“…A star’s born no doubt, dynamite bars, grind hard/ Gladwell hours punched on the time card…” (-The Writer II, Supra Cum Laude) March 31, 2015 is already the proudest day of my entire music career. That is the scheduled release date for Supra Cum Laude, my sixth album over the past decade and by far the best exhibition to date. Lyrics? You already. Production? European imports. Features? Straight legendary. This project embodies the confident fusion of a raw, talented lyricism with a new, relevant sound – all the while standing tall for everything I believe in. Your support of the Supra Cum Laude campaign gets you copies of the album, Supra tee shirts and other gear; in return, you help to give it the exposure it deserves, and the opportunity to land in the right industry hands. I started rhyming in 2002 – years after the “golden era” had concluded – though any true fan could still feel its remnants through virtually any artist on the scene, old and new. People remained true to the urban culture, the core elements, the raw lyricism. Before rapping, I was beatboxing for the freestyle circles behind high school every afternoon; before that, I was writing graffiti on the walls inside. Along the way I was mentored by true talents, sincere appreciators of the art form, on what was d**e versus unworthy of a second glance. And like in other aspects of my life, I was both eager to express my mind and master a new skill. In 2003 I opened for Talib Kweli, my favorite emcee at the time, in front of a packed college auditorium. And it was immediately following my set, basking in the dense floodlights and applause of 600 people, that I decided it was only right for me to chase this dream of mine. I was always quite musically inclined and an excellent writer; all I needed was that glimpse of a public appetite, approval or admiration, and I was off to the races. Since then, I have released five mixtapes, six music videos and more than 70 songs; I am on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, and you could even find me on Napster back in the day; I have my own Pandora station and opened for many household names like The Roots and Capone-N-Noreaga; and I’ve established a solid fan base in my hometown of Boston that now spans to NYC, across the country and around the globe. I’ve been named a ‘Top Ten Rapper from Boston’ and Wu Tang’s ‘Indie Artist of the Week.’ But it’s only up from here with this new project… Supra Cum Laude is set to release on March 31st, 2015. It is my best work to date, and I know that because everyone who has previewed it shares that opinion. Not to mention the handful of LEGENDARY appearances: Styles P of the Lox, Havoc of Mobb Deep, Raekwon of Wu Tang Clan, and Tragedy Khadafi of the former Juice Crew. I am honored and humbled to have this cast featured on my record (and I stay toe-to-toe if I don’t say so myself!). I have carved out a niche so unique for myself that I am confident to push the boundaries in ways we haven’t before. As you’ll hear us talking about in the campaign video, this project has really allowed us to keep the sound relevant while maintaining the pure value of thought-provoking lyricism. Bottom line is this: I know good music. I know Supra Cum Laude is special and that it can make waves. In an age where hip-hop is losing its validity at every turn, this can both instill hope back into rap fans, but also make believers out of the unconventional listener. So in the end, most importantly I hope you enjoy the album come spring time; but I’m hoping you decide to support the movement here as it is one desperately needed, and your boy is the best candidate who’s up for the challenge.