Shit would be dope with Paul Wall and Nickatina... not sure if it would ever actually happen though.
:/

I think that shit would be off the chain. YupYup.

ehhh i like the hus & paul wall collab better

Conflict Free: Paul Wall
Posted: 06/16/2008 by: Tanya M. Fowlow



wikimedia.orgHHNLive.com hooks up with Paul Wall to discuss blood diamonds, his recent trip to Africa, working with Chamillionaire again, his new album, the early years and much more.

Paul Wall on his new album: "My new album "The Fast Life" will be out this Fall...I've got some great production from Travis Barker on there..."

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Tanya M. Fowlow: Share a bit about what influenced you to get involved in hip-hop.

Paul Wall: I started off loving hip hop when I was very young. All of my friends were listening to it so naturally I listened to it too. Where I grew up, if you listened to the radio you mostly heard West Coast music but if you watched MTV you mostly hard East Coast music. We also listened to DJ Screw's mixtapes, called "SCREW TAPES," they had a variety of music on them, but it was mostly Southern music from TEXAS that we called 3rd Coast Music. So, I loved listening to the SCREW TAPES because they had artists on there that were more relevant to me and my surroundings. They talked like I talked, used the same slang and swagger; they were the biggest superstars to me! That's who I aspire to make my music like now.

TMF: Take us a little further and share with the readers where you started and how you got to be where you currently are.

PW: As I got into high school, I used to go to these parties that Michael 5000 Watts and Ron C used to throw; they were both really popular DJ's in my neighborhood, and I used to do little things for them like carry their record crates, pass out flyers, and anything I could do to be a part of their Swisha House Movement that they were creating. Eventually I mastered the "promotions" game, and I started working for labels like Def Jam and No Limit Records. I was rapping the whole time too! I just felt like I had to get in the door one way or another, whether it was by rapping, promoting, or doing whatever….I had to get in the door! Eventually Michael Watts let me rap on one of his Swisha House mixtapes and from there everything changed. I started getting on the tapes regularly and building a pretty strong fan base for myself and then signing a record deal with a local label called Paid In Full. We put out a few albums that all did extremely well and when my contract came up I signed to Swisha House Records. We then signed a major record deal with Warner Music, and when we put out the song " Still Tippin' " and we started to see a lot of national success.

TMF: So when you were releasing all those mixtapes back in the day and just entering the game, did you ever expect to have as much recognition as you currently do? I mean, the last time I checked your MySpace page (MySpace.com - Paul Wall - HOUSTON, TEXAS - Rap / Hip Hop - www.myspace.com/paulwall) it had like 16494522 views; somebody must be recognizing who you are! [Laughing]

PW: I just loved music! I never really cared about recognition or people loving my music, I just love making music. I'm happy, blessed, and extremely appreciative that people love my music, but that's not why I'm in it…I'm in it because I love music!

TMF: Ok, ok. It seems a lot of media is still calling you a “new artist” though, how do you feel about that since you have released several projects before?

PW: [Laughing] It’s kinda funny really; considering I have 6 or 7 albums out but it's all good. I guess it's better then people calling me an old artist! [Laughing]

TMF: [Laughing] That’s true! “The People’s Champ” is a tag name that has apparently stuck with you. Where did that originate?

PW: Yeah that nickname really seems to fit my personality. I always treat everybody with respect, that's how I got the name. My boy J Mac from Dallas, Texas gave me the name because I always showed a lot of love to all the fans. I'm just a regular person with a little bit of paper; I'm not better then anybody and I'm definitely not acting like I'm better then anybody…. so, therefore I am the "People's Champ!"

TMF: Well Champ, share with the people a bit about how it feels to be signed to a major label?

PW: We really established ourselves as independent artists first. Our record label (Swisha House Records) really has maintained a high success rate when it comes to putting out music. Our mind frame is if you don't work you don't eat; so, we grind non stop! We teamed up with Warner Music because they had a big machine that could take us and our music to the next level. It’s been a nice relationship so far and I'm looking forward to putting my new album out later on this year.

TMF: I’ll ask you more about the album in a bit but for now, let me take it back a little if I may. I’d like to ask you to speak on the whole thing that went down with Chamillionaire? You guys were pretty tight, what happened? Where are things at now?

PW: Chamillionaire was one of my best friends growing up. We put it down on the M.I.C. together for a long time, but eventually we grew apart and went our separate ways. I mean we had our differences and a few problems here and there so we went our own ways and left it at that. Eventually, though, we put our differences to the side. We just did a new song together called "Diamonds Exposed," that’s going to be on my new album.

TMF: Wow, so that was the past, let’s move back into today. Not too long ago you teamed up with Travis Barker and Skinhead Rob to form a group called “Expensive Taste,” share a bit about how you guys got together.

PW: I met Travis and Rob a few years back when they were in a group together called The Transplants…they had a real nice blend of punk and hip hop… we collaborated on their album "Haunted Cities" with a special "Screwed & Chopped" remix release. We got to be really good friends and when their group broke up; we were just kickin’ it and were like “F**k it why don't we do a group together?” Rob came up with the name Expensive Taste, which was brilliant! It’s such a universal name that describes our lifestyle.

