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
“Lemonhaze”
why you worry about the little things
it's the big shit that’s gon’ kill ya kill ya anyway
roll your problems up and smoke the pain
and blow out all the bullshit, blow out all the bullshit
high
but i’m not waving at you
kush got me on stuck, thought i was a statue
high
but I’m not waving hello
matter fact, you can call me pawpaw eyes-low
the groove is undeniable
Folks from all over with a j to steam
Mary so reliable
it’s ready when you are
baby spread them wings
so pump up the volume
my shit bang
come in and the door’s open
we embrace the strange
LSD and champagne while I play Coltrane
dance like nobody looking
what a hell of a lane
mary mary i’ve missed you
now it’s impossible to forget you
amputated legs, i cannot kick you
let’s go party now i’m coming to get you
why you worry about the little things
it's the big shit that’s gon’ kill ya kill ya anyway
roll your problems up and smoke the pain
and blow out all the bullshit, blow out all the bullshit
bye bye, bye bye
goin’ with the wind
bye bye, bye bye
goin’ with the wind
lemonhaze
lemonhaze
blueberry
blueberry
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 Jerome Castille, Rodney Hulsey II, Adam Moerder, Nick Sylvester
vocals by Rodney Hulsey II
background vocals by Nick Sylvester
guitar by Adam Moerder
Moog Sub37 bass by Nick Sylvester
drums by Nick Sylvester
Moog Matriarch synthesizer by Nick Sylvester
trumpet 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
