You’ve heard the sample. That haunting, pitched-up vocal that sounds like a ghost lost in a Florida trap house. Super Gremlin wasn't just another song for Kodak Black; it was a total resurgence. It’s one of those rare tracks that managed to dominate TikTok, the Billboard charts, and the actual streets all at once. But if you look past the catchy melody, there is a whole lot of mess and heartbreak baked into those lyrics.
Honestly, nobody saw this coming. When it dropped on October 30, 2021, it was tucked away on a Sniper Gang compilation called Nightmare Babies. It felt like a seasonal Halloween throwaway. Then, it just... exploded.
The Betrayal Behind the Lyrics
The song starts with that iconic line: "We could've been superstars." Most people think it’s just a cool intro, but Kodak is actually talking about a very specific fallout. He’s rapping about Syko Bob, or rather, the friendship they had before things got complicated.
He's reminiscing about "jackin' cars" and "kickin' off power mirrors." It’s raw. It’s not just about being rich; it’s about the people you leave behind when the money gets right. You've got this guy who was supposed to be his "killer," his right hand, and suddenly they're at odds.
That’s why the song feels so heavy. It isn't a "flex" record. It’s a mourning record. He’s mourning a brotherhood that turned into a rivalry. When he says, "You switched like a pussy," you can actually hear the frustration in his voice. It’s the kind of betrayal that makes you turn into a "gremlin"—someone who doesn't care about the rules anymore because the people he trusted broke them first.
📖 Related: Why the Cast of Legion 2010 Actually Deserved a Better Movie
That Haunting Sample and ATL Jacob
We have to talk about the beat. ATL Jacob and Jambo absolutely cooked on this one. The vocal sample is actually from a song called "Errror" by a German indie rock band named How to Loot Brazil.
Think about that for a second.
A niche German indie band provided the backbone for one of the biggest Florida rap hits of the decade. That’s the magic of modern production. ATL Jacob took that weird, glitchy vocal and layered it over these heavy, distorted 808s that make your trunk rattle.
It created this "dark nursery rhyme" vibe. It’s catchy enough for a kid to hum but dark enough to play at a funeral.
Why it Peaked at Number 3
Super Gremlin eventually climbed all the way to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. It stayed on the charts for months. Why? Because it hit that "TikTok sweet spot."
✨ Don't miss: The Toxic Avenger Part II: How a Messy Sequel Actually Saved Troma
The "we could've been superstars" line became the soundtrack for every "glow-up" video and "betrayal" skit on the internet. But unlike a lot of TikTok hits that die after two weeks, this one had legs. It went Platinum incredibly fast. By early 2022, you couldn't walk into a club or turn on a radio without hearing it.
Kodak later admitted during an interview with iHeart that he knew the song was going to "park in the mind" of the listeners. He actually hesitated to record some of the lines because they felt too personal, but he knew they would resonate.
A Period of Personal Chaos
While the song was climbing, Kodak’s personal life was, well, a lot.
He was dealing with drug allegations after a viral video with YouTubers Zias and B. Lou showed him acting "peculiar." People thought he was on the "perc" again. Kodak hopped on Twitter to defend himself, saying he was just tired and getting drug tested regularly.
Years later, in 2024, he got even more honest. He admitted that during the "Super Gremlin" era, he was struggling heavily, sometimes taking an insane amount of pills a day. Knowing that now makes the line "I been multitaskin', rappin' and bein' a daddy" hit even harder. He was trying to keep his head above water while the whole world was dancing to his pain.
The Latto Beef and the BET Awards
The song even sparked a massive industry feud. When the BET Hip Hop Awards came around in 2022, Super Gremlin lost "Song of the Year" to Latto's "Big Energy."
Kodak didn't take it well.
✨ Don't miss: Finist: The First Warrior and why Russian cinema is doubling down on folklore
He went on a legendary rant, calling Latto a "Fraudy" and claiming the industry was rigged against him. It was messy. It was public. But it also kept the song in the headlines. Whether you liked his attitude or not, you couldn't deny that Super Gremlin was arguably the more culturally significant record that year.
What You Can Learn From the Super Gremlin Era
If you're a creator or just a fan, there are a few takeaways from how this track took over:
- Vulnerability Sells: Kodak didn't just rap about jewelry; he rapped about losing his friends. That's what people connected with.
- The Power of the Sample: Don't be afraid of weird sources. A German indie band and a Florida rapper shouldn't work together, but they did.
- Timing is Everything: Releasing a "scary" or moody track right around Halloween gave it the initial push it needed to catch fire.
If you haven't revisited the Back for Everything album lately, go back and listen to the lyrics of the title track alongside Super Gremlin. You'll see a man who was clearly at a crossroads, trying to figure out if he wanted to be a superstar or stay a gremlin.
Next Steps for the Fans:
Check out the official music video if you haven't seen it recently. It’s a literal fever dream—padded cells, blood-stained rooms, and Kodak in a straightjacket. It perfectly captures the mental state he was in while recording the biggest hit of his second act. After that, look up the original "Errror" track by How to Loot Brazil to see just how much ATL Jacob transformed that sound.