PREMIERE: PAUL2000 - Super Dope (Single) + 10 Questions

PAUL2000 is an example of an artist who has truly found himself. The Chicago based rapper has been making beats since his school years, with it first of all being a thing to do for fun with his friends, before a near death experience changed his whole outlook on life and how to approach it. Fulfilment is something we all strive for, and Paul realised after his formative years that music was the thing that made him tick.

Freestyling from a young age, Paul was heavily inspired by the great Eminem when growing up, with his lyrical ability impacting the way he thought about rapping. After many struggles out of his control, Paul eventually found time and space last year to look through hundreds upon hundreds of beats on YouTube, then writing lyrics and rapping or singing to them.

Six months and over one hundred songs later, Paul had got himself into a headspace which was fixated and focused. He then hooked up with a producer in Chicago who saw his potential and before they knew it, were having studio sessions weekly resulting in a plethora of material ready to release.

The first instalment of PAUL2000’s musical journey is ‘Super Dope’, a track which feels like the perfect introduction to his craft. A modernised approach to hip-hop, Paul has the seamless ability to switch between singing and rapping, alongside a stylish production which is highly catchy and brings a real pop rap vibe too.

Melodically flowing from the off, Paul has gone through things that many artists haven’t, and he channels all of this energy into something that sticks. There’s so much to enjoy in ‘Super Dope’, Pauls’ brilliant lyricism, the floaty production and beats, the vintage feeling to the whole track, it all brings an aura of a track that would have been a bit both in the 2000s and in the modern day.

PAUL200 sat down with Wordplay Magazine to answer our infamous 10 Questions:

1. So tell me, how did it all begin? What sparked your love for music?

I can't pinpoint how I exactly discovered music and hip hop, but when I was very young the first artist I started listening to was Eminem. I was astounded by the complexity of the lyrics and story telling, over amazing instrumentals.

2. Who are some artists that influence you and that you want to work with in the future?

My early influences were Eminem, Tupac, DMX, Mobb Deep, 50 Cent, Three Six Mafia, Twista, Nirvana, and Limp Bizkit.

My current influences are Drake, Travis Scott, Don Toliver, Russ, Ocean Wisdom, and Ed Sheeran. I would love to work with any one of these artists one day.

3. What projects do you have coming up and can you give us any info on them?

Over the past year I've written and recorded a countless number of songs, and I'm actively making new songs daily.

Right now, I plan on releasing singles every 4-6 weeks, along with music videos, and eventually plan to release EP's and Albums once I build up my fanbase.

4. How would you describe your sound?

It can be best described as a mixture of classic hip hop, mixed with modern day melodic rap.

I love doing catchy melodic hooks, where I blend singing and rapping, but I also carry that over into my verses.

In Super Dope, almost every end rhymes throughout the whole song, rhyming with "Dope".

That's something I like to do in some of my tracks. It makes it easier to hook the whole song into the listener's head, rather than just having the chorus do that.

I also make sure to focus on the quality of my lyrics, especially when it comes to wordplay, punchlines, and metaphors.

5. What's your proudest moment to date so far as an artist?

My proudest moment is becoming a music artist in general. I went through an extremely difficult period in my life throughout the last ten years. I went through serious health problems that pretty much put my life on hold. I felt trapped and severely depressed, because there were so many things I wanted to do, and so many goals I wanted to achieve, but throughout that whole time period everything felt impossible.

A year and a half ago after starting to feel a little better, I rediscovered my passion for rapping and music in general. So going from not really knowing how to rap or sing or anything like that in early 2021, to the point I'm at now in such a short amount of time, blows my mind.

That just proves that you really never know what you're capable of, until you put your complete undivided attention into trying to master whatever it is your doing.

If the passion, work ethic, and drive is there, there is no limit to what you can accomplish.

6. Do you have any advice for our readers who may be trying to play the mad game of music?

It's an amazing thing to do, and it provides deep satisfaction once you start getting good and people start noticing.

It's also an extremely difficult thing to do, because of the amount of time and sacrifice it takes. If you really want it, it will be the only thing on your mind.

You'll lose a lot of time you could spend doing other hobbies, spending time with friends, etc. You don't want to feel the regret of not trying to fulfill a dream you have though.

If you have a passion for music, don't let people tell you not to pursue it because they think it's an unrealistic goal. The only person that needs to believe in your dream is yourself, once you can do that, others will start believing too.

7. Are there any artists on your radar right now that we should check out?

Can't think of any at the moment.

8. What albums are on heavy rotation on your Spotify playlist currently?

Travis Scott - Astroworld.

Ocean Wisdom - Stay Sane.

9. What do you like to do when you're not making music?

My first real passion for art started when I was around 12 or 13, that's when I discovered Graffiti Art. Ever since then I've always loved sketching/painting.

I was really into fitness and bodybuilding for a long time but was forced to take many years off. I'm trying to do whatever I can right now though, and I'll slowly build back up.

My other biggest passion is motorsports and racing. I have a Honda S2000 which I have slowly built into a track car, but I still enjoy driving it on the street as well, especially with the top down on a nice summer day. I love the competitive aspect of racing, and there's always room to improve and get faster. It's also very exciting and I've always been a bit of an adrenaline junkie.

I also really like video editing and the creativity I'm able to put into it. Whether it's filming while I'm painting, car videos, fitness, or music related, I can showcase my work to the world.

10. Name Three things you can't live without when in the studio?

Honda S2000- I love this car and driving it to the studio puts me in a good mood.

Sketchbook - After I'm done recording, I'll sketch when my mixing engineer Aq Runitback is working his magic on the song. I'll usually sketch the name of the song I'm recording that day.

Oxygen Boost Canister - I've had breathing problems most of my life, so these help me do all my vocal takes.