TSS Presents Smoking Sessions With Papoose
"Smoking Sessions With..." By Gotty™ on December 21, 2006 at 5:23 amEverytime I hear his name, the first thought that jumps into my head is the line he spit himself…
“What the fuck is a Papoose?“
Essentially, Papoose is an up and coming…Nah, son’s here & set to blow reppin from Bed-Stuy, New York, the same place that blessed the world with Biggie. After earning his stripes, working alongside Kool G. Rap and others, he put the mixtape world in the sleeper hold to submission – 12 tapes, 227 songs, 1.5 yrs. With a keen mix of knowledge and a sharp tongue, Pap is indeed a “mixtape murderer” worth keeping an ear open for.
After recently inking with Jive Records, Pap is set to release his debut album, with the helping hand of Kay Slay, and quite a few fans are eagerly awaiting it’s arrival. So we took a few minutes to speak to the brother about what’s next…
Words By Chris Smith
TSS: What’s up Pap? Ready to get started?
Pap: Yes sir.
TSS: To lead off, the album Nacirema Dream; what’s the science behind that particular title and the material?
Pap: I mean, basically, Nacirema is the word American spelled backwards. Did you know that?
TSS: Yeah I kinda figured that…
Pap: All right, let me break it down for you. Nacirema is the word American spelled backwards, and I think people from all over the world lose they lives and risk they lives to come here in search of the American dream. I think people who live here with nine to fives, who go to work every day struggle for that American dream. I think dudes in the ghetto who risk their lives hustlin and doin whatever they do to get by, we all striving, including me. And we all strivingto be successful, own some nice property, feed our families in search of that American dream. That’s basically my struggle growing up in Bed Stuy, Brooklyn, to struggle to stardom in the industry is definitely the American dream. No other title could describe my experiences better than Nacirema Dream. Just my artistic expression.
TSS: Gotcha. Okay, since you go this deal with Jive, what big plans do you have after this album, how many more albums do you want to do?
Pap: Ah man, basically man I’m a consistent artist and my next album’s not gonna be too far from my first. But I definitely got other things I wanna get into. I got the Nation of Thugacation, which is my organization, my movement, my family and not just music, it’s our culture. We wanna make our neighborhoods better man.
TSS: When you say you’ve got a lot of other projects with Thugacation, tell me more about that. Are you thinking community projects, workshops?
Pap: Definitely man, I wanna make it where we make our neighborhoods safe, without relying on these corrupt cops comin here lookin’ over us. We lookin’ out for us, we wanna have it where our babies are educated on where they come from and on their civil and constitutional rights because at the end of the day man, all we got is us. After I get this album out the way there’s a lot of other things I wanna get into just to make where I grew up at a better place man.
TSS: Alright, alright. Speaking about cops, “Change Gone Come (50 Shots)” (about the Sean Bell shooting)off of Fourth Quarter Assassin is all over the place right now, getting you more buzz and is even being called a great rap moment, if not a great rap history moment. It’s nothin new to you since you’ve been an outspoken person on the cops before. How do you feel about all of this attention now?
Pap: That really wasn’t my intention, you know, that was for all my brothers and sisters, all my audience, just to give’em an insight on what’s goin on because everybody don’t pay attention when Al Sharpton calls a march Shopping For Justice down Fifth Avenue. Certain kids, certain people in the audience might not hear that. They might not hear what Farrakhan is speaking but they gonna pick up that Papoose mixtape or come to that concert. So with something like that going on, with me having such a strong influence, it would’ve been selfish not to speak on that man. It just was what it was. It was an incredible reaction 1010 Wins, New York Post, Howard Stern, Fox 5 News. It’s was crazy.
TSS: Yeah, I even heard BBC News playing your track about a week ago.
Pap: Wow.
TSS: When I get out of town from time to time, I bump into cats from the Midwest and the South who are just hearing your mixtapes and how you spit now. Do you think that sometimes you get into a more regional thing with this hip-hop or that it’s for everybody?
