Cre8ive MC Makes His Return Loud and Unapologetic With "Make Sure They Spell Your Name Right"

After keeping quiet for years, New Jersey’s Cre8ive MC just came back swinging with his debut album Make Sure They Spell Your Name Right. This isn’t just a bunch of tracks, it’s a manifesto. Raw. Unfiltered. The kind of project that doesn’t beg for validation, it demands it.

Glenn Paul Simon, the man behind the mic, isn’t some new face chasing hype. He’s been cutting his teeth at North Jersey open mics, opening for legends like Common and Talib Kweli. The stage has always been home. But this record? It’s not about proving it to anyone else. It’s about proving it to himself. “I needed to know I was worth it as an artist,” he admits, and you feel that hunger in every bar.

The album unfolds like a three-act play. At first, he’s witty and sharp, flexing wordplay that grips you. Then the mood cracks open with Come Back Home, where heartbreak, depression, and raw vulnerability take the lead. But Cre8ive doesn’t stay stuck in the pain; he flips it. By the end, he’s celebrating survival with humor and grit. Boiled Peanuts shows his lighter side without losing depth, proving resilience isn’t just about getting through, it’s about owning the comeback.

What makes this debut hit harder is its balance. Golden-era hip-hop runs through its DNA, but it’s laced with modern edges that keep it fresh. The bars cut clean, the storytelling’s layered, and the flow refuses to be boxed in. For fans of Wu-Tang or KRS-One, the lineage is obvious, but this isn’t nostalgia; it’s a bridge between eras, with Cre8ive standing firm in the middle.

Recorded between The Sweatshop and The Vault Studio, the sound bounces between raw grassroots grit and studio-level polish. But this album isn’t about perfection. It’s about claiming your identity. Because if you can’t even demand people spell your name right, how the hell are you supposed to demand your spot in the game?

With shows lined up and a debut this unapologetically authentic, Cre8ive MC isn’t just making noise; he’s making sure you don’t forget his name.

Listen To The Full Album Here

The album is broken into three distinct acts. How did you structure that journey, and what did you want listeners to feel in each section?

It came naturally. I wanted to develop a relationship with my listeners by showing many sides of myself. I think with every relationship, you introduce yourself as a confident individual. An individual who comes across as strong and level-headed, and maybe even flexes a little when it comes to their positive attributes.

The first song is called "M.C." Even though it touches on a variety of subjects, it serves as a perfect introduction. It showcases what I have or will discuss in my music. I'm proud of this track specifically for the fact that if you look at the lyrics throughout the whole song, each word either begins with an M or a C. For example, it starts like, "My Creativity Moves Crowds, Making Classics, Molding Clout, Mortal Creatures Might Conceive My Crown."  The second song, called "I've Arrived," solidifies my return after years of stagnation. With an uptempo, hard-hitting beat, I express my love for the craft of writing rhymes and declare my intention to move forward on my musical journey with full force. The third song and lead single, "Talk," is a catchy tune about ignoring naysayers and how not to let their toxic negativity stop the way you move, and it's a beautiful way to wrap up the first act.

So, after that initial phase of a relationship, you start getting to know the person better. You might discuss philosophical views or show more vulnerability. After that song, a transition between Act One and Act Two begins. "On Both Sides" feat John Reapa starts by exploring duality and how things can look from multiple perspectives, sprinkling advice that the listeners can take, but mostly reminding ourselves so that we don't get lost in the sauce of life. The next song, "Come Back Home," is a remix of a fellow musician's Christian "Mourning Coffee" Diana's single. The song expresses the emotions of heartbreak and misinterpretation of relationships, and it fits in so well that he gave me his blessings to have it on the album.

This leads into the song "Just A Phase." This song explores the thrill of online dating and the potential pitfalls of trying to establish a romance through a dating app. How history can sometimes make you question whether you are taking the right steps toward a brighter future. After "Just a Phase" is the song called "F.A&L.S" which is an acronym for Fuck Around and Learn Something, and it's featured by a talented singer named Pricilla Ponzano.

The lyrics are about fighting depression and trying to will yourself out of a dark state. This song was probably the hardest to complete. The subject matter was tough. I was trying a new flow, and it didn't sound complete until Pricilla added her angelic vocals, which helped take it to a place I couldn't take it myself. I ended up being very proud of the outcome of this track. This song concludes the 2nd act of the album and goes into the final act. 

The third and final act is an appreciation of the small things that make life worth living, set against the backdrop of how I began my journey in music. The third and final act begins with the track "Boiled Peanuts." This song transitions out from the darkness of Act Two and shows a light and softer side. "Boiled Peanuts" is a song about my favorite snack.

