freshchest in the production credits,” proving he’s out to make a name for himself, not live off someone else.

But battle rhymes are only a part of what makes up this weathered veteran who makes “good, old-fashioned hip hop that resonates with contemporary times” as he tags this release with inspired storytelling and substance. Check the tale of infidelity on the jazz-influenced “Split Decision,” or the lust for material possessions expressed on “A Baby Story” featuring Nanomeko and produced by Foreign Exchange’s Nicolay. The bass heavy, scratch infested, old-school of “Nickeled Needles” shows both the history and reverence of the artist, but also pays homage to his influences, which included Run DMC, Doug E. Fresh, and Rakim.

Elsewhere, classic soul samples and on-point guest appearances show why Supa’s music has been compared to that of Talib, Common and The Roots. That is to say, he makes important music that crosses boundaries without selling out. Little Brother’s Big Pooh and Phonte appear on “Soul Control,” a mellow head nodder that easily could have been on one of their releases. And the autobiographical “Rise” kind of sums up Supa’s resume to this point. While “That Ain’t Me” explains his disdain for stereotypes—he’s from the South, people, but that don’t mean he’s got to rock gold fronts and bump Crunk Beats!

Having already shared the mic with luminaries like KRS One and worked closely with The Roots (on the Okayplayer compilation True Notes, vol 1) Supastition proves he’s a name to be reckoned with. Let his voice be heard.

www.soulspazm.com/art/supa


- KaffeineBuzz.com

North Carolina spitter Supastition resurfaces after a two year hiatus, the majority of which was spent touring overseas where European fans break through language barriers to make us American Hip Hoppers look spoiled. With plenty of time for introspection, Supa stepped away from the Jazzy/Soulful direction of The Deadline EP and Chain Letters to craft a more aggressive identity. Gone are the days where his producers dictated the ambience. Leave of Absence represents Supa's Ali-like return with a new production camp in tow. A couple of years wiser and slightly more worldly, but this time his punches have bad intentions.

"Leave of Absence" deads any speculation of retirement and spells out the reasons for his temporary sabbatical, accentuated by DJ White Shadow's cuts. "While you was breaking weed up, I was overseas steady touring taking foreigners and making them believers." On "Bad Blood", Supa's sharp wit is aimed squarely at his detractors. "Worst Enemy" reconnects Supa and Marco Polo who previously collaborated on the beatmaker's Port Authority. Simply stated, it's one of those "look at yourself in the mirror" joints. The rare Supastition posse cut comes in the form of "It's All Over", featuring Detroit's Finale, NYC's Torae and Dan Johns from the other Carolina. Fans have surely heard the Khrysis-produced single, "Word Has It", which announced the MC's return in a major way. With classics broke anthems such as "The Williams" under his belt, Supa flipped the script with the self-explanatory "Evil Money" as well as "Feels So Good", a conceptual effort about the nefarious grip of the almighty dollar. The iTunes version of Leave of Absence tosses in a couple of bonus tracks for the digital fiends, including the aforementioned "Feels So Good" and the chilled-out "Groundwork" featuring Slo Mo.

Supastition emerged from the "leave of absence" as the captain of his own ship, running the Reform School Music record label and firmly grasping creative control. Essentially he hunkered down in full defense mode to avoid getting jerked by the industry. Interestingly enough, Supa's stock was steadily rising and Chain Letters represented a musical pinnacle, yet the perfectionist dwelling inside desired something darker in tone. The EP is also a leave of absence of sorts from Illmind, Nicolay, M-Phazes or other producers that fans may associate with Supastition. As he states on "Bad Blood", "I've been switching my producers for years. Beatmakers, I keep 'em playing musical chairs." On this go-around, the message is that Supa's back and if you thought you had him pegged, you didn't.

3.5 out of 5

Andy - Andy at ArtOfRhyme.com

Here is a much needed song and video that actually makes you think for a change. Kam Moye's "Black Enough" does not just bring up race in America but goes a little deeper. As black people in this country we are subject to many racial stereotypes from other races, but also many that come from ourselves as well. Many feel as though they have to play a certain role in order to be considered "black enough" to fit in. Being black enough not only refers to how we behave socially, but how we view black people with lighter complexions. In this video Kam Moye puts it all in perspective and points out how foolish the idea of being "Black Enough" really is. Before I get into a whole racial monologue on here, watch the video, then head over to The Lesson and discuss. - Okayplayer.com

Interview by Jon Michael

Some hip-hop artists sit around and wait a lifetime for a major label president to walk up to them and hand them a label deal and a few mil in cash. Needless to say it never happens. Smarter artists however use their time more wisely by promoting themselves, making good music, and living their dream.

A perfect example is veteran MC, Supastition, who for years has been hitting his fans with consistently classic material. From Chain Letters to Deadline, Supastition makes sure his craft is on point and the fans are getting what they want. That’s probably why he has a following that reaches almost every place on the planet.

Easily one of hip-hop’s brightest independent stars he’s worked the game they way it’s supposed to be worked and he’s been successful. He may not have a platinum plaque but he has a career and a worldwide fan base that can’t get enough of his music. - Jon Michael at Sixshot.com

Kam Moye aka Supastition is a widely respected MC out of North Carolina, who has been in the game for over 10 years. With a grip of releases and features under his belt, Kam has built up a solid and loyal fanbase in the underground community. His aggressive energy, witty & lyrical content have appealed to hip-hop purists around the globe & while his name, as well as his style, may have changed over the years, the growth is clear in his music. As he says on "Where & Why," "I don't feel the challenge to write the average songs" - the ups and downs of the industry have led Kam Moye to make music for himself & in doing so, he's maintained integrity within his music & his character. His hardwork and experiences led him to create his own "Reform School Music" label, and take his career in his own hands. The trends of rappers rapping about rapping (get that?) had to come to an end sooner or later & Kam Moye is taking new strides to bring alternatives for our listening pleasure. Here is the full track to "Where & Why," off Kam Moye's "Self-Centered EP," which is full of quotables & will make you understand the name change, as well as the direction he's taking his music.

With no hypeman and no entourage, Kam Moye has traveled the world and rocked stages alongside some of the most talented MCs & been featured on tracks with the likes of Little Brother, KRS-One, Elzhi, Royce Da 5'9 & many more. The hip-hop scene in North Carolina has advanced a great deal over the past few years, but Kam Moye was there from the beginning and worked alongside some of the most talented artists/producers to come out of the state and elsewhere in the country. With that said, I still think his role in the movement in NC is overlooked, but it cannot be denied by fans of his music or people aware of what he's done for hip-hop. Kam Moye is set to release a lot of material in the near future & I hope that people will get out there and support it, because he's one of the most genuine artists in this industry & you will definitely feel that when you read the interview below. We discussed so many issues & the interview is so in-depth, that I don't need to say much more in this write-up, I can just let the interview speak for itself. In closing, therefore, I'd just like for you to check out this next track & then really take the time to let what he's saying in this interview sink in, because this kind of insight is rarely seen or heard from an artist. - Sav*One at TheUndergroundComeup.com