Pap: I mean, me being in te driver’s seat of my career, when I go to Canada, and I’m in Canada doing a different city every day for seven days, or when I’m getting feedback from the UK, when I’m in Maryland doing a show or Conneticut or Philly, I feel like my following is being spread out. But coming from another person’s point of view like yourself, you might see it different which I respect and I need that input so I can know which ground I need to touch. But I feel like just for an individual who put out mixtapes, and aint even put out an album yet who has that kind of fanbase, I feel like I’m on the right track and whoever I didn’t touch, hopefully the album, I’ll reach them.
TSS: Speak a little bit more about Gino Green and that connection.
Pap: We met in the struggle. I was strugglin with my music and they were strugglin with their clothing line and me being a real dude, seeing other cats dedicated. The clothing thing is an art also man.
TSS: Right.
Pap: My man Prince, from Gino Green, I respect his art and how he put his clothes together. I said, ‘Why not? Why not rock this man?’ When nobody wanted to wear it, I said ‘Gimme that shirt man.’ Threw it on, boom. We both was on the come up and now we both risin man. It’s a beautiful thing.
TSS: Before you signed with Jive, were there any other labels that offered you a deal or something close to it?
Pap: I had offers from all your favorite labels man. Interscope, Def Jam, Atlantic. We made our decision to go with Jive because I had more of a clear lane. A lot of these other labels are overcrowded man. I just feel like I’m a priority and I needed to came out when I was ready to come out. I needed creative control, to handle my promotion, definitely I’d rather be nowhere else but Jive. And I got the deal for 1.5 (million).
TSS: With the album, is this gonna be all new material we’re gonna hear? I know you’ve got the videos done for “Alphabetical Slaughter” and “Ghetto Soldier” done already.
Pap: Yeah, “Alphabetical Slaughter” is not gonna be on the album. Part 2 is gonna be on the album where I go backwards from Z t o A. And “Ghetto Soldier” on the album maybe, maybe not. But, all new material. Seventeen mixtapes and still got new material.
TSS: The new single Kay Slay’s been telling us about. Any word on that?
Pap: Yeah, definitely at the top of the year. We’ve got a new record out now called “Gettin Gwap” just to warm it up, along with “Alphabetical Slaughter,” “Ghetto Soldier,” and “50 Shots” as an appetizer for the main course which is the top of the year, the Nacirema Dream.
Pap: I feel like my album’s on a whole different level than the mixtapes man. It’s a beautiful thing. I feel like the mixtapes are a high school diploma and the album’s a college degree, you know what I’m sayin? Pure elevation, man.
TSS: I know you made your debut on a Kool G.Rap album. Do y’all still keep in contact, is he another mentor in addition to Kay Slay?
Pap: From time to time man, I definitely speak with G. Rap man, he’s still working. Utmost respect to to G man, he’s a living legend. Word up, I learned a lot from G.
TSS: No doubt, you’ve been doing a lot of shows. Are there plans for a tour major tour once the album comes out?
Pap: That’s without doubt man, my management, Violator management, the strongest management company in the world, is workin on putting together a UK tour. So I can’t wait to get over there, but I’m definitely gonna be tourin’ man, puttin’ it down.
TSS: Yeah, I remember you from the Ghostface show earlier this year doing your thing and had the crowd live.
Pap: It’s alright, thanks man. I appreciate that man. But I’ve done a lot of shows so I’m definitely prepared to do whatever comes my way.
TSS: Do you consider yourself a prepared lyricist with the written and the freestyle lyrics or somebody who battles?
Pap: I consider myself versatile man. I can do all of these things you just named. I think every artist should be versatile, that’s what I exercise, versatility. I think the music industry is so used to seeing artist that, if he’s commercial that’s all. If he’s street, that’s all. Not me, I don’t represent that. I think an artist should be able to do everything, there’s no topic you shouldn’t be able to touch. That’s why you hear me talk about incidents that go on around the world but you still hear me talk about Bed Stuy, Brooklyn.
TSS: As far as collaborations, do you have joints from people outside of your crew Thugacation that’ll be on the album?
Pap: Definitely, the whole of Thugacation is gonna be on the album, we all got a record on the album.
