Paul Michael Slayton, known professionally as “Paul Wall” is an American rapper and disc jockey. He was born on 11th March 1981 in Houston, Texas.
Wall has been active in the music industry for over two decades and has collaborated with artists like Chamillionaire, Bun B, and Slim Thug while releasing several singles and albums under the Swishahouse Records.
In 2005, Paul Wall signed a deal with Atlantic Records. He attained fame after the release of “The Peoples Champ” in 2005.
Paul Wall has been recognized by several music societies and organizations. He has been nominated for a Grammy but has yet to win it. His song “Grillz” was nominated for Best Rap Performance in 2007. Remarkably, he won the Ozone Awards in 2006 for his work “Paul Wall’ for Taste Maker.
Paul Wall is a successful rapper and songwriter and is a veteran of the American music industry. He has a net worth of $4 million.
| Name | Paul Michael Slayton |
| Stage Name | Paul Wall |
| Age | 42 Yrs (2023) |
| Date of Birth | March 11, 1981 |
| Place of Birth | Houston, Texas, United States |
| Gender | Male |
| Nationality | American |
| Height | 1.83m. (6’ 0”) |
| Weight | 82 kg or 180 lbs |
| Education | Jersey Village High School, University of Houston |
| Profession | Rapper, Songwriter, Disc jockey |
| Net Worth | $4 million |
Early Life and Biography
Paul Wall was born on the 11th day of March 1981 in Houston, Texas. He had an interest in music as a child and learned about rap from a friend named Mike Jones. He pursued a career in rap from that point up to his adolescent years.
He graduated from Jersey Village High School before proceeding to the University of Houston to study mass communication.
Wall was good in his studies while being diligent in music. He met another rapper Chamillionaire and they made music together. The duo began working on several music projects and they released mixtapes together.
Career
Paul Wall’s passion for music increased as his popularity increased. Soon, he dropped out of school to focus on his music. Paul and Chamillionaire approached the CEO of a Houston-based company, Swishahouse, Michael “5000” Watts. They convinced him to give them airplay on his radio station, which he granted.
Michael Watts allowed Wall and Chamillionaire to rap on his radio show. This brought them attention from different quarters. Later, he featured some of their songs in one of Swishahouse’s mixtapes.
Paul and Chamillionaire began rapping on the radio station while releasing mixtapes. Aside from their mixtapes, they featured on mixtapes released by other rappers in the Houston community.
Creating and releasing mixtapes opened several doors of opportunities for them. Michael Watts provided support to Wall and Chamillionaire and helped them release their debut mixtape “Choppin Em Up Part 2” in 1999. The mixtape became a success and it increased their popularity in Houston.
Consequently, Wall began appearing on several mixtapes in Houston, and his song was included in several of Watt’s projects.
Wall also formed a rap group named “The Color Changin Click”. Together, the music group worked on several mixtapes and collaborated on many tracks. Their record “Get Ya Mind Correct” was a hit in the streets. Later, Wall made the decision to pursue a solo career.
Paul Wall and Chamillionaire signed a deal with Paid in Full Records. One of the clauses in the deal was for the duo to release an album with the label.
In 2004, Paul Wall released an album titled “Chick Magnet” under Paid in Full Records. The album featured the likes of Slim Thug, Bun B, and Mike Jones, and sold over 150,000 copies. It also earned praise from the media as it reached #54 on the Billboard Top R&B/hip hop albums chart.
A year after the release of his debut album, Paul Wall signed a record deal with Atlantic Records and Asylum Records to release “The Peoples Champ,” which was his second studio album as a solo artist.
The album brought instant success and shot him into the limelight. It debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 and was certified platinum by the RIAA. Two singles in the album “Girl” and “Sittin’ Sidewayz” were certified gold in the United States.
In 2005, Paul Wall released his second and last collaborative album with Chamillionaire titled “Controversy Sells.” The album reached #50 on the Billboard Top R&B chart.
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In 2006, Paul Wall released his 3rd studio album titled “Get Money, Stay True“, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-hop Albums chart. The album contained tracks like “Break ‘Em Off” and “I’m Throwed.”
In the same year, Paul Wall received a Grammy Award nomination in the Best Rap Performance as a Duo or Group category for his work with Nelly on the track ”Grillz.”
In 2008, Paul embarked on a nationwide tour with Ill Bill and Tech N9ne. Wall made an appearance in the movie “I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell.” He wrote the songs for the film together with the screenwriters Tucker Max and Nils Parker.
In 2009, Paul Wall dropped his fourth studio album entitled “Fast Life.” In 2011, he worked with Jump Shot Media, a social and mobile game company to create “Battle Rap Stars”. Battle Rap Stars is the world’s first mobile battle rap game. Paul Wall appeared as a character in the main event and is the one other players must defeat to win the game.
In 2012, Paul Wall dropped a mixtape entitled “No Sleep Til Houston.” In 2013, he released a mixtape in collaboration with rapper Slim Thug for the NBA All-Star Game in Houston, Texas.
Between 2013 and 2014, Paul Wall dropped his sixth and seventh studio albums dubbed “#checkseason” and “The Po-Up Poet.” Both albums were released independently through his company, Paul Wall Music.
After the release of his seventh studio album in 2014, Wall has released five more albums. They include:
- Slab God.
- Houston Oiler.
- Bounce Backs Over Setbacks.
- Mind over Matter.
- Subculture.
Personal Life
Paul is married to his wife, Crystal. The couple wedded in 2006 and they have two children together. Paul Wall publicly declared his support for the then United States President Barack Obama during his election campaigns in 2008. He was also part of the “Barack the Vote” movement.
Paul Wall’s Net Worth
Paul Wall is one of the most active rappers in the American music industry, having been present for more than twenty years. The veteran has released 12 studio albums and several mixtapes and has been nominated for several awards.
Paul Wall functions as a rapper, songwriter, and disc jockey. He has a net worth of $4 million. Paul resides with his family in San Francisco, California and they have properties across the U.S.