Prince Paul | |
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Prince Paul in 2000
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Background information | |
Birth name | Paul Huston |
Also known as | The Undertaker, Chest Rockwell |
Born | April 2, 1967 |
Origin | Amityville, New York, United States |
Genres | Hip hop, R&B |
Occupation(s) | DJ, record producer |
Years active | 1985–present |
Labels |
Tommy Boy, Warner Bros. Records, Elektra Records WordSound Records Razor and Tie Records |
Associated acts | Prince Paul & The Black Labels, Stetsasonic, Handsome Boy Modeling School, Gravediggaz, De La Soul, MC Paul Barman, Chris Rock, Big Daddy Kane, Resident Alien, Horror City, Dino 5, Run the Jewels |
Paul Edward Huston, (born April 2, 1967) better known by his stage name Prince Paul, is an American disc jockey, record producer and recording artist from Amityville, New York. Paul began his career as a DJ for Stetsasonic. Since then he has worked on albums by Boogie Down Productions, MC Lyte, Big Daddy Kane and 3rd Bass, among others. Major recognition for Prince Paul came when he produced De La Soul's debut album 3 Feet High and Rising (1989), in which he pioneered new approaches to hip hop production, mixing and sampling, as well as by adding comedy sketches.
In 1994, Paul joined RZA, Frukwan and Too Poetic in Gravediggaz, a project that debuted with 6 Feet Deep. His first solo album, Psychoanalysis: What Is It?, came out in 1997, followed by a second album, A Prince Among Thieves, in 1999. Later that year Prince Paul formed Handsome Boy Modeling School with Dan the Automator and they released the album So...How's Your Girl?.
Prince Paul was one of the original members of Stetsasonic. He joined the group in 1984 after impressing Daddy-O with his routine in the "Brevoit Day Celebration" DJ battle in Brooklyn. Daddy-O was struck by Paul's energy, saying that he performed his routine with Liquid Liquid's song "Cavern", "like he was mad at the turntables."