Paper Tiger

Paper Tiger

Paper Tiger is a Minneapolis hip hop producer and DJ based between Los Angeles and Minneapolis. He is also a member of Doomtree, Cloquet and SHREDDERS.

Background

He grows up in Minneapolis, with music at home through his father, Minneapolis rocker Johnny Rey. As a teenager, he is friends with P.O.S., Cecil Otter, Mike Mictlan and MK Larada. After high school, the four live in the Doomtree House, a shared creative space that becomes closely associated with the group’s early activity.

Style and releases

His production draws on mid-school rap and electronic music, as well as the tastes of the people around him. His drums are described through their sharp snare sound, while his sampling makes use of unusual textures and treatments. His music ranges from reflective material such as Canonade, from the False Hopes release, to club-oriented tracks such as Game Over with Mike Mictlan and Low light / Low Life on P.O.S.’s Never Better.

He releases the 7-inch Cloquet through Blowout 5, and his first full-length album, Made Like Us, follows. Earlier releases include the 2010s-era Doomtree-linked work as live DJ, resident graphic designer and producer.

Collaborations and associated work

Paper Tiger’s productions include collaborations with Homeboy Sandman, Infinite Livez, Josh Idehen and Foreign Beggars. His work receives radio play on BBC Radio 1, 6 Music, 1Xtra, Rinse FM and XFM, and support from figures and outlets including Mixmag, The Wire, Q, FACT, Jamie xx, Coldcut, Slugabed, Bugz In The Attic, Mr Scruff, Alex Nut and LV.

He also contributes to the remixes and featured-artist circle around Paper Tiger’s releases, including the remix album Sultan Ant Pop, which includes contributions from Werkha, LV, Murder He Wrote and Memotone, and the album Blast Off, which features Shafiq Husayn, Pyramid Vritra, Chester Watson and Sarah Williams White and is mastered by Daddy Kev.