Supermann On Da Beat on Hip Hop Scotland, his BBC Documentary, Accessibility, and Ancestral Sounds

‘Spirituality has always been a big part of my life.‘

Scottish hip-hop has continued to grow thanks to the passion and dedication of artists and creatives who have worked tirelessly to build opportunities, strengthen communities, and push the culture forward. Few people embody that spirit more than SupermannOnDaBeat.

As a producer, DJ, founder of Hip Hop Scotland, creator of Rising Spirit Events, and advocate for accessibility in music, he has spent years championing both the scene and the people within it. From featuring in a BBC documentary to creating platforms that celebrate culture, community, and inclusion, his journey is one of resilience, creativity, and purpose. We caught up with Supermann On Da Beat to reflect on the milestones, discuss the evolution of Scottish hip-hop, and find out what’s next for one of the scene’s most influential voices.

---

Being part of a BBC documentary is a huge milestone. To start things off, how did that opportunity come about, and what did you hope people would take away from hearing your story and seeing your journey?

They found out about my story and what I was doing, and reached out about doing a piece on me. The series focuses on underground artists in Scotland. It went from there, and I think the documentary turned out really well. A lot of people seemed to take something from my story.

What I’d really like people to take away from it is that, regardless of your circumstances or what’s going on in your life, you can still live the life you want to live. Ultimately, we have a lot of control over how we respond to things, and we shouldn’t let fear stop us from doing what we want to do.

Often, the biggest barrier is ourselves. With my disability, I also want people to see that it hasn’t been a barrier or something that has limited me. In many ways, it’s actually empowered me. Having a disability doesn’t automatically mean you can’t do certain things or live the life you want.

Moving on and looking back at everything you’ve built, what inspired you to start Hip Hop Scotland, and how do you feel the platform, and the wider Scottish hip-hop scene around it, has evolved over the years?

I felt like there was quite a big gap in the Scottish scene when it came to putting on shows independently. There are other promoters, but not many who regularly put local artists on alongside touring artists, especially within hip hop.

That was always the intention behind what we were doing. Obviously, we wanted to bring artists over, but the main reason was to push the scene and give local artists a platform to perform alongside them. With some other promoters, it can feel quite inaccessible and difficult for up-and-coming artists to get involved. I wanted to make it more open and accessible, regardless of where an artist is in their career. We’ve got different types of shows that give artists at different levels the opportunity to perform, connect with others and be part of the scene.

With Hip Hop Scotland, it’s mad to see how much it’s changed. We started about four years ago doing open mics at Nice n Sleazy’s, and some shows would literally have around 10 people there. But I knew there was a space for it and that it was needed in the scene, so I just stayed consistent and kept the vision.

We slowly started putting on more independent shows with touring artists, and they just kept getting better. From there, it naturally grew into what it is now. Everything has been built independently, without external funding — just by slowly building the community and staying consistent with the vision.

On to your work with Rising Spirit Events: with the platform focusing on ancestral sounds, what inspired you to create it, and how does it connect with your journey as a producer and DJ?

Spirituality has always been a big part of my life. I’m really interested in how we have control over our own lives and how our perception and mentality can shape how we experience things. It’s less about what we have physically and more about understanding that everything happens for a reason, and that we can learn from our experiences and use them to get to where we’re meant to be.

I wanted to create a platform where that could come together with music, artists and the local scene, while also incorporating things like meditation. I’d been planning it for about a year, so it’s really exciting to finally bring it to life and create regular events alongside the Hip Hop Scotland shows.

The first events are on September 25th, 26th and 27th, featuring Born High, a Buddhist rapper who also does mantras and sound baths. His music combines rap with meditation, which I thought was a really unique way to bring together both sides of what I’m passionate about. That’s why I wanted to launch it as a collaboration with Hip Hop Scotland.

Over the years you have become a strong advocate for accessibility in music. What barriers do you think still exist for disabled artists and fans, and what changes would you like to see the industry make moving forward?

Access to venues is still a big issue, especially smaller venues in Glasgow. It’s not just about accessibility for audiences — very few venues have stages that are accessible for disabled artists too. I think that’s one of the reasons there are so few disabled artists, particularly within the hip hop scene.

Music is something that should be accessible to everyone, so I think it’s important that we create spaces where everyone has the opportunity to be involved. I also think representation matters. If people don’t see disabled artists on stage, they might not see it as an option for themselves. The more normalised that becomes, the more it can inspire other disabled people to get involved.

There’s also a lack of awareness and understanding around disability and what it’s like to be a wheelchair user. I don’t think that’s necessarily people’s fault — it’s just not something they’re exposed to enough. That’s why I try to talk openly about my experiences through the content I make, because the more people talk about disability, the more awareness and understanding we can create.

You wear two hats as both a producer and a DJ. How do those roles differ for you, and what do you enjoy most about connecting with people through a live performance?

It’s funny because I kind of became a DJ by accident. It was never really the intention, and even now I wouldn’t describe myself as a traditional DJ. Because I can’t use decks, I use my laptop and it’s more of a selector role – choosing music that fits the energy of the crowd, especially between acts, and keeping the flow of a show going. It’s something I enjoy, but it was never really the plan.

Producing is where my real passion is. I feel like making beats and producing is a big part of my purpose, especially because I can move between different styles and genres. I listen to so much different music that I don’t really have one specific sound — one day I could make an old-school rap beat, and the next I could make something more like Playboi Carti.

That’s what I love about production: you’re not restricted to one box. It’s a way for me to express how I’m feeling and create whatever I want to hear. Even when I’m producing for artists, I always start by making something that I personally connect with. If an artist wants to work with it afterwards, that’s a bonus, but the main thing for me is creating music that I want to hear.

Finally, looking ahead, what new music, collaborations, and events are you currently working on, and what can fans expect when they come out to support what you’re building next?

I’m not really sure when my next release will be. Over the last six months, I’ve been more focused on making music and creating rather than constantly releasing. I feel like the music will come out when it’s meant to, so I’ve been focusing on working with artists and building up a catalogue. I’m working on a few different projects, including one with Canadian artist Pimpton, which will hopefully come out later this year, as well as music with Wells and C H.

There’ll probably be a few singles over the next few months too. I’m also working on a bigger producer album, where I’ll produce the music and have three or four artists from different places feature across the project. That’s something I’m developing in the background, although I’m not sure when it’ll be released yet.

In terms of shows, we’ve got one coming up in September and hopefully one or two more towards the end of the year. I’m mainly looking towards next year, though, and working on getting artists and projects lined up. This year has been a bit more relaxed because of things happening in the background, but next year I’m hoping to work on some bigger projects and announce some exciting shows with larger artists.

Hip Hop Scotland          SupermannOnDaBeat         Rising Spirit