Biography
Before relocating from his native Trinidad to Houston during his teenage years, Papa Reu fused the music of his childhood with the gritty Dirty South sounds he later embraced, forging an urban style he dubbed “thug hall.” He first tested this fusion of dancehall reggae and hip-hop on Houston stages at talent shows and open-mic nights. Still just 15, he impressed legends 8Ball and MJG, who promptly recruited him for their 1994 release On the Outside Looking In. Scattered independent singles surfaced in the late ’90s, along with guest spots on projects by Mr. Coop and Field Mob, yet his true solo breakthrough arrived in 2000 with the full-length Xcuse Me! via the Upstairs imprint. The following year his Reu Muzik label issued U Know Me; although the set moved briskly in regional markets, it was his featured turn on the 504 Boyz’s 2002 smash “Tight Whips” that established him as a Southern rap force. Daz Dillinger, Juvenile, and Lil’ Flip lent star power to 2003’s Certified, the final album he would helm on his own imprint before signing with the Sanctuary roster. That major partnership paired vintage material with fresh recordings, culminating in the 2005 collection Life & Music.
Albums
Singles
