Spose: 'I'm Awesome' Rapper Signs With Universal Republic

via the Portalnd Phoenix

A few weeks ago, we marveled at the reality of Portland's Top 40 radio station, WJBQ, playing a song by local rapper Spose called "I'm Awesome," an ironic, self-deprecating piece of pure hilarious ear candy. Sure, it fit the format, except for that fact that, well, it's pretty hard for a local to be considered "Top 40," which sort of implies you've got a top-40 record on your hands. Now, however, Spose may very well get that opportunity. Last week he signed a record deal with Universal Republic records, a label that knows how to break hits. Just ask Owl City or Cobie Caillat or Tori Amos.

For Ryan Peters, who's probably put in equal time at local hip-hop open mics developing his Spose persona and schlepping lobster rolls at Barnacle Billy's in Ogunquit, it's a dream come true that he's not letting get to his head. "I've had the whole Spose vision in my head since I was 16," says Peters, who'll be 25 in July, "and if I can just purvey that for a national audience and build a garage studio in my driveway and crank out albums, that's what I want to do. I want to be able to work full-time doing music. I want to wake up every morning and have my job be making music. I've got that job right now, and it's up to me to maintain that job for the rest of my life."

WCYY's Mark Curdo, who gave Spose's "I'm Awesome" its first commercial radio spins and who has helped Peters find legal representation and other advice as he evaluated the deal with Universal, says the news of Spose's signing is a shot in the arm for Portland as a whole. "But it always comes with that feeling of, 'Let's put on our seatbelts,'" Curdo cautions. "With the music industry, no matter how confident you are, you just don't know. He's going to get a shot. If it doesn't hit, it is what it is."

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Portland Phoenix - The most famous rapper from Wells signs with Universal