Papoose

  • Brooklyn, NY
    hometown
  • Hip-Hop
    genre
  • 1998
    started
  • Bio
    full story
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About Papoose


Whether from the pages of popular magazines or from the regular folks hanging on the street corner, Papoose received countless accolades before the release of an official album. Equipped with his signature, hard cadence, he managed to release over a dozen mixtapes under the guidance of high-profile mixtape-slinger DJ Kay Slay between the years 2004 and 2006, which in 2005 earned him the Justo Mixtape Award for Best Underground Artist. A more striking fait accompli was the endorsement in a Village Voice interview by hip-hop's original god MC, Rakim, that Papoose was one of the young N.Y. rappers best carrying his legacy.

Born and raised in Bedford-Stuyvesant, the same section of Brooklyn that spawned his rap elders, Jay-Z and the Notorious B.I.G., Shamele Mackie was nicknamed Papoose (a word used to mean Native American baby) by his grandmother. Based on his rhyme acumen, rap veteran Kool G Rap invited Papoose to be on his Roots of Evil album in 1998. After a failed record deal, Papoose decided to press his own mixtapes in order to build his reputation from the ground up, leading him to meet DJ Kay Slay. There is no interesting coincidence or some wacky back-story as to how the two hooked up. Papoose simply approached the DJ as he was leaving his eminent post at New York's Hot 97 radio station -- a couple of times actually -- in 2004 and aggressively promoted himself. Not only did DJ Kay Slay start placing Papoose on his Streetsweeper mixtape series, but he essentially founded the Street Sweepers Entertainment imprint to help gear up the unsigned artist to be New York's next legend MC.

Papoose particularly enthralled the mixtape circuit with the songs "Alphabetical Slaughter," a lyrical onslaught of vocabulary running down the letters of the alphabet, and "Sharades," a narrative about the hip-hop police that oscillates from a first- to third-person viewpoint. He patiently took his time to find the best label situation but did broker promotion deals with Violator Management and Busta Rhymes' Flipmode Squad. After guest appearing on a few tracks in 2006, including the remix of Busta's Top 20 pop-charting single "Touch It," he finally signed a $1.5 million contract with Jive Records in August 2006. His debut album, The Nacirema Dream, was practically already finished, but in the meantime, he held over fans with The Best of Papoose: The Mixtape, a succinct synopsis of his prolific mixtape run. ~ Cyril Cordor, Rovi

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Music

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  • Top Of My Game
    papoose
    Video
    Top Of My Game
  • No Strings Attached
    papoose
    Video
    No Strings Attached
  • Thug Luv
    papoose
    Video
    Thug Luv
  • Where It Started At (NY)
    papoose
    Video
    Where It Started At (NY)
  • Still Can't Stop the Reign
    papoose
    Video
    Still Can't Stop the Reign
  • 16329
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    • Law Library Pt. 8
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/4/0/9/9/8/977189904.mp3
    • Nacirema Dream
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/4/6/2/2/9/977192264.mp3
    • Aim Shoot
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/7/3/2/0/9/977190237.mp3
    • Motion Picture
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/9/6/2/0/9/977190269.mp3
    • Wait Till I Get My Gun Tonite
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/3/6/4/2/1/123112463.mp3
    • Street Code
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/2/8/1/5/8/229685182.mp3

Interviews & Exclusives

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  • You Hear It First: Papoose
    papoose
    video
    You Hear It First: Papoose

Photos

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  • Papoose
    Papoose
    Papoose
    Jive Records / Publicity
  • Papoose
    Courtesy of Jive Records
  • Papoose
  • Papoose

News

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  • Papoose
    Papoose Has 'Great News' About Wife Remy Ma's Appeal
    www.vibe.com
    be released on parole in September 2014. Pap is confident that she'll be a free woman much sooner, though. “I highly doubt she will have to serve th...
    Read More
  • Papoose
    Papoose Says He Takes Mixtapes 'More Serious Than The Average Cat'
    MTV News
    the average cat would. "I was watching [a Mixtape Dailyinterview with Drake] y'all did. What Drake was saying ... Papoose Says He Takes Mixtapes 'More...
    Read More
  • Papoose
    Papoose Ready For 'Round Two' With 2nd Coming Mixtape
    MTV News
    it up, and we came out with the joint. Shout out to the whole Young Money on that. We just basically expressing what it feels like to be the last man ...
    Read More
  • Papoose
    Remy Ma 'Supports' Nicki Minaj's Success, Papoose Says
    MTV News
    somebody new shine and go all the way with it. She's definitely happy to see that." Papoose also ensured that Remy is still writing lyrics in anticipa...
    Read More
  • Papoose
    Papoose Gives a Track-By-Track Breakdown of "The Nacirema Dream"
    www.xxlmag.com
    It's been nearly half a decade since Papoose announced his debut studio album, The Nacirema Dream. During that time, Pap was signed to Jive Records un...
    Read More
  • Papoose
    Papoose Hosts Nacirema Dream Listening Session at Chung King Studios
    www.xxlmag.com
    Chung King Studios was the place to be Monday night (March 25), as Papoose hosted the listening session for his long-awaited debut album, The Nacirema...
    Read More
  • Papoose
    Erykah Badu Calls Out Papoose For Using Old Vocals Without Her Consent
    www.vibe.com
    They say it's better to ask forgiveness than permission, as is the case for rapper Papoose who allegedly used Erykah Badu's vocals without a heads-up....
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Discography

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  • Nacirema Dream (2013)
    Papoose
    Nacirema Dream (2013)
    INgrooves
  • BK Bully (2007)
    Papoose
    BK Bully (2007)
    Street Records
  • Already A Legend (2007)
    Papoose
    Already A Legend (2007)
    Gongo
  • The Best of Papoose: The Mixtape (2006)
    Papoose
    The Best of Papoose: The Mixtape (2006)
    MTR
  • Streetsweepers: The Boyz in the Hood
    Papoose
    Streetsweepers: The Boyz in the Hood
    Dynasty Records
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