Wall's first music industry exposure came as a street team member on the Northwest side of Houston, promoting southern artists such as T.I. and labels like Cash Money and The New No Limit. He is also an accomplished and proficient mixtape and party DJ, known for producing mixtapes in the now-well-known screwed & chopped style, which was invented by the late DJ Screw. While he has recently stated on record that South LE. (in Houston's southside) is his base of operations, it is not the neighborhood that Paul Wall is actually from. Paul Wall has claimed several such neighborhoods over his career, starting with De Soto in Acres Homes (his original home neighborhood), then switching to Gulf Bank (also in Acres Homes).
Paul Wall, Chamillionaire and Jon Higgins were originally affiliated with Swishahouse Records, but left for Paid in Full Records a short time later. After several mixtape and independent releases, including the critically acclaimed 'Get Ya Mind Correct', the two parted ways on bad terms. Chamillionaire continued to release independent records, while Paul Wall returned to the Swishahouse fold. This move allowed him to appear on Mike Jones' first commercially distributed single, "Still Tippin'", from his first major label album 'Who Is Mike Jones?'.
His major label debut, 'The People's Champ', has produced a lead single, "Sittin' Sidewayz", which is receiving national radio and television play. In August, 2005, rumors began to circulate that Paul Wall and Chamillionaire had settled any differences that remained between them, and are again on good terms with one another. Paul Wall also appeared with GLC on the song "Drive Slow" on Kanye West's second solo album, 'Late Registration'.
Paul Wall is the owner and proprietor of TV Jewelry in Houston. The store specializes in the production of grills, silver, gold, or platinum caps and diamond inlays (usually princess-cut diamonds). Grills have become a growing trend in rap culture and have even influenced its own song. "Grillz", by Nelly featuring Paul Wall along with other artists, where at one point Paul raps "Call me George Foreman 'cause I'm sellin' everybody grillz.)
If You Knew Me
Paul Wall Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
paul wall, im' the peoples champ
it aint' easy bein the peoples champ
its' the new me, new me; new me, new me
true; a lot of struggles i done been through and still goin through
let me show you what its' like to be me [paul wall, paul wall bby]
im not your average guy; im more than meets the eye
i was abandoned at an early age
my daddy was a dopefiend; i aint seen him since the second grade
i sing the same song; baby dad; single mom
i was always in the crawl; yet and still i was alone
i kept my faith in GOD; even in my younger days
i gave my life to CHRIST; got down on my knees and prayed
and GOD answered our prayers and momma remarried
all the burdens she carried; i must admit that it was scary
somehow i got a real man as my father figure
thangs started gettin better for my momma and my sister
pain took me frm a boy to a man
i knew id' make it to the end if i could stick to the plan
people judge me off my music but they never even met me
but id' introduce myself if you'd let me - paul wall bby
[Chorus: Paul Wall]
see ive' been doin this here for a while
eventually yall' boys gon' respect me dawg
im' paul wall - until its over imma' ball til' i fall
im' the greatest in a minute ch'yall
let me tell you if you knew me [knew me] yeah the true me [true me]
Not the glamour and glitz that ch'yall do see [do see]
im' just a regular G; i gotta do me [do me]
im bout' to introduce yall' boys to the new me; c'mon
[Paul Wall]
its' more to me than all this glamour and glitz
i spent my whole life broke; im' just tryin to get rich
i kept it real all my life; i never stepped on toes
but somehow my friends keep turnin into my foes
my ex keep callin' me, but i dont wanna talk to her
so then she call the laws on me like im' the one stalkin her
my new girl say i dont love her enough
but all the hatin friends jealous cause i love her too much
im' drinkin bottles of patron tryin to drink away my troubles
but bein an alcoholic only make thangs double
people judge me off my music but they never even met me
but id' introduce myself if youd' let me - paul wall bby
repeat [Chorus]
[Paul Wall]
you think you know me mayn? but you dont' know me mayne
juss' because you shake my hand dont mean that you my homie mayn
its people prayin on my downfall
and I cant understand why; cause i show love to alluh yall'
people are grateful for the favors you show em'
but when they need you for another one they still act like you owe em'
everybody be takin credit for somethin they aint' do
but you need to quit reachin and stand on your own two
i always stayed humble, i never once changed
i never got a ego or a big head cause of fame
people judge me off my music but they never even met me
but id' introduce myself if youd' let me - paul wall bby
repeat [Chorus]
[Paul Wall]
im' paul wall, im the peoples champ
but it aint' easy bein me
i done put in my fair share of work, f'real
passin out flowers at the club
doin freestyles that dont go on mixtapes
i aint' understand it then but; now I understand it
it's a bigger picture than just what you think
you gotta think outside the box and try to make it
its' chess moves; not checkers bby
In the song "If You Knew Me," Paul Wall, the self-proclaimed people's champ, showcases a more vulnerable side of himself that is rarely seen in his music. He acknowledges the challenges he has faced in his life, including being abandoned by his father, raised by a single mom, and living in poverty. He credits his faith in God and his stepfather for providing him with the support he needed to overcome the obstacles in his life. He also speaks candidly about the struggles he faces as a successful musician, including toxic relationships and the pressure to maintain his public persona.
The lyrics convey a sense of resilience and determination to succeed despite the setbacks and doubts Paul Wall has faced throughout his life. The chorus emphasizes his desire to be understood beyond his public image and to be recognized for the person he truly is. He acknowledges the judgments people make based solely on his music and encourages listeners to look past those assumptions and get to know him on a personal level.
