Since 1995 Kam Moye, also known to the hip hop community as Supastition, has been making his name well known by releasing a grip of classic records full of sharp tongued lyrics, booming beats, and inspirational tales of life and urban culture. After numerous 12″ releases and his debut album “7 Years of Bad Luck” released on Freshcrest Records, Supa appeared on the critically acclaimed “SouthernUnderground” album from the Cunninlynguists, and followed his independent success the next year by winning an OkPlayer contest with a stunning Nicolay collaboration entitled “The Williams.” Thirteen years after his humble beginnings, Kam Moye finds himself as one of the most popular independent hip hop acts of our generation by boasting a highly touted live show and continuing to raise the bar for quality hip hop for himself as an artist, and the entire industry with each release.
As the buzz for his Self Centered and Leave of Absence records remain in fan’s ears, Rhymehouse.com had the chance to sit down and rap with Kam Moye to talk about his recent albums, the Reform School Music label, what new hip hop trends he hates, and questioning people’s “blackness.” Let’s go!
Rhymehouse: 4,000 downloads in less than 24 hours for your Kam Moye Self Centered EP is not a bad look! What made you want to release that record for free? And since many can’t grasp the “name change,” why did you choose Kam Moye to be your moniker on this album?
Supastition: After I recorded Chain Letters, I never planned on recording another Supastition full length album. When I said it in an interview people interpreted it as if I was going to quit music altogether but that wasn’t the case. I had been in the music business for years before my first album ever came out. I feel like I’ve grown out of the Supastition name and persona as a person. I’m not interested in rapping about rapping anymore or trying to prove I deserve respect as one of the illest. None of that shit matters to me anymore at this point. Even though Leave of Absence was released after the Kam Moye EP, it was recorded way before any of the Kam Moye songs were ever recorded. I guess that’s what confuses people, but from here on out there will be K.M. projects.
Kam Moye is the shortened version of my real name and I was tired of the fancy rap names and the stigma that came with being Supastition. Most people just wanted me to be the same angry rapper that hated the industry like I was on the first album. So I said to hell with all of the expectations, I’m just going to be myself and make music that reflects who I am now as a person instead of who I used to be. Plus, I couldn’t get beats from my usual producers anymore for different reasons so I had to stop depending on them. Some of the people I worked with in the beginning started making more money and getting more attention so naturally their priorities changed. I can’t knock anyone’s hustle so more power to them. I opted to start from the ground up and build something new without waiting on anyone else.
RH: You also announced a full length Kam Moye record is in the works entitled “Splitting Image”– What can we look forward to from that album? Any producers/guest spots you can tell us about yet?
Supastition: Splitting Image is gonna be a very powerful record and it’s gonna have heavy substance on it. I’m talking about everything from my mistakes of becoming a father at 16 to interracial relationships. It’s an honest record, but it’s not filled with angry or depressing songs. My goal is to tell my story to the listeners so hopefully they can walk away feeling like someone out there understands their personal struggles.
I’m making it a point this time to only work with people who truly believe in the project and the direction I’m going with it. I’ve done songs with S1 of Strange Fruit Project, M-phazes, Marco Polo, and my homeboy D.R. From Charlotte as of right now. I’ve got some beats in the stash from some heavy hitters, but I can’t speak on those until they are mixed and ready to go. As far as guests, I’ve got a couple emcees that I respect slated to be on the project as well. I’m stepping outside of the box this time and doing things sonically that I’m not usually known for. But it’s still 100% Kam Moye though.
RH: On the song “Black Enough” you say “What you mean I’m not black enough?” and run off various African American stereotypes– What inspired this track? Has someone commented that you aren’t “black enough?”
Supastition: I’ve lived that song for most of my life. People always question your blackness when you don’t play into stereotypes or you seem to be different from what they are used to. At the end of the day it’s all about being comfortable in your own skin. The one thing that made me realize that it needed to be said is when my daughter came home from school saying that the kids on the bus were saying she thought she was acting white. When I asked her why she said it was because she gets good grades and has some white friends. Also, I was inspired after to going on tour in Europe and being called nigger a few times. You get to see how the rest of the world looks at you and hip hop in general. I mean, when you are from the hood and you see some hood shit on TV then it’s funny to an extent. But, imagine someone who has never really had any serious interactions with African-Americans. That’s going to be their first impression of you. I don’t think some of these artists realize how many cultures that hip hop reaches on a daily.
RH: You also just released a new album called “Leave of Absence.” Compared to “Chain Letters,” how have you changed as an artist? What is different about you and your music on the new album?
Supastition: Chain Letters was an actual album and Leave of Absence was just an EP. I like to do EP releases because it lets test the waters a little more so you can see people’s reactions. Leave of Absence was officially my last project where I’m basically just going in and spitting crazy on songs. Originally, it didn’t have any beats from past producers like M-phazes, Illmind, and Nicolay so a lot of fans didn’t know how to receive it. Certain people on my team just wanted to hear me make one last record where I was just rapping my ass off…haha. If you like raw raps and dope beats then that’s the record for you. It’s a nice way to close out the Supastition catalog for now. DJ Fisher from Domination Recordings and myself have talked about working together on a project for years so we decided to give it a shot with this one.
RH: The Carolina hip hop scene continues to grow and make noise. What is your take on your hometown scene now? How have you helped it grow and what can we expect from NC/SC in the future?
