PawPaw Rod is Rodney Hulsey, a singer and rapper hailing from Oklahoma City.
Rod debuted at the end of 2020 with “HIT EM WHERE IT HURTS”, which blended 60s soul with the cadence of hiphop – like a woozier Bill Withers or Gil Scott-Heron. The record quickly found its way to the top of global viral charts and in an Apple commercial too, with not much information out there about Rod except that he was a Capricorn who loved cowboy boots.
“A PawPaw Rod EP”, out 17 September 2021 on LA's Godmode (who've brought you artists such as Channel Tres, Yaeji, and JPEGMAFIA), hopefully fills in the gaps. PawPaw wisdom is hard-nosed, hard-earned, matter-of-fact – but delivered with love too. Musically it's a focused four-song offering that follows the contours of "HIT EM", co-written and produced entirely by Godmode head honcho Nick Sylvester with help from longtime collaborator Adam Moerder.
“Thin Lines” is the latest single from the EP, with a video shot in Rodney’s Oklahoma City hometown and directed by cult filmmaker Anthony Sylvester.
lyrics
We both know what happens, when you stomp in a glass house
Get to stomping in a glass house
We both know what happens, when you stomp in a glass house
Get to stomping in a glass house
if nothin’s new under the sun, we can figure it out
my mind was made to run for fun
ima change up the house
too wild to be certain, no sure things
That never stops the loop life brings
Samo
Samo shit
Samo
Samo
Samo
We both know what happens, when you stomp in a glass house
Get to stomping in a glass house
We both know what happens, when you stomp in a glass house
Get to stomping in a glass house
Roll with situations... damn
Found a voice I made a choice, that came with your blessing
Etched Interpretations of life
walk the land with a message in hand
Dap me up then!
Dap me up then!
We both know what happens, when you stomp in a glass house
Get to stomping in a glass house
We both know what happens, when you stomp in a glass house
Get to stomping in a glass house
credits
from A PawPaw Rod EP,
released September 15, 2021
produced by Nick Sylvester and Adam Moerder
recorded by Nick Sylvester at Godmode, Los Angeles, CA
mixed by Nick Sylvester at Godmode, Los Angeles, CA
additional mixing by Robert Szmurlo
mastered by Sarah Register at SRM, Brooklyn, NY
song by Rodney Hulsey II, Adam Moerder, Nick Sylvester
vocals by Rodney Hulsey II
background vocals by Nick Sylvester
guitar by Adam Moerder
Steve Miller effects by Adam Moerder
Wurlitzer 200a by Nick Sylvester
Moog Sub37 synthesizer by Nick Sylvester
Moog Matriarch synthesizer by Nick Sylvester
drums by Nick Sylvester
sampling by Nick Sylvester
Like so many others, this came like a bolt out of the blue and, even though it's well before payday, I had to have this astonishing album on vinyl to prove it exists. The feel of the tunes makes me feel like the Impressions do, Curtis Mayfield, the big spaces and instinctive horns and stuff drifting in and out. Great grooves and I can see lots of ghosts nodding along to this with big smiles on their faces. At last! Anthony Cottrell
