Long before mainstream America welcomed Paul Wall into their homes, he not only had the internet going nuts, his core fans were real secure in letting him take his place as the People's Champ. From the land of the chopped and screwed, Houston, Texas, Paul Wall maintains a champion's work ethic. "I am always working; I can't have any surprises or not have a way to take care of my family.
Whichever way the wind blows me, if it's beneficial to my overall goal of being a success, then I roll with the wind," said the rapper. A staple at Swishahouse, his recording home, Paul Wall expresses his loyalty to the team that helped get him to the next level. Stepping aside at times to let the powers that be at Swishahouse and Atlantic do their thing, Paul Wall, clearly an established independent artist, maintains his creative control.
"Swishahouse is my home and my crew, because of loyalty, they trust me creatively and they trust my decisions to make the music my fans have come to love." Using charisma and a mild mannered sex appeal for the ladies, Paul Wall affirms his status as one of most recognizable artists to emerge from the South. Like any other artist, bumping his head, switching labels and crews a couple of times has not shaken his faith in the music business, it's really given him purpose.
Early in his career, he was apart of the group Color Changin' Click with another noted Houston rapper, Chamillionaire. Like Chamillionaire, Wall too credits a lot of his success to the mixtape game and being well versed in quite a few other things. Throughout his careeer Paul Wall has made a name for himself as a rapper, a jeweler and DJ/producer.
He's also chopped and screwed albums for some of hip-hop's most noted players like T.I. With his second major release, but his sixth album to date, Paul Wall slowed his pace down for a few minutes to talk with Ballerstatus.
com about his new album, Get Money, Stay True, his new line of rims and how he does all of this while maintaining a sane and supportive family life. Ballerstatus.com: You have been rapping for how many years?
Ballerstatus.com: When I first heard, "Still Tippin'," it was on a movie soundtrack that never came out, what happened with that? Paul Wall: I don't know; I didn't know it was on a movie soundtrack.
There were a few versions of the song out there, but originally it was Slim Thug's song. He had it in his chorus, then when we got the major distribution deal, it turned up being Mike Jones' song. We took it and ran with it for his album, which was a great look for me.
It helped promote me and catapult me into the mainstream. After that we came with "Sittin' Sidewayz" featuring my boy Big Pokey. Ballerstatus.
com: You have officially crossed the threshold, people no longer say, "Oh, he's hot for a white rapper, they just address you as Paul Wall, 'The People's Champ'...
" Paul Wall: You know that feels great. It's how I always looked at it. I never looked at it as me being a white guy or a white rapper; I'm just me, Paul Wall, the champ.
Ballerstatus.com: What sets Paul Wall apart from other rappers in the music business? Paul Wall: One of the things that might set me apart is my positive attitude -- that comes from my mom, who has been very inspirational to me.
Other than that, I would have to say my grind. People seem to really respect my grind and appreciate that I work hard. People see me on TV, magazines and the Internet, but don't realize there is a whole staff working in the background to help me with that.
When the staff sees me work hard, they know their work is not going unnoticed. It's not them working for me to be the star, it's us working together with one common goal, success. Ballerstatus.
com: What do you say to the critics? Paul Wall: I just use the talents God gave me and one of them happens to be rapping. I am not the best rapper in the world and I'm not trying to be, I just want to be successful and support my family.
I have to make sure my wife is happy and make sure my son is happy. As long as they are happy, then I will continue to make the kind of music I want to make. Ballerstatus.
com: We are always hearing about the different ventures you have your hands in, how do you do all that and stay sane? Paul Wall: I work from sun up to sun up, but I use my time on the airplane to write and chill out because there ain't no phones. I don't have any interruptions from the Sidekick, the Blackberry or family.
Really, other than the time on the plane, it is business all day long and I have to take it as it comes. My wife comes with me a lot on the road, so having my family with me keeps me focused as well. My baby is ten months old, so it's hard to leave him sometimes, so I just bring them with me.
I know the life span of a rapper ain't too long, so whatever business ventures come my way that I can get with I do. You know, you have to have those other avenues open when the rapping stops. Ballerstatus.
com: Speaking of all those business ventures, what exactly do you have going on? Paul Wall: I have Grillz by Paul Wall, that's a dot com. That's the site where we sell all our custom grills and custom made jewelry.
We also do the one-size-fits-all Ballin' on a Budget grills, with a line of watches, me and my boy TV Johnny. We sell exclusive mixtapes and Expensive Taste merchandise. That website is the center and the foundation of everything.
I just linked up with Zenetti Wheel Design and I have my own line of wheels called "The Masquerade," along with front-end custom grills for your cars. The wheel is iced out, actually it's a chromed out wheel with an iced out removable cap. The front-end grills fit the Chrysler 300, the Charger and the Escalade.
With the cars, I also have a paint shop I just opened up with my homeboy, Eddie from Houston. He's legendary out there. The shop is called Third Coast Customs.
At the shop we do total restoration of cars; with sound/music from the paint to the rims...
we do everything. You bring us a nightmare and we'll turn it into a fantasy. Ballerstatus.
com: Putting out mixtapes on top of doing shows and having to find new ways to touch the public in between albums is pretty critical to the notoriety of an artist's career. Do ever get tired of the mixtape aspect? Paul Wall: No, not at all.
My people at Atlantic tell me I can slow down a little, but I can't. I have to keep on pushing. I really don't take the time to rest.
I don't want to just sit on my talents and lose them. I still promote albums that have been out for a while, not just the album that is coming out at that time. Hopefully God will bless me with a pretty long career.
Ballerstatus.com: Tell me about this new album, Get Money, Stay True. Paul Wall: This is my sixth album, but my second major release on Atlantic.
I have Lil Keke, Snoop is on the album, Trina, Jon B...
Ballerstatus.com: Jon B, where did you find him? Paul Wall: (Laughing) He's still doing his thing.
Jermaine Dupri is on the album and I also have a group with Travis Barker and Skinhead Rob called Expensive Taste. We have one of our songs on there too. On the production, Mr.
Lee did most of it. T.Ferris, Drummer Boy, and Travis Barker also did some.
Ballerstatus.com: You seem really laid back, and Travis Barker is the epitome or seems to be the essence of sex, drugs and rock-n-roll. What is it like working with him and Skinhead Rob?
Paul Wall: You know, we just do what we do, letting each other do what they do best without forcing anything. They don't go in trying to sound like me and I don't try to sound like them. We linked up out of mutual respect for each other.
We have a lot of fun; they are great guys with a great work ethic and upbeat attitude. I think they just match the way I work and we had a lot of common interest and came together to make good music. It's three different styles coming together as one.
Expensive Taste baby. You can check us out at ExpensiveTatesMerch.com or Myspace.
com/ExpensiveTaste. Ballerstatus.com: What do you want to say to your fans?
Paul Wall: (Laughing) Go to GrillsByPaulWall.com and get Get Money, Stay True. God Bless, baby.
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