Words and photos by: Le’Deana Brown
What does Paupfly mean? Paupfly is a label, movement, and brand. But I’m Paupfly the artist. I rap in both English and French. My sound is pop mixed with foreign like Kompa, Creole, Jamaican, Reggae. I’m bringing that vibe mixed with the French style.
So, what is the movement of Paupfly? What does it mean? For it to be the name of so many things it must be a special name to you. What’s so special about it is with Indiana you have Indianapolis or Naptown. Then I’m from Haiti, Port-au-Prince is our capitol. So, I was just like let me take a couple words from it, mix it with something else and create a platform with it. Paup is short for Port-au-Prince. It’s just a slang. Like the way you look is Paupfly style. Or you’re doing something Paupfly style. The local Haitian artists that have a big name say it. Just like you got Zoey Dollaz, if you heard his last mixtape it was called Port-au-Prince.
What brought you to the Midwest? I came up here for school and then, long story short, I got stuck up here. When I was seventeen I came up here for school in music and art which runs in my blood. Since I was a kid I always auditioned for different acts from movies and different things, but I never took it seriously.
How has the process been of getting Midwesterners to receive a sound like yours?
I’ve been here going on ten years. I have been watching the Midwest doing a lot of stuff since you started. Since the big names like G-Fresh, locals that’s doing it, Mike Eazy that’s doing it, and local artists coming through the platform. I’ve been watching them going at it. So, for someone that’s not from the city to come and blend in it’s going to be very hard. It’s just like you stay in your lane. Treat it like the streets. Mind your business, do what you got to do. At the end of the day something great is going to be rewarded.
Where can we check your music out at? Go to SoundCloud.com/Paupfly. Or go to www.paupfly.com. You could also go to YouTube and iTunes. I just recently released a song featuring Robb Skee called “Stay Humble.” I also have this new joint that’s coming out called “To The Bag” featuring me and Weez aka Eric Washington.
What do you believe sets you apart from many artists? I’m not going to rap about drugs or guns. My music is about the struggle and what we’ve been through. It’s about what’s really going on and what we have being blind-folded about. If I make music I’m going to speak the truth in it. It is the truth that everybody can relate to.
What’s your Social Media? Everything Paupfly.