Supreme Swiss is an artist from Toronto, an area that is not shy to great artists, amazing music, and success in the last decade. With artists like Drake, The Weekend, PND, and many more taking over they have led the way for both artistic expression and of course success at a level not imagined before. Toronto is the hub for a multitude of sounds with multiple backgrounds and people from all walks of life. Supreme Swiss is cut from this cloth with a background that extends to Jamaica where his father is originally from and would impact his childhood from the beginning. Being the son of an artist it is clear to see that the path he is currently on is meant for him, music has been in Supreme’s life before he even heard a beat. Originally, Supreme Swiss was surrounded by reggae music and dancehall records as this is the area where his father excelled in. Living in Toronto which is heavily shaped with Caribbean influence, this could have been the path that Swiss chose to go down but he decided to carve his own path and take music into his own hands. By the age of 10, he was listening to his own records, picking his favorite artists, and sifting through songs to experience all that Hip-Hop has to offer. Although Swiss is located up north he is a fan of southern artists, which is why he listened to Lil Wayne and Hot Boy Turk, which would come full circle. Becoming an artist is a tough road only a few stay the course. At the age of 13, Supreme wrote his first rhymes, although it was just the beginning he was already critiquing his work and strived to do better. From there he purchased a tape recorder for only $1.29 and laid his first track. It only took 3 years after that for Supreme to get into a professional studio. Through his own persistence, mixed with the love and support of his family, Supreme succeeded and his career has taken off, and this is only the beginning.
PREVIOUS WORKS
Supreme has 2 projects currently out right now on Apple Music, Spotify, Soundcloud, and other streaming services. The first album is titled “La$twknd (Friday)”, a seven-track project including skits that is 18 minutes long. This is a very professional sounding debut as all the songs are mixed properly, and on the songwriting side, it is structured well and on a level that not many have for their first project out. I love that not every song on the album sounds the same, many artists do that and it obviously sounds repetitive but it shows that the artist is in his comfort zone and does not want to expand his sound or take chances. The use of synths, trumpets, and other instruments reminds me of some songs from the early 2010s but done in a way where it sounds revamped rather than outdated and old. As a debut project, this is a great showing for Supreme Swiss. His strength to me is his ability to stay in the pocket and switch flows when necessary which makes him a versatile artist and makes sure he is not stagnant to one type of sound.
The second project he has released is titled “The Open Shop Project (Album Mode)” which he released earlier this year. One thing I love seeing in an artist, and I continually say is seeing their progression. As much as albums are a showcase of musical ability, talent, and potential, it is also documentation of their journey as well. On this album, Supreme really finds the sound that suits him which can take many more projects to obtain. This means that he knows what works for him but he isn’t dependent on it, he merely uses it as a reference point and then makes each individual track unique. Not only that but everything finally came full circle as I mentioned earlier when he finally works with one of his influences, Hot Boy Turk.
These two projects show the progression I talked about before which is a great sign for artists of any genre, but especially in the most popular genre in the world. Supreme has proved his potential by continuing to get better, his abilities by learning from his previous work and implementing what worked and removing what didn’t, and that he is still growing as an artist. This leads us to his newest project, “MRSHL CITY — EP”, which dropped December 27th, Let’s see what Supreme has in store for us.
ALBUM REVIEW
TRACK 1 “TWISTED”
The dark tone sets the mood for the album as we start off with the single that was released earlier this year. This is a good way to bring the audience in with a song they are familiar with. One thing that Supreme does very well on here along with other songs on this project is switching his flow. Swiss comes in talking his shit and flexing on everyone and also shows us who he is on the record as well. He is about his grind and he isn’t going to stop until he gets his millions is another running theme. Right off the bat as well you hear just how good the production is on this album and that it is mixed almost to perfection. You are able to hear Supreme clearly and the beat so nothing is left behind in your ears. When someone is able to do that on just their third project, it’s a sign of great things to come.
TRACK 2 “NOLOOSETALK”
The punctuality on this track and how poignant Supreme is with his words on this song is everything. It is what makes “Noloostalk” so good, and as a Griselda fan, I appreciate that it is a gritty sounding trap record. Although I love the whole project this is my favorite track mainly because of the hook and how he enunciates almost every consonant. It’s the little things that make a record that much greater. Supreme does not try to overpower the beat but trying to sound too hard, he is calm and comfortable rapping with confidence and it shows. This song makes you feel cocky and it comes from the way Supreme flows on the beat. He is able to stay in the pocket as I mentioned before and it is one of his strengths.
TRACK 3 “20s 50s 100s”
Immediately with the 3rd track, we see versatility in the sound which is good especially with a 6 track project where sometimes it is best to keep one type of sound, the decision to go the other way worked in Supreme’s favor. Credit also has to be given to the producer Henny Hendrx for doing an amazing job on this project, this duo clearly knows how to create a great sound project together. The sound at the beginning of this record is bouncier and more upbeat than the previous two songs. When I played this in the car for my girlfriend and this was her choice for the best song on the project. She said that this sound resonates more with her and what she wants to hear from Supreme. This is why being versatile is so important and being able to cater to multiple audiences is one of the best ways to seek longevity. This sound also reminds me more of the last album(“The Open Shop Project”) that he did which also had a more upbeat feel. Just as you’re getting comfortable however the beat switches back to a more rugged sound. You could say this song is literally day and night in the differences. I love beat switches when executed at this level and in this case, it worked.
TRACK 4 “TURKS AND CAICOS”
The acoustic guitar is the first thing that grabs your attention on “Turks and Caicos” this song is lighter all the way through and doesn’t have the same gloomy feel as the rest of the project. This has a more relaxed vibe along with the next track and the content matches the style of the song. Supreme is rapping about being out the country counting bread with his shawty and she’s with the antics like he is which is everything a man can want. Another thing I appreciate about this song is how many different flows Supreme has on this. He did this a handful of times and it really shows his skill and how he does not stay stagnant at all.
TRACK 5 “ALIVE”
This is the slowest track in terms of the beat but certainly not the rapping. It is very mellow but that lets the artist shine as all the qualities that make Supreme great effectively are put on this song. Like the track before he uses multiple flows to keep it fresh and interesting. It emulates the beginning and the end of track 3 because although it is not as upbeat it still has a softer feel and the song itself is much darker than “Turks and Caicos”. Supreme once again comes again being able to showcase multiple styles and make it seem effortless. Even though the energy is not at the same level as “NoLooseTalk” content once again is still there. Supreme telling you that he is not the one to mess with.
TRACK 6 “ENRG”
Sequencing is a very important aspect of crafting and putting together a body of work. Even a good song in the wrong area can throw off a project and make it hard to regain the audience. This project is sequenced very well, with the last track sounding like a victory song it is a great way to cap off “MRSHL CITY”. As the last song, it sounds triumphant and cocky song once again Supreme Swiss is talking his shit on the album, and rightly so. In a short time, Supreme has accomplished a lot and will have a lot more to be thankful for in the future as well.
ALBUM SCORE & RATING
OFFICIAL RATING: 8.5/10
STANDOUT TRACKS
- “TWISTED
- ★“NOLOOSETALK”
- “ENRG”
It was a pleasure to work with Supreme Swiss and his team, it is great to see that he has a great supports system around him. This project is a great EP that leaves me wanting to hear more from him in the future!
