Today we’d like to introduce you to Collin Campbell.
Hi Collin, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I founded Paperjack Productions in early 2021 because I wanted to centralize all of my creative efforts. I was working on music with several different underground artists, producing full records and developing my mixing/mastering technique, plus I had my own steady stream of solo work coming out under the name soupy2k. Since I was already building my own audiovisual world, I wanted to take it to the next level and design a theoretical space for it while providing opportunities for the other creatives I was working with to foster their own relationships. Shroombug Studios designed the logo, Big Flowers and Vinewind Tapes provided our debut merch drop, and everything came together pretty quickly both digitally and structurally with the help of my friend Deme (RIP). A solid roster was developed too, consisting of East Coast spitters like 4KPHIL. and FatBoyJonesy, Midwest studio tinkerers like Triple Cast and BeccaTank, EDM polymaths like okx and Millennium Abbot, and myself (currently soupy2k). Soon, though, it was actually time to curate, produce, and deliver products. So, for the last year-and-a-half, that’s what we’ve been doing. Seeing the prolific work of other collectives like Mutant Academy and underground labels with a distinct sense of leadership like Backwoodz Studioz and Mello Music Group, I’ve remained inspired enough to keep producing, recording, arranging, mixing, mastering, curating, and developing the artwork for every single PJ release personally. I’m very excited about this cohesive sonic tapestry as it continues to grow, but it should not take away from the efforts of each individual artist, who put in most of the work. They’re all prodigies in their own right and have complete creative control without any contractual obligation. See, we don’t see PJ as a collective or label like those previously mentioned operations, nor as an imprint or production company, but as a portfolio. Feel free to give it a look at paperjackprod.com.
Looking to the future, we plan to deliver more music from these artists as they develop further, as well as a stronger focus on videos, physical merchandise, and marketing, marketing, marketing. As we round 100,000 plays across platforms and receive our first major placements (a recent inclusion in the new NBA 2K game, for one), it is only natural to continue this outward trajectory. We are always open to recruiting more artists, engineers, and promoters to help us see it through. Just contact paperjackproductions@gmail.com (@paperjackprod) or hit me directly at soupy2k@gmail.com (@soupy2k).
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
The road hasn’t been as smooth as we’d hoped along the way. We’ve experienced our fair share of issues with suppliers plus quite a learning curve coming into this game blind. But the biggest blow came with the passing of the aforementioned Deme, who had helped me develop this idea from the beginning. PJ would not be a thing without him and I won’t touch on that much further out of respect. If anything, it made this thing of ours even more sacred and provided it with a degree of respect; I still find myself constantly seeking his nod of approval when I’m at the boards. Every negative can be turned into a positive, even if it’s yourself that needs to change perspective.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
When it comes to the product itself, we have been priding ourselves on our ability to craft sonic experiences in the album format, often adhering to genres like hip-hop/rap, soul, funk, jazz, and various electronic subgenres. The projects are all unique and communicate dense messages and vivid images, whether abstract or concrete. These albums include soupy2k’s INDULGENCES (2021) and Magic Bullet Theory (2022), 4KPHIL.’s Pay-Per-View (2022), Triple Cast’s Triple Fantasy (2022), and okx’s ok.bye (2022). The rollout process for each project is hyperfocused upon, from visual art to promoted single releases. Our most successful singles include 4KPHIL.’s “Young Picasso” (2021), soupy2k’s “Crown & Belt” (2022), Triple Cast’s “Green Light” (2022), okx’s “All My Friends Went 2 Heavn” (2022), and Millennium Abbot’s “Jet Set” (2022). On some of these tracks, our artists have even been able to work with personal influences such as Tha God Fahim, Koncept Jack$on, Adé Hakim, Alexander Spit, Kahlil Blu, and August Fanon. The process of artistic development is integral to these final products and we consider nothing more important, which makes me all the more excited for our upcoming plans.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
A favorite childhood memory of mine is the first time I heard “Love’s in Need of Love Today” by Stevie Wonder. Everything made sense for a moment and I wish I could relive it. I vividly remember what I was doing and where I was, but that’s for me to know, I suppose.
Contact Info:
- Website: paperjackprod.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paperjackprod/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7-Gyk-s7ND47HoViOfs81w
- Other: https://linktr.ee/soupy2k
Image Credits
Photography and artwork courtesy of Paperjack Productions.
Featuring soupy2k, 4KPHIL., Aleecya, and NAT1VE!
