Paco Panama
Paco Panama, is one of the most notable names responsible for ushering in a new DMV underground wave, breathing fresh air into the local rap scene. We sat down with him to learn more about his music and the inspiration behind his sound.
Q: How was your upbringing ?
A: “Growing up everything was cool for the most part, I really leaned on my mother and my grandmother. My father was incarcerated most of my life, he just came home about two years ago. I was more into sports coming up, mainly basketball, I jumped off the porch in my teenage years.”
Q: Who are the artists who influence you?
A: “Growing up my family was into music other than rap, it was my aunt Jamie who introduced me to rap, letting me listen to Natural Born Killer By Scarface, I was only 5. Throughout the years, I would look to her to know what was new in rap, 2pac would be the man of that time. Everyone in my family would love listening to his music, by the time i got older, I would know songs word for word from them playing him all the time. When it would come time for me to find the artist that i liked, I ran into the “Hotboys”. Really the whole cash money wave would inspire me, in 8th grade my friends and I would swear we were the hot boys. I also listened to a lot of Jay Z .
Q: How did you start rapping?
A: “I started off with poetry, while my father was incarcerated, I would write him letters containing poetry. I would also often write my mother poems expressing how I felt about her, it was cool and I know they still have a few to this day. Combined with my love for music that would help me transition into writing my own raps.”
Q: How has it been being an artist rapping for a while, just beginning to see your buzz?
A: “Professionally I started rapping in 2014, I had played with rap before I decided to take it seriously and honestly I felt like I was holding myself back with inconsistency. It feels good because I know where I come from, where I’m at and where I’m going. It feels good to be recognized as one the hottest in the city, some people rate me #1 but it feels good to even be in the conversation.”
Q: What helps with your creative process?
A: “I try to find things that I like, not specifically what everyones trying to hear. I'm a creative person, and I know what I like and I have a specific ear for it. I truly put passion in my music, a lot of it is like diaries forreal, when I rap I really want to paint a vivid picture. I pride myself on that my style grabs the attention of the older and younger crowds, because I didn't expect such a reaction. I was going against the current trends of the city and I’m happy to see the reaction from everyone. When I dropped “1008 Grams", the reaction was like it was a breath of fresh air, everyone described it as different. I just want to take that old rap sound and mix it with our new style.”
Q: How has Washington, DC been key in your upbringing and how does it contribute to your music?
A: ““Hell yeah, the city gives me everything I rap about for real. It turned me into the man I am today. I feel like if you can make it here, you could make it anywhere.”
Q: What is STR8 DROP Music?
A: “It's Str8 Drop Records. It's a record label. Me and my brother are co CEO’s on that label. There’s no paperwork, but we got a lot of names under our umbrella - Smoke, OTG Leek, Deemuney, KP and me. Everybody’s coming different, but we all have a similar vibe, and at the same time, ushering in that new sound.”
Q: What are your plans for 2023?
A: “2023, Im dropping a tape called “The Wire Vol. 1” (OUT NOW), after that we're coming with a bigger collective tape with everybody on that joint.”
Q: What are three songs you suggest people check out to get a good idea of your sound?
A:
2.”Spawn”
