Today we’d like to introduce you to Tall Paul.
Hi Tall, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I started writing rhymes when I was around 14 years old and did it as a hobby up until I was 21 or so. At that point, I started recording music for the first time and performing. After doing open mics, I started getting invited to perform at local and regional shows and I branched further out of state not too long after. I’ve been doing shows nationally and internationally since 2013.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s definitely been a journey with its ups and downs. Not necessarily a struggle but I decided to do an album about legendary Native athlete Jim Thorpe back in 2016, which wasn’t long after I released my 2015 LP titled ‘No Good Good Guy.’ My own stubbornness wouldn’t allow me to work on anything else until I finished the project about Jim Thorpe, which didn’t happen until November of 2022.
So aside from the difficulties in creating the album, which there were quite a few due to it being a semi-biographical project dedicated to a historical figure, I guess you could say my own stubbornness was a significant roadblock. I actually did finally release an EP titled “Future Ance$tor$” in March of 2022, but even with that, there was still a 6 year period between that and my last release in 2015. The album about Jim Thorpe is titled ‘The Story of Jim Thorpe’ and people can listen to it on all streaming platforms.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m most known as an MC/Hip-Hop artist, but I’m also an inspirational speaker and I facilitate creative writing workshops as well, mostly for Native youth.
I’m most proud of being a father, and after that probably my sobriety and overall willingness to better myself. I’d say most of what sets me apart from others in all of these roles is that I’m Native, Ojibwe, and Oneida to be exact. As a Native person, I naturally have very unique experiences and perspectives compared to most of society, and it’s reflected in everything I do, from music to family life.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Focus on the craft and get better at it. Don’t concern yourself with getting attention for it until you’re definitely ready for that. I probably started releasing music a couple of years too soon. Not only that but mature as a person first too.
Contact Info:
- Website: tallpaulhiphop.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/tallpaulhiphop
- Facebook: facebook.com/tallpaulhiphop
- Twitter: twitter.com/tallpaulhiphop
- Youtube: youtube.com/tallpaulhiphop
- SoundCloud: soundcloud.com/tallpaulhiphop
