Doap Nixon: Raw and Uncut

Words by Steve DiLodovico | Smutlife

Doap Nixon is the quintessential Philly MC: rough and gritty with a propensity for uninhibited realism and an ability to murder the English language with the sickest slang. Doap is a Pharaoh; part of a collective of heavy-hitters like Vinnie Paz, Celph Titled, Apathy, Esoteric, Reef the Lost Cauze, Jus Allah and a cadre of fire-breathing MCs and murderous producers. Doap specializes in that special, Illadelph brand of Murder Music. Fight Music. He is driven and, quite simply, kid knows no other way than to bring the real and let the fallout rest where it may.

To many uneducated Hip Hop fans, Doap is an unknown factor, and it is easy to consider him a new artist. Not true. Kid’s been on his grind for years and, in doing so, has honed a smooth craft that is naturally and organically steeped in realism and brutal truth. Gray Poupon, he’s second proper full-length release is the realization and culmination of years of work. The album has existed, in one form or another, for a few years now. It is only due to the same, tired old legal bullshit from shady record labels that Gray Poupon is just now seeing the light of day. It’s been a long, sometimes arduous journey for Doap, but no obstacle has stopped him. In fact, kid is so motivated that when I caught up with him he was already in the lab constructed his next round of bangers. You can’t hold him down.

SL: First off, congratulations on Gray Poupon finally hitting the streets. You have to be excited to finally have it out there.

DN: To be honest, man, I just feel regular, you know? I thought that when it finally hit I would be ecstatic, but it took so long and I went through so much to get this out… I’m just glad the fans finally got a chance to really hear it. I started the process in 2009. I really owed this album to Babygrande Records, but after they fucked me out of so much money I waited 12 months to get off the label and then I continued to work on it. So I basically had Gray Poupon for almost a year just sitting. So I’m just happy my fans got a chance to hear it. Some of the joints we just did, but most of the material is old to me. But like I said: I’m just glad people are now getting a chance to hear it. When I make music I know what my fans want. Sour Diesel made my fan base. Those who follow me know what type of music I make. They know what kind of music I’m into. If it’s not Doap Nixon then it’s AOTP or it’s OPG or it’s OS or it’s QD… our followers know what type of music we like.

SL: For the people who ain’t following you yet, what exactly is that type of music?

DN: It’s just personal music; it’s music reflecting on life. My music is my perspective on how I see life. You might not agree with it but it’s my opinion, my perspective. I don’t think my perspective should be the same as others. Now, it might be similar, but my perspective is my perspective. When I made this album, every song was reflecting everything I was going through at the time. For example, I had a joint called “You Need to Know.” At the time I was feeling some type of way; jawns I had in my past who left me when times got hard. You need to know that you messed up, you should have stuck around, you nahmean? Because I’m here and I’m doing the thing and everything is love and my wifey stuck by me for 7 years and now we enjoying the fruits of my labor.

SL: I think there’s always going to be people out there who have had similar life experiences as you did, but that’s the thing about each and every artist: everybody’s got their own, unique perspective on stuff and I think that’s what makes listeners vibe with a certain artist; draws them to specific artists.

DN: For real: I got fucked off my first album Sour Diesel. I got fucked for almost $50,000 from Babygrande. I don’t care if they hear it, that’s just the truth of it. They fucked me. But, one morning, and this is a true story; I got an email from a kid in Australia who wrote me and said he was ready to kill himself until he heard “Heaven Was Calling.” After he played Sour Diesel he didn’t go through with it. Now, he’s doing really good. That right there was my payment. That was worth more than that 50 grand. As corny as that sounds…yo, that right there made it all worthwhile. Somebody’s life was changed off a song that I made. Can you imagine reading that email? It was so ill that I printed it out and we put it in a frame and hung it up.

SL: As far as Gray Poupon goes, what type of response have you been getting outside of just fans’ reactions?