TSS: Okay, so how much of the album is Kay Slay doing, is he gonna be executive producer?
Pap: Myself and Kay Slay both are executive producers of my album. We’re putting in our work together, I think we’re one of the illest tag teams in a long time y’ouknow what I’m sayin? Kay Slay is like a big brother to me.
TSS: I notice that with some of the mixtapes, you have themed tracks that speak to your versatility like “Chess“, “Charades“…could you see yourself doing a compilation off of that topic alone?
Pap: Yeah man, I thought about that before but I wanna thank you for making that fresh in my mind (laughs)to put all of that together on one joint would be crazy. But definitely, the game saga is not gonna end, cats will continue to get that from me.
TSS: The other things that makes you stand out is your flow. It’s more of a measured pace. I wanna know who you looked up to coming up in Bed Stuy, as far as how hip hop should be done, who were your influences?
Pap: Ah man, my influences were Big Daddy Kane, Kool G. Rap and Rakim. I think Kane’s that dude right there with G. Rap just inspired me to be nice man, like “Damn these cats don’t play!!” That shit let me know what I gotta do if I even wanna think about rappin. That’s what hip-hop is all about man, confidence. Confidence in yourself, being sure, straightforward puttin your foot down. So definitely I learned from them man. LL Cool J is another one man. These are all-time greats right here.
TSS: With you being in the stuggle for so long, did you have low moments?
Pap: I’ma be real with you man. When I was young I had my mind made up that I wanted to do hip-hop but I always turned to the streets to eat and to get by. But in the back of my mind, I always had hip-hop to fall back on. It got disappointing seein cats that I felt weren’t on my level being successful and I’m still in the hood grindin. Definitely it was discouraging but I know hip-hop was in my heart and I always knew I could make it. I could write a rhyme without lights, camera action, a magazine interview- regardless, I was prepared. I love to do this shit.
Pap: I mean, first off I don’t write with a pen and paper, and my attitude is I’m goin for the jugular. Hip hop is real competitive and my album’s comin out so I’m takin’ no prisoners on that mic, man. My attitude and my mentality is always serious. People are always like, ‘Why you never smile in pictures?’ Cause there aint that much to smile about, I’m dead serious about this. Y’all cats is playin’ around and I’m takin this shit serious. My attitude is a serious, militant attitude. My art is a reflection of the things I’ve seen and the things I’ve been through.
TSS: If you weren’t doin hip-hop, do you see yourself go into another avenue with your creativity?
Pap: I mean, if I wasn’t in hip-hop only the most high would know where I’d be at right now man and that’s real talk. I came up hard man, and all the cats who know me will let you know man. That’s on my son right there.
TSS: Cool, man. Thank you for doin this interview. Keep it thorough.
Pap: No doubt, thank you for havin me man.
For more info on Papoose, visit www.myspace.com/papoose and www.papooseonline.com
Posted in "Smoking Sessions With...", ARTIST INTERVIEWS, GENERAL
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51 Comments
damn, I respect Papoose alot more now… i didn’t know he was into community programs. Son’s makin a difference… get that gwap!
@J. i’ve met Papoose a few times. very down to earth and very serious about what he does. i respect dude because he makes songs that break down our judicial system in hip hop format. Theres one song he did..forget the name…where afterwords, i felt like i had just taken a law class or something.
not since KRS has someone done that effectively…i hope songs like that make the LP (not just the radio singles…which he’ll have, i.e. ‘Getting Gwap’).
@ED. I’m pretty sure you’re talking about Law Library where he broke down all that stuff about the system.
I’m glad Chris asked, and he answered, the “Why sign w/ Jive” question. With their questionable past regarding hip-hop artist, I was thinking he would get the Clipse treatment… He must have one hell of a support team if he has, at least, some control of his marketing, promotion, and $1.5M in the bank.
nice interview!
anybody has a radio/kayslay-free version of “50 shots”??
someone got ask pap what he think about rapper who talks about cars and cloth all time, and rapper who says they got money all time,”if u got money why u want us to buy ur album” this go for Banks not pap. ask him what he think about Nas, Jay, Eminem, 50 and all that, because he’s only 3 month away from the takeover, ^^^^^ these people don , they doin the same thing “song for club, song for girls, and half song for the street”..haha
yeah good interview…
i just hope with his album he can shake the mixtape stigma… lots of dudes think thats all he is
congrads!!! tss is on the rise and it’s the result of hard work and dedication. i been down with yall since jnauary 06 and i’m glad to sell yall getting exposure.
