Paul Wall has been a staple in Hip Hop since 1998, but the Houston rap legend’s name apparently doesn’t ring as many bells with Gen Z as he does with older fans.
Fortunately, Wall isn’t afraid to take unsuspecting music fans to school, which is exactly what he did on Wednesday (August 2), when a Twitter user asked who the “Sittin’ Sidewayz” rapper was.
“Don’t kill me, but who is Paul Wall,” wrote user @SarahJ0seph.
Wall’s response was firm but respectful. “I’m a rapper from Texas,” he wrote in his quote-tweet response. “Along with my music, I’m known for selling Grillz with my partner @JohnnyDangandCo also known for my community work, and love for Houston sports teams. Nice to meet you.”
Check out the exchange below:
Paul Wall has never been afraid to put his two cents in about Hip Hop matters, as he did back in April 2022 when he spoke exclusively to HipHopDX about The Game vs. Eminem debate.
As far as he’s concerned, Wall acknowledges Em — like him — is a white man in Hip Hop, and a guest of the culture. He made clear, however, that he respects Slim Shady as an MC, as he does The Game.
“I think Lord Jamar was the one who said white MCs are guests in the house of Hip Hop and I can’t disagree with that,” he said to DX at the time. “I agree, but I feel like we’re all guests in this house and I just feel like there’s just a lack of respect for our elders as a whole. And I feel like no one is entitled to the door being open front row access, red carpet access to the house of Hip Hop.
He continued: “I feel like everybody has to humbly come in there, earn it and work no matter who you are or what you’ve done. In terms of The Game and Eminem, I’ll separate them two as individuals from my thoughts, but I definitely feel like I don’t think there’s anything wrong with having confidence in yourself and your skills and your talents and what you’re capable of doing.”
“And I feel like The Game is right. The artists that are confident, the most confident sometimes they do things and try things that others with less confidence maybe wouldn’t do, because they’re confident in the fact that it could work. It can be successful,” he said.
I like the whole “whites are guests in the house of hiphop”.. when all the equipment the blacks use in the studio, for example, all the technology used for recording and producing etc, was invented by white people.
White people’s technology, black people’s creativity.
KEEP STUDYING
If hip hop is a culture, then the culture should accept all to the culture. And Paul is right: no one is entitled to it and all should go to it humbly. My top 5 white rappers: Em, all 3 Beasties, and El P are not just better rappers than many others in the culture, but they are great hip hop producers as well. My favorite Mac Miller, was the greatest representation of a humbled rapper. He was so loved and respected by his hip hop peers. I don’t think race matters with greatness. And many white rappers, Paul Wall included, make great music.