Patiently Waiting
“O
ver the years, it’s been a misunderstanding of the mindframe of a gutta young nigga,” Grand Hustle’s Spodee says as he declares his position in the game. “I’m tryna drop some jewels, promote the intellectual, and still be gutta.” Growing up in the Zone 6/Kirkwood area of Atlanta, a certified “Grady baby,” Spodee strives to see a better day. “I was born in East Lake Meadows projects, but we never glorified that life,” he says. “We were taught to want more, to get up and out.” Following a turbulent adolescence, Spodee caught some serious felony charges when he was 16 and lost his freedom. “At 15 I moved out of my mama’s house and got some money in my pocket,” he says, of the circumstances that led to his imprisonment. “I began to power up…basically I was sellin’ some dope and a nigga tried to rob me, and I got to shootin’ at him.” Initially sentenced to 10 years, Spodee served just under 3 years and spent most of that time rapping. “Prison ended up being the worst and the best thang that happened to me,” he says. “I got out with a level of intensity that is indescribable.” A few weeks after completing his 33 months, the 20-year-old, known as Swagg at the time, took his show to Hustle and Flow Mondays at the famed Club Crucial. With an abundance of words and a complete lack of instrumentals, he had only a microphone to showcase his skills. But that didn’t stop him from impressing the audience. Rapping acapella while beating on his chest, Swagg caught the attention of Clay Evans at Grand Hustle, who signed him after seeing consistency from the young artist.
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“One of the biggest misconceptions is that beating on my chest was a gimmick,” Spodee says, who changed his name soon after signing to the label. “But nobody had [free] beats that were hard enough for me, and I had no money to get beats. I had to go for what I knew, and it worked out for the best.” Spodee hooked up with Grand Hustle producer C Gutta, aka Lil C, for some official beats, and “like magic,” they came up with a hit during their first session. During his first time in the booth Spodee recorded “Don’t Do It,” the single that has made the biggest impact in his city. With support from V103’s Greg Street and Lil Bankhead, the song has trickled into the clubs and onto mixtapes throughout the region. Spodee and his team are now working the single in the open mic circuit, the internet, and wherever possible to build a bigger buzz. Their efforts are succeeding as the catch-phrase “Don’t Do It” is becoming increasingly popular. Presently working on his own mixtape, Spodee released a prequel to the project, an EP consisting of 6 songs. He’s also appearing on his labelmates’ projects, including Young Dro, Big Kuntry, and Yung LA. “The magnitude of my mixtape is going to be a strong point,” he says. “That’s what’s gonna separate me, my content. I’m cool wit’ the dancin’ and the vibe of the club, but that’s not what I’m promotin’. Being articulate and intelligent is what counts to me. That’s what I’m tryna preach.” Words & Photo by Ms. Rivercity