HIP HOP ARTIST "Prince PAyumy"
On July 21st, we conducted an interview with Pohectic Life's Payam, a.k.a "Prince Payumy". Below is an exerpt from our discussions with the hot new hip-hop artist from Dallas.
Tell us a little about your background, and where you grew up?
Prince Payumy: I was born during the revolution in Tehran. I left in 1988 at the age of 10 and moved to America in hope for a better life. All I ever witnessed in Iran was the Iran-Iraq war. My mom moved my brother and me to Texas, so we could be closer to her sister. My aunt’s husband got a new job so they moved out to California two years later. The American Dream did not happen as we planned. We had no money and we were forced to move into a bad neighborhood in Dallas. I grew up with gangs and witnessed everything from people overdosing on drugs to drive-by shootings and being locked up things I did not do. Some may say that being a war baby is the worse thing that can happen to a child growing up, but honestly, streets have their own type of war and battle which you must survive.
Where do you live now and what made you decide to live there?
PP: I currently live in Dallas Texas but planning to move to California within the next year or so. Living in Texas was not really my choice but it was the best choice by my mom when we moved here.
How did you get involved with music and form Pohectic Life?
PP: Music is self-therapy for me. Its like a drug, it makes me release my pain on the microphone. I have always been involved with music since I remember but did not take it seriously until early 2001 when I recorded my first track. After the success of the first track and the demand that I was receiving, I decided to start an all-star team with my cousin and form a group named Pohectic. Our group name is Pohectic meaning poetry that is hectic. Our formula is to teach and enlighten people of things that we have witnessed and seen in our life. We do not talk about money, killing people or the type of rims on our rides.
How did you come to form your hip-hop company and tell us a little about the others?
PP: Ok, I started the company with my cousin and some close friends of mine. We wanted to put a name out for all Persians in the hip-hop scene. I work with about 15-25 rappers, singers and producers but the All-Star team that are in my group are Crunk Funk from Nashville Tennessee who is my producer, Ali Charmz from Finland who is another producer and the best graphic designer in all of Finland, Antimeini from San Francisco. He is also my first cousin who has opened up for lots of known rappers and featured in many hip-hop albums. In addition, we have CO2 from Dallas, who has had many speeches on the radio about about politics, Sha Meezy aka Medallianz from NYC. As you can see, I have collected a team of producers and rappers who are from different regions which makes it interesting since they all bring a different style into our music.
Who has influenced your hip-hop beats and who are some of your favorite musicians?
PP: 2 Pac, Biggie, Nas, Canibus, Dead Prez, Geto Boys and some more real rappers. I selected these folks since they always spoke their mind and did not care too much about being commercial. Michael Jackson has to win as of my all time favorites. He might be weird but he is a genius. Still to this day when people hear Billie Jean in the clubs, they scream and shout, that is amazing in my opinion.
How do you think your music fits in with the traditional Iranian music? Is it comparable in any way?
PP:Our music is different from the traditional Iranian music since we are a hip-hop group. Each day I do see many Iranian singers who try to rap in English to spice up their music and be more modern, but if you have not lived in the hip-hop culture, you really can not do it. I guess the only thing that can fit is some of the elements that my producers use in the beats that we rhyme on and every once in a while we throw in a Farsi word or two. Over all, Farsi is the most poetic language in the world and rap is a type of poetry.
How do you think the Iranian youth outside of Iran is progressing through your music and art?
When they see that we are on a American radio, Magazine and our songs are being played in some of the clubs, they will have a huge smile on their face being proud that their fellow countrymen is doing something positive for our people.
Tell us a little about your upcoming album and where we can get some of your awesome music.
"Music is self-therapy for me"
You can follow us on our official site at PohecticLife.com. We just recently released an album entitled “The Prynce & The Pauper” which has been a huge success. We are working on a second album to be release by late October entitled “Crushed Dreamz.” We have a very special song entitled P.O.W “Product of the War” which we dedicate to everyone who has witnessed or lost a love one in the Iraq-Iran war. Crunk Funk has done an amazing job producing this dark beat, the vocals by CO2 and our featre artist T-Rawn has made this track an outstanding one. We are also in the process of making our first video in late September.