I tried listenin to Papoose again and again and again but I’m just not a fan and never will be.
I do know fans of his that even think songs like Alphabetical Slaughter are a joke. I can’t wait to tell them the remix from Z to A is on the way.
I just think he tries too hard to be deep. I’m not saying hes not now and then but so are alot of cats and they don’t sound like their trying to be they just are. The title of his cd is a perfect example.
Pap: I mean, basically, Nacirema is the word American spelled backwards. Did you know that?
TSS: Yeah I kinda figured that…
^That shit cracked me up! Perfect example of Papoose thinkin his shit might be over peoples heads when in reality its far from it. Why not just America Dream? Oh yeah cause its Papoose were talkin bout and ppl got the American Dream all backwards and Papoose is here with his Gino Green to straighten that shit out. Smh
I just read this interview and it was excellent! Papoose is what Hip Hop needs as a future, whether he will be the future or not depends on the intelligence of wack fans.
He is extremely Talented, has a very versatile crazy grimey flow, is tremendously lyrical and a humble dude with mad concepts. He’s my favorite rapper right now and I’ve never had a favorite music artist before. I hope his album makes history and he is considered up there with the greatests if not THE GREATEST!
@whateva man. its holiday season man..lighten up on dude.
@montreal dude. You hope Papoose goes down to be considered THE GREATEST? i feel your energy..but no comment on that one.
Papoose clearly has lots and lots of potential. his only flaw is his voice (which is the reason i think people like “whatevaman” can never really catch on, no matter how deep he gets), and he’s not exactly you’re tatted up, cover of mens health, front page news type of dude. he’s scrawny dude from BK…if he’s gonna move units to the white girls in the suburbs who make albums go platinum in the first place, they gonna need to give dude a hollywood makover. otherwise…he’ll drop an overlooked classic.
i personally hope he does well, and that JIVE aint bullshittin.
^^^^^According to the females on this site he’s a “sex symbol.”
I agree with you though.
did you see that first flick? teh hotness. delenda where you at!?
yeah man Papoose is the next best rapper man. i’ve been listenin to him for the longest since 2004 still i think he’s the best.i can’t wai for the “Nacirema Dream”.peace
hey Pap man if u see this man hit me up on myspace. man dod u ow how mauch of ur music i put out in my city. Pontiac,MI. man i got u big out here. at first now one really knew u but now they on ur nuts. get back man.
uh, whats up with all the illiteracy going on up in here? is it national stupid day or something? trying to read half of these posts gave me a headache…english motherfucker, do you speak it?!?! (c) Jules Winnfield
uh, whats up with all the illiteracy going on up in here? is it national stupid day or something? trying to read half of these posts gave me a headache…english motherfucker, do you speak it?!?! (c) Jules Winnfield
Pap is a sexual symbol. Charisma out the ass too. Yup.
TO THE PERSON WHO SAID PAP TRYING TO BE DEEP, THE REASON WHY HE ASKED IF THE DUDE KNEW THE WORD NACIREMA WAS AMERICAN SPELLED BACKWARDS IS BECAUSE IN EVERY INTERVIEW, I MEAN EVERY THEY ASK HIM THAT SAME QUESTION SO HE WAS BEING SARCASTIC DUMMY.
hey yo papoose is a pussy when he came to hamilton ontario he thought niggas in hamilton where soft so niggas went to snatch his chain and nigga tucked it in and flagged down the pigs mans a pussy
Steel City that is something to be real proud of, idiot.
