A descriptive look at Hip Hop duo "1st"
(supreme Left/JClay Right)
Introducing, from the hip hop
music group “1st” Troy
Washington and Jelani Clay AKA “Supreme” and “JClay”.Supreme is 32 and was born in Dallas Tx, but raised in many places. “I was
born in Dallas Texas but was raised in numerous places. My mom was young
when she had me so we move from city to city in the metroplex just
trying to get by. Dad really wasn’t in the picture so it was a
struggle. I ended up for a big portion of my life living with my dad’s
mom in Fort Worth.” JClay is also 32 and was born in Chicago
and after High school moved to Texas for college as he had a full scholarship
to prairie view A&M. “I was born and raised in Chicago.
After HS graduation as valedictorian I moved to TX for college because Prairie
View A&M gave me a full ride scholarship.”
When asked about his childhood Supreme touched base on what it taught him. “The main thing about my childhood
that defines me is that no one ever gave me anything. I remember times
not having lunch money clothes $h!t even parents at some point so that has
given me the mentality of get it yourself no excuses.” JClaysays his childhood prepared him for this moment. “Everything
from my childhood prepared me for this moment. I’ll just name a
couple. I always loved actual music. I used to re-create beats off of the
radio on my keyboard. I would listen to a song and not know one word, but
know every single sound/instrument involved and the frequency of it. I
figured out quick how to use my voice as one of those instruments to blend
perfectly with the track. A lot of people forget that rap is a form of
music. They concentrate too hard on the rapping and not enough on the
music. Also my best friend growing up and I would make these skit shows
with my boombox recorder.
It was geared to make people laugh. So now with each one of my verses I
try to put a little comedy in it. Also when it’s time for skits on a
release, people come to me.”
(Supreme)
Supreme originally had a nick
name from childhood he used as his stage name. “My
original name was Tadow, which is a childhood name given by friends and
family.” But he originally started rapping with a different label
and they wanted it changed so one day he was rapping with a friend and said a
line with the word supreme in it and his friend said that should be his name
and he rolled with it. JClay got his name
from the first letter of his first name (Jelani)
and his last name (Clay) and put them together. However when he was a kid the
first rap name he gave himself was “Jammin
J” but in his words, it
sounded “wiggady wiggady wack.”
They have a great story for how
they met each other and how they started. Supreme said; “We met each other in college through what I would say
is a typical chain of events even though I think it’s a blessing that we have
come this far. In college the other group I rapped with the owner told me
that JClay had
stolen a song from him that had become popular on campus. So in loyalty
mode we started to make diss records
then JClay fired
back. This started to get us notoriety on the campus as well and one day
I ended up meeting him at which time we squashed whatever may be considered a
beef. Shortly after we started to feature on each other’s songs and from
then it’s been a rap.” JClay
added; we
both noticed that in each other we were down to do whatever for the
music. Without knowing each other for that long, we took trips to
Atlanta, New Orleans, and Miami together selling over 5,000 copies of our CDs.
That’s kind of how we formed a bond and gained many many fans.”
(JClay)
Supreme started rapping when he
was in high school. “Throughout high school we would freestyle just to be
funny but never putting any effort to it plus I never thought I could
rap. I was truly a choir boy (no five heartbeats). When I first went to
college I started off making beats for all the people in my immediate circle of
friends. Then it happened, I heard the slim shady LP and I knew then I
gotta rap. I got with my best friend who is a supremely talented rapper and
asked him to show me technique. Since then I have been practicing my
craft until my moment arrives. As for my friend he is one of my biggest
supporters now though he has chosen not to rap.” JClay started when
he was 10. “As a kid (around 10 years old) I always tried to rap,
but I sucked and never believed I had what it took. I always loved music
so I honed my skills as a producer. In college (17-21 years old) I was
always looking for rappers to get on my beats, but could find none. So I
started making my own silly songs to make people laugh. Everybody liked
them. Shortly after meeting Supreme (I was still around 21 years old), I
submitted two beats for his “Name Dem Shows” mixtape, where every beat was a television show theme made to
be a hip hop track. Supreme told me I was good and wanted me to rap on
both tracks. On the Simpsons beat
I was my usual silly self. However on my Price Is Right beat it was the
1st time I was real about my feelings and the struggle I was having.
After hearing it, I gained more confidence and started rapping seriously on
more of my beats.” When
ask who their favorite rappers are they both had the same answer. Supreme said;
“I used to have favorite rappers but I don’t anymore. I think that
because I have grown so much as an artist I don’t look at them as superior to
me anymore but only as peers. So my favorite rapper is me.” JClay’s answer; “This is
going to sound arrogant or cheesy, but I’m my favorite rapper.
Seriously. I work hard on my craft and I’m constantly amazing myself with
the lines I come up with. Don’t get me wrong, I’m fans of others,
but I truly am my favorite. I go so hard,lol.” But,
Supreme would like to work with my favorite artist.
“One day because he is part of the reason I make music I would like to do a
song with Eminem.” And
JClay wants to work with Kanye. “It’s so many people. The 1st that
comes to mine is Kanye West. I gotta work with Kanye. Based on his music,
I feel like we can just come up with something crazy.”
Not only
are these guys talented hip hop music artists but they do website design,
graphic design, song writing, mixing, mastering, photography, videography, producing, beat making, and managing. And as for their goals for
the future and their music, Supreme wants them to have the most successful
label in their Country that everyone knows and wants to follow. JClay wants
their label to have superstars and their music to be timeless.
When asked what they’d like the
world to know about them individually and what advice they had for up and
coming hip hop music artists, Supreme said; “I
love music and I do it for myself and my fans that will never change”” I would
just ask them do you think you can become a dr.
if they say no then I would say you can’t become a rapper. The same
effort it takes to become something you have a clear blueprint to do, it takes
that plus some to become a rapper. If they say yes I would say then you
will become a rapper just don’t give in or give up.”
JClay said; “I’m just
a guy that believes everything is possible and hard work will always bring
great results.” “I
would say do it because you love music and not to be cool. It’s a tough
road and very competitive. If you can’t love something in the midst of
hate, it’s not for you. But if you love it, the only way you won’t
succeed is if you give up.” Go
listen to their music and support these two talented hip hop music artists!
Thanks for reading!
~~RabBit
