Artists who produce are known for their firm grasp on sound. Due to their involvement in the rudimentary aspects of music creation, their vocal character tends to be significantly animated, colouring records with brazen intention. Known among a section of Ghanaian music lovers, Supa Gaeta began music before the turn of last decade and worked relentlessly to carve a sound before the middle of the 2010s, which was when he officially released his early music. 

During that period, Gaeta’s Hip-Hop qualities were in full glare, blending maximalist beats with authoritative raps drenched in Ghanaian swag. “Monster” remains a credible touchstone for his lyrical ingenuity, stacked with shooting synths which have continued to be a feature of his productions. Over the years Supa Gaeta has made incursions into the world of pop, with colourful Hiplife-influenced beats inspiring humour-laced performances as you’ll hear on “Yesu” or, more recently, on “Gimme Dat,” a collaboration with Twitch 4EVA which bops with the sensual energy of a party starter. 

 

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More recently, the rapper has been teasing an immersive project. ‘Road To DND’ is titled The Prelude but there’s no sense of dross slowing its progression. Embodying the collaborative ethos Gaeta has embraced throughout his career, it’s a fun-streaked affair for most of the time, with its varied features colouring the records with the urgency of a mixtape. From the opener “Amazing/My Lane”, the Trap direction is gleaned. Glittering keys and ominous patterns unfurl as the rapper raps about detractors in the first record, and when the beat switches, he flips the energy, rapping, “I feel my demons chasing me” when he ponders the breakneck pace of his journey. 

Other records reveal the ease with which Gaeta handles topical issues. After crafting a boisterous ode to money on “Conversations,” he adapts a conscious gaze on “FED UP,” calling up the trio of BRYAN THE MENSAH, Marince Omario and Moor Sound to add spritzy verses to the street-affirming record. Every one comes correct, and Gaeta on the hook establishes the record’s emotional core. Bryan features again on “SHUT UP,” which acts as a sort of antithesis for the previous record. The verses here are however more potent, with tongue-twisting verse matched with syllables-stacked lyricism, and a Twi-laced hook pronouncing the message of youthful dare. 

“Working” extends the project’s bouncy feel, skittering drum patterns lined with a Drill-esque bass. The energy jumps out at the listener, quite the head-bopper. AratheJay proves the perfect feature, taking the record in stride as he recognises the bliss of hustle. Name-dropping Constantine in his hook, he cuts the figure of one whose sights are fixed on the greats. It’s surely credible ambition, and it’s one perfectly mirrored through the project’s runtime.

On “Crazy Trade Interlude” Gaeta goes the road alone, delivering quotable lyrics assuredly over a screech. With bars like “just because you hungry, don’t mean imma offer you my plate,” he’s very reminiscent of introspective Drake, coating hard-earned wisdom with unassuming simplicity. As the record progresses he goes deeper into his bag of tricks, dusting off wordplay in lieu of a confrontational attitude, which counts among the pristine elements of Hip-Hop. 

The trio of Tradey, Kwame Yesu and Kirani Ayat join forces with Gaeta on project closer “Terminator 2”. It’s a victorious-sounding reinforcement of the project’s ethos. “My flow be the truth huhn,” the host rapper says in his opening verse, a short but poignant set-up to the rest of the record. Everyone else wraps their voices on the joint, while Gaeta, amidst the synths and reverberations of background vocals, delivers the last verse on the project. “24/7 you know we dey scheme, it’s sad that you really competing for streams/ The album is coming and you go believe, just wait till I drop DND,” he raps with great confidence, retaining the energy until the song’s closing parts where he gives a spoken word about the forthcoming album.

As far as preludes go, ‘Road To DND’ is solid work. Supa Gaeta’s confidence matches brilliantly with his choice of features. While the energy is unapologetically Hip-Hop, there are several moments of tenderness, offering a peek into the mind of its creator and just how much the state of his residential Ghana influences that. For his burgeoning fan base, there’s no doubt they’ve been adequately briefed on the workings of this particular artist. Now he can focus on the album. 

Featured image credits/IsraelAjayi