Career and Life

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Shamele Mackie aka Papoose (/pæˈpuːs/), is an American rapper and songwriter.

 

Papoose made his first commercial appearance on Kool G Rap's 1998 album Roots of Evil, and began to produce and distribute his own mixtapes during the early 2000's, and eventually was able to meet DJ Kayslay in 2005, who helped him to sign a $1.5 million contract with Jive Records. After his debut studio album, The Nacirema Dream was shelved, he and DJ Kay Slay cut ties with Jive. This resulted in him releasing numerous free mixtapes between 2006 and 2013, earning him a large fanbase in the world of underground hip-hop. In 2012, he secured a deal with Fontana Distribution, and finally released his debut album independently on March 26, 2013.

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Papoose became known to the public when he appeared in 1998 on Kool G Rap's Roots of Evil album. The following year, he released his first single, "Thug Connection"/"Alphabetical Slaughter".

 

After an early record deal failed, he decided to produce and sell his own mixtapes, one of which he presented to DJ Kayslay outside the offices of New York's Hot 97 after the latter's radio show there. This led to Kay Slay inviting Papoose onto the air, and, impressed by his rendition of "Alphabetical Slaughter", signing him to his Streetsweepers label. He continued to release mixtapes at a prolific rate – over a dozen between 2004 and 2006 – and won the Justo Mixtape Award for Best Underground Artist in 2005.

 

On August 24, 2006, his official website announced that he had signed with Jive Records in a deal worth $1.5 million. An album to be called The Nacirema Dream ("American" spelled backwards) was planned. However, in September 2007, Kay Slay revealed that he and Papoose had left Jive, commenting that they had "almost [become] victims of A&R hell." On 21 Gun Salute, Papoose said that he was able to keep the $1.5 million despite not releasing an album.

 

He first came to prominence after featuring on the "Touch It" remix by Busta Rhymes. He was briefly associated and signed to Flipmode for a couple of years thereafter.

 

Papoose is of Liberian descent. In 2008, he and fellow rapper Remy Ma (Reminisce Mackie) were to be married on a yacht, but she was sentenced to prison before the planned date. The wedding was called off for one day after he allegedly attempted to smuggle a key into the jail on their wedding day in May 2008. After the incident, Papoose married Ma the next day inside the courtroom right before sentencing and was barred from visiting her for six months. He is the cousin of multi-platinum producer Pierre Bourne.

 

 

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