Overall, the song delivers a powerful message of self-acceptance and the importance of staying true to oneself in the face of adversity. It is a reminder that everyone has a story beyond what can be seen on the surface and that we should strive to understand and connect with one another on a deeper level.
Line by Line Meaning
paul wall, im' the peoples champ
I hold a special place in the hearts of the people as their champion.
it aint' easy bein the peoples champ
It comes with a lot of pressure and expectations.
its' the new me, new me; new me, new me
I am constantly reinventing myself.
true; a lot of struggles i done been through and still goin through
My success did not come easily, and I still face challenges.
let me show you what its' like to be me [paul wall, paul wall bby]
I want to share my story with you and show you the real me.
im not your average guy; im more than meets the eye
I am unique and have a depth to me that may not be apparent at first glance.
i know im friendly and fly; but let me tell you why
I may seem cool and approachable, but there is a reason for my demeanor.
i was abandoned at an early age
I experienced abandonment as a child.
my daddy was a dopefiend; i aint seen him since the second grade
My father was addicted to drugs and I have not seen him in many years.
i sing the same song; baby dad; single mom
I am a product of a single-parent household.
i was always in the crawl; yet and still i was alone
I had a tough childhood and felt lonely despite being around others.
i kept my faith in GOD; even in my younger days
Even as a child, I had a strong belief in God.
i gave my life to CHRIST; got down on my knees and prayed
I became a Christian and prayed for guidance in my life.
and GOD answered our prayers and momma remarried
My mother remarried and we received a positive answer to our prayers.
all the burdens she carried; i must admit that it was scary
My mother carried a heavy burden and it was frightening for me to witness.
somehow i got a real man as my father figure
I was fortunate to have a positive male role model in my life.
thangs started gettin better for my momma and my sister
Things improved for my family after my mother remarried.
pain took me frm a boy to a man
I experienced a lot of pain and hardship which forced me to mature.
i knew id' make it to the end if i could stick to the plan
I had a plan for my life and believed in myself.
people judge me off my music but they never even met me
People make assumptions about me based solely on my music and without knowing me personally.
but id' introduce myself if you'd let me - paul wall bby
I am willing to introduce myself and share my true self with others.
see ive' been doin this here for a while
I have been in the music industry for some time now.
eventually yall' boys gon' respect me dawg
I will earn the respect of my peers with my hard work and dedication.
im' paul wall - until its over imma' ball til' i fall
I am Paul Wall and I will continue to work hard until I can no longer do so.
im' the greatest in a minute ch'yall
I am one of the best in the game right now.
see ive' been doin this here for a while
I am experienced in the music industry.
im' just a regular G; i gotta do me
I am a regular guy and I must be true to myself.
im bout' to introduce yall' boys to the new me; c'mon
I am about to show you a different side of me.
its' more to me than all this glamour and glitz
I am more than just what you see on the surface.
i spent my whole life broke; im' just tryin to get rich
I grew up with financial struggles and am now working hard to improve my situation.
i kept it real all my life; i never stepped on toes
I have remained true to myself and have not harmed others in the process.
but somehow my friends keep turnin into my foes
My friends have betrayed me in the past.
my ex keep callin' me, but i dont wanna talk to her
My ex-girlfriend is trying to contact me, but I do not want to speak to her.
so then she call the laws on me like im' the one stalkin her
She falsely accused me of stalking her.
my new girl say i dont love her enough
My current girlfriend feels like I am not giving her enough love and attention.
but all the hatin friends jealous cause i love her too much
My friends are envious of my relationship with my girlfriend.
im' drinkin bottles of patron tryin to drink away my troubles
I am drinking alcohol as a way to cope with my problems.
but bein an alcoholic only make thangs double
Drinking excessively will only worsen my problems.
you think you know me mayn? but you dont' know me mayne
People may think they understand me, but they truly do not know me.
juss' because you shake my hand dont mean that you my homie mayn
Just because we have had a friendly interaction does not make us close friends.
its people prayin on my downfall
There are people who want to see me fail.
and I cant understand why; cause i show love to alluh yall'
I am confused as to why people would want me to fail when I have shown them love and support.
people are grateful for the favors you show em'
People appreciate the kindness and generosity I show them.
but when they need you for another one they still act like you owe em'
People sometimes act entitled and ungrateful when they ask for more help.
everybody be takin credit for somethin they aint' do
People often take credit for things they did not actually do.
but you need to quit reachin and stand on your own two
People need to stop depending on others and learn how to rely on themselves.
i always stayed humble, i never once changed
I have remained grounded and true to myself despite my success.
i never got a ego or a big head cause of fame
My fame has not changed me or inflated my ego.
its' chess moves; not checkers bby
Life is a strategic game and you must think ahead and plan accordingly.
Contributed by Alex Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@familyfree2994
Class of 2006
This was my song back then😔 memory lanes man.... feels like I've come along way🙏
@thomasmiles361
You have this is my shit lolo
@sellyboy727
@@thomasmiles361 We all have
@clc0901
Please bring this era back please
@tomasmiles9685
So true
@joshuaholcomb7087
One of the most down-to-Earth hip hop songs ever made!
@shagtreez209
One of my favorite songs of all time.
@marioarizola4921
🎵 You think you know me man but you don’t know me man just because you shake my hand don’t mean that you my homie man🎵. Realist line on the whole LP
@johnjacobs7921
AHHHH the memories.... what a great song...
@watchthisguy2353
Only 36k views is a crime committed by rap fans