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.
