In less than a decade, Supah Mario has transformed from a burgeoning placement producer to an undeniable staple in rap music, with an extensive catalog of hits with superstar names.
If you are familiar with tracks like Drake‘s “What’s Next” and “Blue Tint,” Young Thug‘s “Wyclef Jean” and Lil Uzi Vert‘s “Myron” and “That Way,” you have definitely heard the notable “MARIO!” producer tag that ushers in these tracks.
“What people don’t know about this is, I literally stole that idea from Metro (Boomin), Thug yelling ‘Metro,'” he said. “That’s probably the most unoriginal idea I’ve ever had in my life.”
Leaving his stamp on trap music since the mid-2010s, the venerable Supah Mario continued to push the boundaries of what’s trending in today’s musical landscape. From getting his start with FL Studio 3.0 and first making music at age 15, to now having his name attached to some of the genre’s most memorable tracks in the last five years, Mario is still hungry to soak up more game.
“I like to stay busy. In between Drake records and Thug records, it’s like, ‘What else could I be doing?’ I’m always paying attention to what’s new and what’s coming up next. I’m always paying attention to different styles of music.”
Supah Mario to Our Generation Music
This ambitious attitude has led to him working with new wave artists and emerging stars like Yeat for the song “Outside,” DC The Don for songs like “WHAT NOW?” and “Nascar Racer,” TyFontaine on “Skate” and BKTHERULA, who he thinks he can establish a particularly strong relationship with.
“I think every time me and Thug make a song it’s gon’ be (a hit),” he said. “But my favorite to lock in with right now is BKTHERULA. I think I might have the same energy I had with Thug, with BKTHERULA.”
Thug and Mario’s connection first began with their hit “Thief In The Night” from 2015’s Slime Season 2, and has continued from Mario landing placements on JEFFERY and So Much Fun. Now that he is linked to artists of this caliber, Supah Mario hopes to make a name for himself as an artist, as well as lesser known acts.
One way he aims to accomplish this is by putting out an album of his own. For the rest of this year, Mario will be working on an instrumental project to put out, then putting together his first album as an artist, which he wants to be a conceptual project that can elevate upcoming rappers, rather than having a superstar roster like projects from DJ Khaled and Nigo.
“Why not take a different approach and just put brand new artists that nobody’s ever heard of over beats that I’ve produced or beats me and my friends produced together?” he said. “And use it as a platform to give other people a chance to be heard… Hopefully my name can carry that weight on its own… This year, 2022, is really going to give me a chance to really focus on finishing that project. I got time.”
Supah Mario to Our Generation Music
Along with looking out for artists that have less acclaim than him, he also likes to assist producers still finding their way. Whether it be responding to all of his Instagram DMs, opening loops that he receives through email or starting his own website to sell loops, sample packs, drum and sound kits, Supah Mario’s focus on the new generation of hip-hop music is not only commendable, he continues to pay forward the lineage of the genre in the process.
While he looks to stay motivated and generous to those who idolize him, Mario was kind enough to let OGM host Hakeem Rowe into his home to discuss his latest plans. The duo touched on which software Mario prefers to use, how “What’s Next” impacted his career, his new publishing deal, upcoming music with G Herbo and much more in in our latest Our Generation Music exclusive interview.
Watch Supah Mario’s OGM exclusive below!
