The rap game may change and evolve with the times, but that doesn't mean that Papoose is any less of a dangerous force to be reckoned with when he steps to the mic. The New York native has established himself as a legend in hip hop with over 20 years under his belt, and while his career has been riddled with hits and misses due to record deals gone bad, Papoose is seeing a resurgence in popular media that he didn't expect.
Following his wife Remy Ma's release from prison after serving a six years stint, the couple joined the cast of Love & Hip Hop New York to document their transition for reality television fans. The pair have lived their lives out loud for the world, allowing strangers to take a peek into their private struggles and family life, and Papoose has been able to reach an audience that was once untouchable. However, a new level of visibility doesn't mean that this has shifted the rapper's perspective.
“None of this was intentional, to be honest,” Papoose recently told HipHopDX about joining LHHNY. “Part of it is that ourselves — our love — and our career is more visual and visible thanks to social media and television. But a bigger part of it is because we’re real. My love with my wife, and my daughter, is very mature. And now that they’re in my life, I realize that we need to make an extra effort to show our women in a more positive light. The beautiful thing is, as we’ve been inspired to show our love in a real way, we’ve helped others do the same.”
Any entertainer will tell you that a career in the spotlight is one that ebbs and flows, and Papoose is enjoying a positive, upturn period. He's celebrating the recent release of his latest project, Underrated, and his "Fortune 500" freestyle has become its own hashtag challenge. "The music needs to be a reflection of where you currently are,” the 41-year-old said. “Sometimes, at different stages of your career, you get caught up in where you are. And that doesn’t need to be the case. You just gotta go with the flow and enjoy the ride.”
In the end, Papoose's purpose is to continuously progress and keep his nose to the grind without allowing himself to get caught up the drama that some of his fellow rappers can't seem to avoid. “I’m only focused on three things right now: my wife, my daughter, and my business,” Papoose explained. “I don’t have the time to worry about anything else. And frankly, I don’t need to.”