@ cutegenius20
Like I said I’m not a fan of Papoose so why would I read any interview of his? The only reason I read this one is cause I read all the interviews on this site. I really don’t think he was being “sarcastic” but if thats what u believe then whatever
@ED
ur right it is his voice, flow, style..whatever u want to call it hes lacking in it…Pap needs to learn how to mingle alittle with the track hes on and not spit the same on every damn track..His corny punchlines dont help much either
real recongnize real, any person hatin on papoose will be proved wrong when his album drops if u have listened to every mixtape he dropped and still think hes garbarge then u dont know what real hiphop music is about man. you dont have to like him but at least recongnize his talent, because whats on the radio stations right now is not music, u aint gotta like him but u gotta respect him.
man this is a good interview man lany one who’s hating on papoose is hating he’s the next best thing out
I LOVE everything papoose puts out, first and foremost. but i agree with the comment made about his flow sounding the same on a lot of tracks, i hope its something he can work on or recognises because i think he can better himself in that regard.
concepts like “Law Library”, “You Can’t Murder Me”, “Alphabetical Slaughter” and the such, i mean, that’s what the industry has been missing in my opinion. not many people are doing tracks like that anymore, respect where respect is due.
good luck to Pap in everything he does. no one has had this much potential in a long time.
You haters…Papoose is the truth
Papoose PPAAPPOOOUUZZE PPAAPPOOOUUZZE !
Jive-Flipmode Bitche!
it’s a great talent
(perapps)?
Ansel – Thanks for the support. Always.
Been mentioned but 1.5 is alot for a debut rap album from a dude like Pap in the year 2006/7. Good for dude. Anytime anybody uses the radio to throw shots back at politicians and cops, I’m 100% down with it, and when they come off like Papoose did I just sit back and nod to it and smile.
PS Steel City – Hamilton ain’t gangsta…. stop the lies and get back to your Kardinal tape or watchin that hockey son
Good interview TSS
versatility is what a lot of Rappers are missing….no creativity what so ever…This was a damn good interview!!!!!!!!!!!!! Big ups to Paps 4 real, I dont even listen to dude that much, but just from this interview, I know where dude’s head is @. n for those of u who didnt’ get the whole, Nacirema Dream – Besides the fact that its AMERICAN spelt backwards, that dream is BACKWARDS in actuality, the more u get into it, the more u go from hero to zero! Shit is backwards man! Fuck the American Dream! I want African Freedom! more respeckt PAP!
OMG I LUV PAPOOSE. I KNO ALL HIS SONGS IM HIS #1 FAN. I BEEN A FAN SINCE CHARADES DROPPED ON THE RADIO IN LYK 2005. IF I COULD JUST MEET HIM…I WOULD FAINT
papoose..is the best rapper alive…this man is da future
make a track to make u laugh den break it down seriously// now how da fuk he do dat lyrically?// spit it hardcore let it drop politically// now how da fuk he do dat lyrically?// contradiction, u must be kiddin me// wird to describe him is versatility// verse verse versatility OMG PAP IS THE BEST
Yo I dig pap coming from my home town brooklyn. But I think its unrealistic for him not to say he looked up to the late great BIG or Jay-Z. The best that ever done it coming out of bed stuy. Give respect when its due my dude. Overall I think pap has potential to be one of the best ever. He is the most lyrical.
Whats up Son we got ur back here for real in Accra-Ghana in the western Part of Africa all day Every day.Keep on Putting that Work and remeber these faggots can Fuck with ya.i Really like the JUSTO shit you put together.holla at ur boy 1.
PAp the best MC in the game hands down!, knowbody bars come close to his!, and his mixtape joints harder then most of the joints! thats on any album out!