TMF: So just how far will this Expensive Taste thing go?

PW: We even now have our Expensive Taste Clothing that you can find at Expensive Taste Merchandise -- Welcome. Unfortunately, Warner Music doesn't like our music so we won't be releasing an album for a few years…or at least until my contract with Warner Music has expired…. it's all good though.

TMF: Let me move away from your musical career for a moment. I want to save that question! [Laughing] So, you’re a certified jeweler too! A lot of people may be familiar with your diamond grills; can you speak on the jewelry line and the grills briefly?

PW: Yeah I teamed up with my boy Johnny quite a few years back, and ever since we've been revolutionizing the world of jewelry! We have 2 stores in Houston Texas, TV Jewelry. We are located in Sharpstown Mall and the Galleria Mall. We also have GRILLS BY PAUL WALL and a full fledged workshop where we offer wholesale jewelry to other jewelers and salespeople. We have our own watch line as well...that's been doing really nice over the past few years.

TMF: Anything for the ladies on your jewelry line?

PW: We just released our women’s line of time pieces. So we have something for everybody. Not to mention that we do all 100 % custom jewelry for all of our customers!

TMF: Since you’re a jeweler I’d like to touch on the diamond situation. Recently some other rappers and yourself took a trip to Africa to participate in a VH-1 special where you had the opportunity to check out the blood diamond situation; what did that experience do for you? Did you learn something, did something touch you, what stood out?

PW: The trip to Africa was a huge blessing for me! We went out there and experienced something that changed our lives. First of all, it made me more aware of how much I had been taking my life and blessings for granted; my mind frame has adjusted. I'm so grateful to God to have blessed me and I'm now taking full advantage of every opportunity I have. Secondly, it made me more aware of the situation at hand; I had never even heard of Sierra Leone until Kanye West mentioned it in his song. The trip gave me first hand knowledge of what was going on. I'm not claiming to be an expert, but what I'm saying is the things I saw, you can't learn that in a book! After Johnny and I learned about the conflict diamonds, we immediately fired our diamond wholesaler who wasn't abiding by the Kimberly Process which was set in place to help eliminate black-market diamonds and we now have a diamond wholesaler that is totally legit. So, we as business owners can confidently say we do NOT sell any smuggled, stolen, illicit, black-market, conflict, or blood diamonds! Also on my website we offer all of the money made off of any red stone we sell to the people of Sierra Leone.

TMF: Sounds like it was amazing! It seems like the trip was a pretty big deal for you. Let me get a little controversial. Sometimes it’s almost impossible for consumers to tell if a diamond is actually a conflict diamond and too often they simply take the Jeweler’s word as true. Do you feel this is enough or can, and should, consumers do some more research? What can they really do?

PW: Honestly, it’s impossible for the consumer to know for a fact if they are buying conflict free diamonds. It’s sad really, because most customers don't even care; they just want their jewelry cheap! Jewelers don't really seem to care either, since most of them are only in it for profit. A few of the people that went on the trip started an
organization called Bombai Bling that I am part of. It has already raised close to a million US dollars to help make a change for the people of Sierra Leone; such as building schools, hospitals, and cleaning up the trash and public dump sites with the hope of making it a more prosperous nation.

TMF: Let’s move back to music; so, right now you are in the middle of a national tour with Tech Nine and I hear the crowds are giving you some good love right?

PW: Yeah I've been on a US tour called The Fire and Ice Tour with my friend Tech N9NE. He's an awesome artist and he puts on a hell of a show! I've learned a lot of showmanship from him. The crowds have definitely been showing me a lot of love out here.

TMF: Tell me about the new album.

PW: My new album "The Fast Life" will be out this fall. I'm really excited about it because we've been working really hard on it for a long time.

TMF: Who are you working with in terms of production and features on the new project?

PW: I've got some great production from Travis Barker on there as well as some tracks from Mr Lee, X Fyle and my dog T Farris. I've also got some collaborations with Too Short, Devin The Dude, Chamillionaire, Lil Keke and of course….Skinhead Rob!

TMF: In general is there anybody you’d like to work with on future projects?

PW: Hopefully I'll get a chance to work with Husalah and Andre Nickatina I really like the way they spit.

TMF: Who’s playing in your ears at the moment? Tell me who’s Paul Wall listening to?

PW : I love good music, mostly underground music. So that's the type of artists I like listening too!

TMF: Any final words, shout-outs, parting thoughts?

PW: The party don't stop!
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June 17th, 2008 at 5:09 PM (4 months, 13 days) #1 |
Truth B ToldJoin Date: February 2008 Location: Toronto, ON, Canada Posts: 97 Status: Offline Listen church boy just cause you got some diamonds in your teeth doesnt make you gully
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lol..at dude talkin bout church.^^^^^^

rep.

the gear is dope as fuck......imma get that shit.....shirts and hats ,dope as fuck......

where is the paul wall ft jacka part at? did i miss something?

i would love to hear paul feat andre and huss

dude who made the post fucked up. PW said "Hus and Nickatina". PW ft. Hus n Nicky T would be dope as fuck.

This shit was posted in October but the interview was from June. So i guess the album neva got dropped.