Rapper turned entrepreneur Paul Wall has championed the game of staying relevant in today’s changing hip-hop market. With a fifth-studio album, clothing and jewelry line in queue, Paul’s appetite for grinding is clearly insatiable. And while Houston’s hip-hop scene has noticeably taken a backseat in the past years, it seems Paul has been immune to the plague.
“I feel like in this day and age too many people give up too easy. They don’t fight for what they want or believe in,” said Paul, who’s the president of the Texas Chapter of the Recording Academy, the organization responsible for the annual Grammy Awards
Released under his independent label Swisha House, his latest release, Heart of A Champion, is a catchy work of southern slow-banging hits, proving that “The People’s Champ” still makes music to knock in his fans’ trunks.
“It’s the ‘heart of a champion’ because, in my music, I put in a lot of hard work and I think you’ll hear it reflected on this album,” Paul said.
Paul’s group Expensive Taste, consisting of himself, Travis Barker and Skinhead Rob, incorporates both music and business ventures. They’re currently focusing on the development of their relaxed and suggestive urban clothing line.
“It’s politically incorrect street wear we want to wear that a lot of other companies are afraid to make at the risk of offending somebody,” Paul explained.
He also promotes his line of iced out watches with celebrity jeweler T.V. Johnny of Johnny Dang & Co., who made his rapping debut on the album in his signature accent.
“It was a historic, iced out collaboration. I knew if Johnny was on the song, it would be a classic,” said C. Stone, who’s also featured on the song.
Paul can be seen sporting an Expensive Taste shirt and one of his watches on any day, proving his marketing genius as a walking advertisement for himself.
“You got to grind with it, and you’ve got to go out there and put in that hard work; don’t be scared to work,” said Paul, adding that he plans to push hard over the next decade so he can spend a lifetime of happiness with his family.
Paul is keeping his music fresh by incorporating hard-hitting tracks produced by drummer Travis Barker.
“His drums are a little bit different, his kicks hit a little harder and his base is a little deeper,” Paul said, calling Barker our generation’s greatest drummer.
“I made this album for the fans,” he concludes, “because they have stuck with me through the ups & downs.” –callye peyrovi
