First Look Friday: Rahiem Supreme

Hip-hop is at a really interesting juncture at this particular moment in time. It really does feel that we went from a place where there weren’t enough seats at the table to a table overflowing with options. With such an abundance of choices, the process of combing through all the new music to find those special emerging artists with style, substance, and dope content can be a journey.

Well, we looked really hard, and our first First Look Friday of 2024 comes in the form of a remarkable Washington D.C. spitter named Rahiem Supreme. He has lots of things going for him but perhaps the biggest weapon in his arsenal is his nonchalant, effortless delivery filled with witty and exotic lyrics. He also has a unique sense of style and artistic flair that could garner Slick Rick comparisons in some circles.

Photo by Tah Rook.

“Growing up, I was listening to hip-hop before I actually knew what it was around — around my family and environment,” he shares. “But what got me rapping was my ex-girlfriend telling me to take it serious, hearing me around my friends just playing around freestyling.”

When you look at the D.C. scene over the years, it’s clear that hip-hop artists from this diverse city always have their own way of doing things. We’re talking about artists like Wale, Shy Glizzy, Goldlink, Rico Nasty, just to name a few. Raheim says, “My early years in the D.C. rap scene were an experience. I was just getting my feet wet, I was full of passion and trying to build a name in the community. One of my biggest local influences was Tabi Bonney — his style and sound were very different compared to others locally.”

Another aspect of his artistry that allows Supreme to stand out from the pack is the creativity and unconventional point of view he’s able to capture in his music videos. In last year’s visual for the single “Drifting in the Rain,” he creates instant energy on film with scenes of abandoned parking lots, fly dance moves, unexpected camera shots, and close-ups of flashy streetwear and jewelry. “For most of my videos, I direct and gather treatments myself,” he proudly states. “I’m very hands-on — things have to be executed a certain way. Every now and then I’ll get assistance for creative direction as well.

Rahiem Supreme - Drifting In The Rain [prod. WiFiGawd]www.youtube.com

Adding to his allure is his love for old-school vehicles, and more specifically, the sleek and sporty Nissan Z Series. “I love old school cars and a fair share of new sports cars & exotics too. The never-ending project of building it exactly how you want it, and the craftsmanship as a whole really appeals to me. I love and own the Nissan Z series because it comes equipped with functionality, aerodynamics, and modification capabilities. I’ll literally take it to the grave with me. That feeling of taking the T-Top roofs off, hearing the turbo sound with the digital dash is unexplainable.”

Photo by Mace Pilla.

Rahiem Supreme x Look Damien! "Flesh tones" Music Videowww.youtube.com

Supreme has a slew of projects coming out in 2024. One of them is an album executive produced by the ubiquitous A&R, Dough Networkz, titled Grand Master Raski. It’s a well-executed project that will also feature verses from Jay Nice and rising West Coast spitter, Sirrealist.

There are also projects lined up in the world of film, TV, and commercials. He appeared in an Under Armour commercial last year, and he notched another talent placement with New Balance as well. “I’m going to be making guest appearances in documentaries and brand collabs for sure, and hopefully land some voiceovers in the future for anime & video games. I definitely want the world to continue seeing forward motion and evolution in all aspects of my creativity.”

Either way you look at it, Rahiem Supreme has all the tools in his backpack to make a major dent in the rap game. “My main agenda has always been pushing the envelope and expressing the art as raw as possible — from music and style to abstract and experimental unpredictable fly stuff.”

Stand Up D.C., we think you’ve got one.