Getting Stoked with Spose

“My life is in my hands // damn I need some bigger hands” - Spose, from ‘All You Need Is You’

This line is a prime example of why Spose (aka the King of Maine, Speezus) gets me stoked. Not only can he write a layered verse, stacked-full of metaphors that few would catch, but he’s also brimming with positivity and hustle. He’s like if Gary Vaynerchuk went rap instead of wine. 

Straight from the Speezus Twitter bio: “Using proper English in rap songs since 2002.” 

I knew he was gonna hit it big after hearing “God Damn” - and that wasn’t even his major hit. Most people know him from the “I’m Awesome” jam that blew up in 2009. And I’m talking before the remastered versions. The raw cuts that proved his grit. (That scratch solo at the end of ‘God Damn’ though…)

I was hooked. Grassroots always gets me hustled up.

I remember sitting outside of a bar, waiting for a ride home (before Uber), and my buddy Tom Adams slipping a burned copy of Preposterously Dank into his civic’s stereo. We weren’t a fan of the Nissan Altima, but felt as equally broke.

Since then, I’ve listened as his style evolved and grew. His label too. 

Spose gets me inspired. Not just because of how great his lyrical genius is, but rather because of his backstory. It gets me believing in myself. Gets me motivated to make moves and help others do the same. Even his latest album, Good Luck With Your Life, delivers the persona I need to keep digging. Just look at the title.

That kind of positivity is invigorating. It’s like a contact high. I’m pumped that he’s pumped that he’s made it from the bottom to the top of his rap game. In fcking Maine, no less.

That mindset is contagious. It chips like paint and sticks to people’s ears like little brain seeds.

I met him after a show in Poughkeepsie, NY back in like 2010 or 2011. Tom and I drove all the way up from Jersey (a 2.5-hour trip, 1 way) to catch him. Back then, he wasn’t big yet, P-Dank was an album, and he still sold his own merch. He told me that he started rapping because he loved the English language and didn’t want to serve lobster rolls for the rest of his life. (Fck you, TJ, you quitter.) I remember him giving us a shout out on stage because we knew all the words to “God Damn” - which, seemingly enough, no one else in the small crowd knew. He even thanked Tom for finding a lost video from his earlier days.

Now, 7 - almost 8 - years later, I still listen to his work while I write. I’m no rapper, but I certainly share the same love and phonetic command of the English language. And his positive mindset keeps me motivated to stay moving. So much so that I had to blog about it. 

So for that, Spose, I thank you. I know this is only the beginning for you. Don’t stop.