DN: It’s all love. They just reviewed my album at HipHopDX. The editors gave me 3 ½ but the listeners gave me 4 ½ out of 5. They gave me an ill review, I was so shocked. They said my album was the hottest to come out since Reef’s Feast or Famine. That right there was just like YEAH! Finally getting the recognition.

SL: You been blessed to work with some amazing talent over the years too, which has totally helped you step your own game up.

DN: For real: I must say if Vinnie Paz doesn’t make that call on (Army of the Pharaoh’s) Ritual of Battle for me to come through that, we wouldn’t be doing this interview right here. So, much love and big ups to my brother Vinnie Paz for taking the time out and making that call. For the people out there that only know Paz as that renegade, anti-government madman: that dude’s heart is literally golden. Me and Paz be building all the time. I can go to that brother right now and be like; ‘Yo, my rent is short’ and I’mma tell you right now: my rent would be paid that month, the next month and the third month. That’s the type of brother he is. And that ain’t just Paz; that’s Planet, Crypt… that’s the whole AOTP/QD. We really are family. We sleep on each others’ floors. There’s been times when we slept in the studio for fucking days making that AOTP album. When I went through my trials and tribulations Planet and Crypt came out and got me, like; ‘dude, come on… get back on track.’ We really are family; this isn’t a show. When you see us rhyming together, putting it down together, on an album together… we really are family.

SL: And that all comes through in the music; they way you all vibe and create together.

DN: Definitely. I got (producer) Stu Bangas hitting me up right now about some beats for this new album I’m fucking with right here. It’s people like that; fam, extended fam, that keep me going, you know? I gotta give big ups to Apathy and Celph Titled for coming up with the title for my new album. I’mma leak it right now, man. Ain’t nobody know this yet…

SL: Word? A SmutLife exclusive? Hit me with it!

DN: Doap Trafficking, yo. That’s the new title. You heard it here first. The name of my new album is going to be Doap Trafficking. You heard it right here first.

SL: Stu Bangas is that dude, too. He ain’t no joke.

DN: Yo, his hustle game…he’s the Rick James of beats; his hustle game is non-stop. But before I even get into that album I got some treats that I’m working on right now. Some remixes off the album. Working on a remix to “Grand Opening.” It’s gonna feature Vinnie Paz and Reef. This is what makes it all love: I just hit you with Gray Poupon but you about to get hit with Heavy Metal Kings, you about to get hit with Outer Space’s Brother’s Keeper and Jus Allah’s MMA… it don’t stop. People need to appreciate that real good music is coming out again.

SL: What can you tell us about Doap Trafficking? What can we look out for?

DN: Right now the blueprint is being laid. There’s not really too much I can give you on that. What I’m doing right now is getting that shit perfected. You’ll see. For now look out for me on Space’s Brother’s Keeper, I got a feature with King Syze. Burke the Jurke got an album coming out, I’m featured on that. Right now I’m doing features and some remixes while this shit is marinating. I’mma take it back to the old school and do a few remixes off of Gray Poupon. As far as Doap Trafficking… the world don’t even know that exists, B. Ain’t too much I can give you on that. Yet. Shout out to Apathy and Celph for giving me that title, man. Them dudes built on that for a minute then hit me up one night with it. I was blown away. It’s hot and I’mma run with it.

SL: For now, where can the people cop that Gray Poupon?

DN: I went digital with it. I didn’t want to just make the hard copies. I did Gray Poupon out of my own label, Q-Demented. Once I got out of Babygrande I just put that shit out myself. I did it digital cause we in the future now. Everybody is digital. Even if you buy a CD you’re gonna put it on your iTunes. You can find it on iTunes, you can find it at www.CDbaby/doapnixon.com. Pretty much anywhere you can get digital music you can find Gray Poupon.

SL: Last Words?

DN: Yo, I gotta thank my supporters. Keep following real Hip Hop. Don’t just support Gray Poupon. Support Heavy Metal Kings. Support Brother’s Keeper. Support real Hip Hop. Support Saigon. Support real MCs. There’s people out there making real good music, all you gotta do is look for it.