Spose

Hailing from Wells, Maine, rapper Spose carved out space in the suburban hip-hop scene by leaning on modesty and wit, debuting with the tongue-in-cheek single “I’m Awesome.” Born Ryan Peters, he had nurtured a passion for the genre since elementary school. Serious attention to his writing began in 2005, leading to the 2007 release of his album Preposterously Dank. The following year he joined forces with fellow Wells rapper Cam Groves on the mixtape We Smoked It All, then issued “I’m Awesome” to local radio in January 2010. The lighthearted, self-mocking cut connected instantly, securing him a deal with Universal Republic by the close of February.