This is a southern plate that my father always cooked growing up. I was born and raised in New Jersey, but my father was raised in South Carolina. It's a funny thing to rap about, but when I break it down in the lyrics, I talk about a different way we open up to each other. When a relationship really starts to develop, you want to show people what makes you who you are. Often, we start by sharing food or a part of our culture with people we want to get close to. We're showing you a certain side of us that most don't see.

So if you are listening to my album, you are learning something that strangers usually don't. Then we go straight into the song named after the album title. "Make Sure They Spell Your Name Right" gives a backstory of my journey. The first verse explains how I got into hip hop as a fan, the second verse explains how I started making music, and the backstory of my former group and me deciding to focus on other things besides music. The third verse tells you about how I was inspired and started chasing my dreams again.

The final track on the album, called "The Product," is me rapping from the perspective of a hustler who is selling his music. I'm using this album as a way to showcase my work and get people to listen. I describe myself as a salesman who delivers on my promise to create great music with heart and soul, hoping listeners will reciprocate by supporting the art. I wanted the listener to feel the cohesiveness in the project and take it in as individual experiences or as a collective experience.

I aimed to convey my perspective while maintaining a high standard in rhymes, wordplay, beat selections, and flow. At the end of the day, I just hope that I can take something away from it. I want people to be satisfied but also excited to hear more of my story.  

"Come Back Home" dives into themes of heartbreak and depression. Was it difficult to share such personal experiences through your music?

It's difficult in a way to expose a hurtful emotion. It's difficult to admit where your fault lies if a situation goes badly. But when it comes to putting my thoughts on paper, I'm not really, sure, haha. I feel that it's an easy emotion to express when it's out of frustration.

In fact, I probably could've written more, but the song was already perfectly structured, so all I had to do was fill in the blanks that were left for me. Unfortunately, this is an emotion that's occurred on plenty of occasions, so it's simple to tap into. The harder songs are sometimes the most fun to brag about because you have to feel that confidence as you write them, and some days you might not have it due to internal or external circumstances. 

The title Make Sure They Spell Your Name Right is both literal and symbolic. Can you talk about the deeper meaning behind it?

"Make Sure They Spell Your Name Right" is both literal and symbolic. In a literal sense, it's pretty straightforward. Don't let people spell your name wrong. Literal, as in a misspelled name isn't your name to claim, because technically, it's not you.

But if you get deeper. Many people have names, either cultural or unique, that are frequently spelled incorrectly. If you let them spell your name wrong, you are letting them get away with something that isn't correct about you. Your name is your name, so make sure people spell it right. If you let them spell your name wrong, what else in life are you willing to let them get away with? When you correct them immediately, you are setting a standard for respect that immediately lets them know you're tough to take advantage of.

I get it all the time, especially with my rap name. But my spelling has meaning. I include the eight because it represents the month I was born, and if you multiply by 2, it represents the day I was born. If you notice in my logo, the 8 has headphones in it, so it's a representation of me being a fan since birth. Turn the eight sideways; it represents infinity. Spelling has meanings, and there is always a reason behind it.

You have opened for legends like Common and Talib Kweli. How did those experiences shape your approach to your debut project?

Those experiences showed me that there's a lot of talent. Some of those acts that went up were incredible. I watched and learned from the professionalism that was presented. Watching the headliners was incredibly motivating. It's a great feeling to be on a stage, and then a few hours later, see an act you grew up listening to and studying rock on the same stage and in front of the same crowd as you. Weirdly, it's a part of the dream coming true.

I also appreciated the moment because every gig is an opportunity to open up for your heroes. So you have to use it as an inspiration to work harder. So I used it as a way to make this album great. I wanted to create an album that would get a hip-hop fan's seal of approval.

I learned about movement and breath control and made this album with the intent to perform. Acts like that changed the way I interacted with the crowd and how I present myself. Utilizing out-of-the-box thinking and showmanship to present a well-thought-out and entertaining project.

Now that the album is out, what do you hope people walk away with after listening, both about you as an artist and about themselves?

Ultimately, I want them to feel like they've gotten to know me. I aim to meet all their criteria for what makes great hip hop. Great songs and great lyrics, and great flow. I want them to walk away getting a sense of artistic cohesion. I hope to win them over if they have never heard of me. I want them to experience a range of emotions. I want them to feel like they can have fun, think critically, and be motivated. I also want them to feel motivated to explore what else I have to offer.

Through other projects, I sell merchandise, but what's most important to me is seeing them at my shows. I want them to feel like they are contributing to like-minded individuals who share the love of the genre. I also hope to give them what they need to pursue what makes them happy. I want them they walk away, making sure other people spell their names right.