The buzz in Hip-Hop this year has been “New York is Dead.” In
rap magazines across the country, fans and critics alike have pointed
to the resurgence of Crunk music in Atlanta and the Chicago Rap Renaissance
as proof that Hip-Hop can survive without The Rotten Apple. Combine
that with the mediocre offerings of NY’s most well-known emcees,
from Jadakiss to Mobb Deep to Busta Rhymes—who each failed to
meet expectations—and the haters look like they have a point.
But somewhere on the streets of Bed-Stuy, someone has vowed to make
a change for the better. His name is Papoose. If you listen closely,
he’s been dropping clues all along about what he has in store.
. .
Everybody Loves A Winner/Victory I Choose. . .
--“Born To Win”
Backed by the infamous DJ Kay Slay, Papoose signed a $1.5 Million
Dollar deal with Jive Records last August. Though many artists find
complacency with such a contract, Pap sees it as a piece to a larger
puzzle. Accordingly, he vows that he will always put mixtapes near
the top of his priorities. “The mixtape is the outlet to the
streets,” Says Papoose. “You gotta put that material
out on the street. The label will put out that album when the time
is appropriate on the corporate side. At the same time, you still
have to cater to the streets to let them know what’s going
on with you…Dudes get these deals and disappear off the scene,” He
added. “I’m not trying to be like that.” Such dedication
has not only made his mixtapes top sellers, but has made him the
heir apparent to New York’s vacant throne . . .
Niggas screaming they’re bringing the town back/They’re
Fat, I’m Lean/They Don’t know how, with their wack Regime/
I’m gonna bring it back Borough by Borough. . .
--“Out in NY”
“If this was tennis or golf, I’d have a lot of pressure,” says
Pap about bringing New York back. “If I had to hit a ball into
that little hole, then I’d feel it on my shoulders,” He
laughs. “But Hip-Hop is what I enjoy doing. I’m glad
that New York is feeling me and that a lot of people think that I’m
going to be the dude to bring New York back. I was born to do this
and I’m going to deliver.”
Nacirema Dream, his debut album, will be his chance to officially
shine outside of the mixtape market. “I can’t even tell
you the concepts I have lined up on it. I find myself standing outside,
blown away, because they’re incredible.” Although he’s
going to keep them a secret for now, he revealed that he’s
gotten a few heavy-hitters in their own right behind the boards. “I
got Swizz Beats, I got Premier and I got a Doctor Dre beat through
Busta. It’s gonna go down real big. . .”
Papoose and Nas is a Legion, Everything happens for a reason. .
.
--“Across The Tracks”
If you look at history, people were saying New York fell off in1993.
When Snoop and Dre perfected a style called G-Funk, it took the rap
world over by storm, and a slew of artists from the West Coast followed
suit. Almost overnight, record labels put the brakes on New York
acts like Brand Nubian and Das Efx, and replaced them with artists
named RBX, Domino, and The Lady of Rage (Who, if you recall, looked
rough and stuff in her afro puffs.) As the Left Coast evolved into
a bankable force, critics claimed it marked the death of New York—the
same way they do now with the rise of Snap, Crunk and Bounce music
from The South. Things seemed bleak for the Rotten Apple until Nas
emerged with Illmatic a year later and shifted the tide of Hip-Hop
back to the city where it began.
Fast-forward to 2007 and Papoose may be one to repeat history as
far as bringing New York back on top. Though Nas’s career after
Illmatic has been one of valleys and peaks, Pap believes there’s
always a science behind the way things unfold.
“Nas is a living legend. Any move that he makes, I’ll
definitely respect it, because I know where his intelligence level
is.” And as Nas’s decision to sign with Def Jam—and
Jay-Z—has raised eyebrows, Papoose has taken it in stride. “If
someone gave you classic albums since day one, you give him the benefit
of the motherfuckin doubt.”
You can never fire the man that employs you. . .
--“Hate it or Love it Freestyle”
Given the horrible track record his label has had with their rappers,
that benefit of the doubt should go to Papoose for signing with Jive.
In one of rap’s greatest ironies, Q-Tip subliminally dissed
the label on the classic “Check The Rhime” when he said “Industry
Rule Number Four Thousand and Eighty: Record Company People Are Shady…” The
Clipse’s Pusha T on the other hand, just went for the jugular
in a recent interview: “I hate Jive. I hate them motherfuckers.” Mind
you, this is from someone who is currently on Jive’s active
roster. On the other hand, Pap isn’t jumping onto the “Fuck
Jive” bandwagon. “The only thing a record label could
do is add on to my career; I don’t see them subtracting. “I’m
still on my grind that got me here. I’m eating off of live
shows and my mixtapes, and they’re doing their job. Jive is
a beautiful label.”
Time will tell if Papoose still feels that way once Nacirema Dream
drops. All eyes will be on Jive early next year to see how well they
do their job promoting their $1.5 Million Dollar Man. In the meantime,
Papoose hints the meaning of the album title is universal.
“Nacirema is the word ‘American’ spelled backwards.
We all know the American Dream is a dream that’s shared by
politics, the streets and the different corners of the Earth. People
die struggling for the American Dream. My struggle is being from
Bed-Stuy to becoming the $1.5 Million Dollar Man at Jive Records
is definitely a reflection of the American Dream.”
Count your blessings, you ain't promised tomorrow
--“Let’s Play Monopoly”
If you ever get to cross paths with him in real life, you learn
that the soft-spoken, articulate man in front of you is a stark contrast
to the guy who screamed Papoose, Papoose/That’s Who Passed
You alongside Chamillionaire. “Sometimes it rains, sometimes
it’s sunny outside. Nobody’s the same everyday,” Says
Pap. “I definitely try to create my music off of the way I’m
feeling as I go through my life. You’re not smiling everyday;
you’re not crying everyday. You’re in a different mood.
I put that in my music.” By being conscious of his emotions,
his catalog of mixtape tracks reflect much of what life has dealt
him. “Everything in life is not positive; everything in life
is not negative. You have both. I shine a light on them both.”
This approach to emceeing has not gone unnoticed in the 5 Boroughs—and
beyond. While he’s focused on putting the finishing touches
on Nacirema Dream, he expects to go on a World Tour by the end of
next year (“I get dudes calling me from Nigeria saying I’m
the best. They want to see me”).
In the meantime, he’s expressed humility for the impact he’s
had on people. “Cats pull me to the side and look me in the
eyes like, ‘I want to thank you for saving Hip-Hop…I
want to thank you for bringing New York back…Thank you for
helping me beat this case [Laughs]…Thank you for getting me
through my bid.” The most poignant reminder of how powerful
Papoose’s work can be is in the example he saved to close out
the interview: “My brother died and we played your song at
his funeral; He loved you.’”
Papoose has been dropping hints all along about the trials, tribulations,
and desire to bring New York back in his mixtapes. Although his seven-figure
salary—a dream in itself—is a major accomplishment, an
even greater one still waits in the wings: Turning Nacirema Dream
into reality. He’ll be facing stiff competition, not to mention
a jaded rap market. But something about Pap tells us he isn’t
worried. As he would put it, it’s just Hip-Hop. It’s
not like he’s hitting a golf ball or anything.
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