PAUL WALL IN BERKELEY

THE PEOPLE´S CHAMP GET´S SET TO RECLAIM HIS CROWN

Words by Tica Jones

Since Houston exploded onto the main stage a couple of years ago, few Texan rappers have been able to maintain the type of attention that Paul Wall has. From his early introduction as the man with the grills to knockin´ out a series of club bangers with fellow Houstonite Mike Jones, Paul has demonstrated he has both versatility and verbal skills. Now with his new album on the way, Get Money, Stay True (out April 3^rd) , he can prove that the success of 2005´s The People’s Champ was no fluke. His recent stint in the bay and a visit to Rasputin’s in Berkeley on Feb. 14^th , saw numerous fans anxious to meet with this self-proclaimed internet lover. As he sat down with us, he even dropped a few surprises, including reflections on married life, babies and his appreciation for Bay Area rap…

What can you tell us about this new album?

So far we got Jon B and Jermaine Dupri. You also get a first look at Expensive Taste, that’s a group Travis Barker, Skinhead Rob and I have. The song’s called ¨Slidin’ On da Oil.¨ We also have a song with Trina on the album and Snoop as well… really it was just a lot of fun recording this album and can’t wait till it comes out.

How’s it gonna differ from People´s Champ ?

We really stepped up a lot. The production as well as lyrically, we stepped it up. We also had a lot of fun recording this time. The last album we were in a zone, like mash mode, just workin’, but this time we had a lot fun with it. Me and T Farris (president and A&R of Swishahouse), my boy Lil´Keke, my boy Mr. Lee just went into the lab everyday and recorded like 25 to 30 songs, eventually pickin´out the best 15 of them to put on the album. We also traveled around the country recording in different studios. We hit up Willie Nelson’s studio out in Austin, Texas which was a lot of fun. Plus the experiences, every song on the album just has a memorable story or experience behind it.

Did you at all expect you last album to hit the way it did?

You know, I never expected it be like that. It was great. We went from sellin’ 50,000 every time we’d drop to 100,000 next time. We dropped like 900,000 units this last time. Who knows what the new will do but I’m just blessed and happy. I’m just gonna stay in grind mode and keep tryin’ to climb the ladder even further up.

Are you living it up in Texas nowadays?

Not really man, especially since my wife just had our baby it’s been kind of hard, but we find time. She comes on the road with me now, waitin’ at the hotel with the baby. It’s little things like that which make all of the hard day’s work all worth while. Every now and then we get a day off, but that just means we are going to the studio.

What role do you feel you played as far as bringing the Texas rap scene to the mainstream?

I feel I played a small part in it, but I think it was more of a collective thing, overtime back to when Rap-A-Lot started. Then on through groups like UGK and D.O.C. who was from Dallas. Even R&B groups like Erykah Badu and Destiny’s Child were part of that collective. I’m just a small part compared to what others have done. The thing is, Texas is so large, there is a huge audience and fan base to support the different music styles that exist in Texas. From the Chopped and Screwed sound, which I come from, to artists like Scarface who does his thing, there are a whole lot of artists who are doing it and don’t sound the same.

Some people have compared the Bay’s scene to Texas…

I love comin’ out to the Bay. I love Keak Da Sneak, my boy F.A.B… E-40 has been puttin’ me up on a lot of independent artists from the Bay for the longest. It is a lot like Texas ‘cause the sound out here is really unique and really different from the rest of the country. It’s that upbeat party vibe like in Atlanta and Miami, I love the way it gets the party jumpin’.

Is there any thing you’re strivin’ for that you haven’t done yet?

Just the same ol’ thing man, don’t too much excite me. I got the wife and the kid now, Lil’ Will fat pat, so that’s all I ever wanted. A family that loves me and supports me so there ain’t nothing else I want from life. When he gets a couple more of teeth in we’ll ice him out.

What pieces of ice catch your attention nowadays?

Will.I.Am had his entire ear iced out. It was wild. I hollered at him about it and he said I inspired him with the grills, he might have just been talkin’ but I thought it was cool that he did that. It was a little eccentric, but cool cause you don’t always see that.

Posted in Interviews