Supastition: I haven’t lived in my hometown (Greenville) for almost 10 years. I’ve been more active in the Charlotte hip hop scene since I moved here in ‘98 but I focus on being heard and seen elsewhere more than anything. Being a local rap star has its limitations. NC doesn’t really have a solid reputation for supporting their own acts in the beginning stages and the word ‘local’ is still viewed as being somewhat a negative out here. I make it known everywhere that I go that I’m from North Carolina and I feel like that’s doing my part to bring attention to the state. I’ve worked with more up & coming NC artists than some of the other well known cats from NC have. Personally, I don’t think my music fits the type of music that most people here listen to so I just keep doing what I do and maybe eventually cats will support it. It’s about the same everywhere though. For example, someone like Black Thought probably gets more respect outside of Philly than he does in his own city. Does that mean that he’s not repping it properly? Nah, it just means that he probably doesn’t fit what people out there listen to or identify with.
There’s plenty of talent in North Carolina but everyone is so separated that it’s almost impossible to actually have a real movement going on. Cats tried to label the Justus League movement as an NC movement but that wasn’t the case. No disrespect to them, but too many outsiders just leeched on to their buzz and started calling it an NC movement. Unfortunately, a shitload of NC rappers got caught up in thinking that they were next to blow and it was going to be an easy come up for them. I always get asked “what happened to the NC hip hop scene or why did it fall off”? Some dudes just failed to establish their own fan bases and their own brands. You can be affiliated with whoever you like but sooner or later you gotta stand on your own two feet and get respect on your own.
RH: You also started up your own record label, Reform School Music. Can you tell us who’s affiliated? Why you wanted to start your own label? And what is your goal as the CEO and label as a whole?
Supastition: In the beginning, I started Reform School (RSM) as an outlet to release my own side projects and some projects from artists that I’ve worked with for years. I was planning on releasing a record with a rapper that I had been down with for years but he chose to move forward and go with another label. I’m not about holding anyone back if they have other options that work out for them. After that happened, I turned the focus on building up the name myself as an artist. I’ve got plans to do some groundbreaking things in the next few years but it’s more of a learning experience at this point. I’ve got people affiliated with RSM but they aren’t really artists though. I’ve got producers, engineers, video directors, designers, and even outlets to do all types of merchandise when the job requires it. It’s better to have your in-house team that you can trust instead of depending on outsiders.
RH: Your music always seems to be full of stories, soul, and touch on relatable real life situations- how important is it to you, as an artist, to make organic/honest music? What inspires you the most when you write these tales?
Supastition: The number one reason I write now is for therapy, stress relief, and to inspire people. I’ve always tried to give a brutally honest point of view in my songs especially the ones that deal with life experiences. Songs like ‘Soul Searching’, ‘Fountain of Youth’, ‘The Williams’, and ‘Change of Heart’ all show you what I’m going through at that very moment. I want you to be able to listen to my music and feel what I feel.
RH: As hip hop grows, new trends, styles, and artists come and go- what are some of the worst trends/styles currently going on in hip hop in your opinion? Any new movements you dig (whether it be musical or business)?
Supastition: The worst trend has to be this new infatuation with rappers and swagger. If you’re a grown man getting that excited about another man’s swagger, charm, and charisma then maybe you should check yourself. I listen to lyrics and beats… they can keep the rest of that shit. Another thing is there seems to be viral marketing going on in hip hop now where you recognize certain artist names on blogs and websites but they rarely have songs and albums that people remember them for. You don’t give the fans a chance to digest the music and sit with it when you’re releasing songs every week. It’s quantity over quality right now and it’s definitely showing.
RH: If you could choose one MC from hip hop’s beginnings, one MC from the 80s, another from the 90s and one current MC to jump on a “hip hop through the years” style track with you– who would they be and why?
Supastition: Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, Nas, and Black Thought on a song would make my day. I wouldn’t even want to be on that joint with those cats. I’d just have to sit back and be a fan for a minute. I’m a humble person and I’m far from being at that level in my career.
RH: I’ve never been to a Supa show, but I’ve heard you are LIVE. Why is it so important for an artist to have a great live show? Is it truly the best feeling in the world like everyone says?
Supastition: I try to give people their money’s worth when they see me at a show. Most of the time it will just be me with no hypeman and sometimes DJ Forge with me. I make it a point to sound just like the actual song or even better when you hear me live. I’ve seen shows where rappers have their homies and 2 hypemen saying every other bar for them onstage. That ain’t really entertaining to me. I feel like you if you paid to hear me then that’s what you’re going to get. Performing is the best feeling because you get to see reactions from fans and watch random cats screaming your lyrics back to you. It gets no better than that!
RH: What’s the best live hip hop show you have ever witnessed?
Supastition: It had to be between The Roots and Redman.
RH: What’s next on deck for you and Reform School Music?
Supastiton: Just finishing up this Kam Moye album and about to start on a producer/MC project that I’ve been planning for awhile. There’s gonna be a few more music videos and possibly a dvd coming soon as well.
RH: What does hip hop mean to you?
Supastition: It’s the voice and outlet for those who need to express themselves through rhyming, producing, Djing, dancing, and all that.
RH: What does Supastition mean to hip hop?
Supastition: That’s for the fans and supporters to decide. I just make the music that I love at the end of the day.
www.supastition.com
www.myspace.com/supastition.com
www.myspace.com/kammoye