BK ALL DAY… no fuckin make overs, fuck the suburb and fuck white hoes literaly…we need u PAP..keep bangin these cracker with the truth…its like heron they crave it…Flatbust 2 bedstuy
WELL HOW ALL YALL DOIN?I JUST WANNA SAY THAT PAPPOSE IS THE ILLEST RAPPER RITE BOUT NOW YA DIGG! AND I HAVE BOUT ERR PAPOOSE MIX TAPE.IM JUS SAYIN IF U AINT GOT ATLEAST 1 MIXTAPE U MUST GO OUT AND GET IT YA DIGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!OVA AND OUT
My Homie pap layin down classic tapes startin back the real feelin of how hip hop used to be So utmost respect to PAPOOSE-PAPoose
first off WHATEVAMAN must be smoking crack or be from another planet if he dont think pap is fire…what the fuck you mean pap too deep…thats whats wrong with you motherfuckaz now adays ya like that simple laffy taffy shit…its time for some real lyrics…go listen to law library 1,2 and 3…go listen to alphabet slaughter,go listen to you cant murder me,chess,monopoly and sharades then holla at me….
second STEEL CITY stop lying….pap is from bed-stuy…aint too much hoods out there thats harder than that…im from the bronx…newyork niggaz dont tuck our chains…fuck outta here….my nigga pap a real dude….
STOP HATING…..bottomline…its always a fuckin hater in the group…if ur gonna hate keep it to yourself…cause if u hate the homey so much why waste your time and write about him?STUPID
TPC4LIFE, I fell on that comment you posted. The only reason that these wak ass mc’s are selling records is becasue of these laffy taff ass mothafuckas out there.
WHATEVAMAN, check this out, the american dream is ass backawards, you got peole doing WHATEVA for that money, like selling the pussy or snitching on the next nigga so they can get his/her clients. So when somthing is ass backawards like the american dream, you reverse it and what do you get, whats supposed to be, the real american dream, the pursuit of happiness. Now if money makes you happy than you ass backwards and just another slave to that bitch (money). But don’t worry, there is about 499.9 million people just like you in this country that will say,” but wait this nigga don’t know what he sayin, money makes me happy”. Only a certain breed of human will understand what pap is about and what he’s doing. Peace to my people out there and keep ya head up if you going through some trials and tribulations as that same drama in your life is what builds character. A.D.R.
Im feeln Pap. I dont EVERYTHING hes dropped has been hot, but 95 about percent of what I’ve heard has been on point. I wanna c wut the album is gonna do and how people are gonna respond to it.
papoose is the best lryically.no discussions
Papoose will take the rap game in his hands this year
I’m holdin it down for you pap. All the way in Suriname (Sotuh America), when no one ever heard “touch it” I was bumpin ya shit for over a year all ready…..everbody was like….who’s that? That Ni99a Pap!
what’s goog chris just checking tss’s work love the 1on1 with pap man you asked the right ?’s i found out things i didnt realize shots out to pap and his whole moment.this is your nephew.When i get finished with my first album in the spring im going lace tss with it look out for GULLY GRAND RECORDS.HOLLA LATER MAN. ONE TO LINDEN AND THE HIEGHTS
whats good pap/ yo i listen to u all da time and when i started listening to ur tracks i started to think that you was the best rapper out right now. i like how u spit ur lyrics b having me goin crazy… me and my ni99as b spittin to and we tryin to do somthin wit but we cant get it around like dat so if u know anything that we can do holla @ me…. myspace.com/wellshun
What the hell is wrong with these dunb ass dudes saying Pap is wack.You must be out of your fucking mind saying he is wack.You must like rappers that talk about the same shit money I got,bitches I got,and cars.I’m tired of all that candy,bubble gum shit.Damn near all of these songs 0n the radio is that basic rhyme sceme and talent is needed to make half of those songs.When I listen to Pap he got something to say.Just take Law Library for example.No other rapper has successfully done what he did on that track alone.Yall dudes are rap illiterate and like rap for beats instead of lyrics.
whoever said that shit bout pap tryin to be too deep is fuckin retard every single interview he gets the same shit n abc slaughter is a joke? its not somethin thats gonna be bangin in clubs but lets see anyone else try it from a-z n z-a…ur a fuckin joke kidd papoose is the best rapper EVER n even some pap fans might disagree bc all he’s got is mixtapes but half of them r better then any cd ever made so think about it every1 tries to say well nas made illmatic n wat not.. it dont matter what u released wen it comes down to talent papoose is the best hands down
COMIN STR8 FROM THA UK – PAPOOSE DO YO THING BRO, FUCK THESE HATERZ!!!