Tell us a little about your background, and where you grew up?
Prince Payumy: I was born during the revolution in Tehran. I left in 1988 at the age of 10 and moved to America in hope for a better life. All I ever witnessed in Iran was the Iran-Iraq war. My mom moved my brother and me to Texas, so we could be closer to her sister. My aunt’s husband got a new job so they moved out to California two years later. The American Dream did not happen as we planned. We had no money and we were forced to move into a bad neighborhood in Dallas. I grew up with gangs and witnessed everything from people overdosing on drugs to drive-by shootings and being locked up things I did not do. Some may say that being a war baby is the worse thing that can happen to a child growing up, but honestly, streets have their own type of war and battle which you must survive.
Where do you live now and what made you decide to live there?
PP: I currently live in Dallas Texas but planning to move to California within the next year or so. Living in Texas was not really my choice but it was the best choice by my mom when we moved here.
How did you get involved with music and form Pohectic Life?
PP: Music is self-therapy for me. Its like a drug, it makes me release my pain on the microphone. I have always been involved with music since I remember but did not take it seriously until early 2001 when I recorded my first track. After the success of the first track and the demand that I was receiving, I decided to start an all-star team with my cousin and form a group named Pohectic. Our group name is Pohectic meaning poetry that is hectic. Our formula is to teach and enlighten people of things that we have witnessed and seen in our life. We do not talk about money, killing people or the type of rims on our rides.
How did you come to form your hip-hop company and tell us a little about the others?
PP: Ok, I started the company with my cousin and some close friends of mine. We wanted to put a name out for all Persians in the hip-hop scene. I work with about 15-25 rappers, singers and producers but the All-Star team that are in my group are Crunk Funk from Nashville Tennessee who is my producer, Ali Charmz from Finland who is another producer and the best graphic designer in all of Finland, Antimeini from San Francisco. He is also my first cousin who has opened up for lots of known rappers and featured in many hip-hop albums. In addition, we have CO2 from Dallas, who has had many speeches on the radio about about politics, Sha Meezy aka Medallianz from NYC. As you can see, I have collected a team of producers and rappers who are from different regions which makes it interesting since they all bring a different style into our music.
Who has influenced your hip-hop beats and who are some of your favorite musicians?
PP: 2 Pac, Biggie, Nas, Canibus, Dead Prez, Geto Boys and some more real rappers. I selected these folks since they always spoke their mind and did not care too much about being commercial. Michael Jackson has to win as of my all time favorites. He might be weird but he is a genius. Still to this day when people hear Billie Jean in the clubs, they scream and shout, that is amazing in my opinion.
How do you think your music fits in with the traditional Iranian music? Is it comparable in any way?
PP:Our music is different from the traditional Iranian music since we are a hip-hop group. Each day I do see many Iranian singers who try to rap in English to spice up their music and be more modern, but if you have not lived in the hip-hop culture, you really can not do it. I guess the only thing that can fit is some of the elements that my producers use in the beats that we rhyme on and every once in a while we throw in a Farsi word or two. Over all, Farsi is the most poetic language in the world and rap is a type of poetry.
How do you think the Iranian youth outside of Iran is progressing through your music and art?
When they see that we are on a American radio, Magazine and our songs are being played in some of the clubs, they will have a huge smile on their face being proud that their fellow countrymen is doing something positive for our people.
Tell us a little about your upcoming album and where we can get some of your awesome music.
"Music is self-therapy for me"
You can follow us on our official site at PohecticLife.com. We just recently released an album entitled “The Prynce & The Pauper” which has been a huge success. We are working on a second album to be release by late October entitled “Crushed Dreamz.” We have a very special song entitled P.O.W “Product of the War” which we dedicate to everyone who has witnessed or lost a love one in the Iraq-Iran war. Crunk Funk has done an amazing job producing this dark beat, the vocals by CO2 and our featre artist T-Rawn has made this track an outstanding one. We are also in the process of making our first video in late September.
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