P Almighty saunters into my spot. He wears an all-black fit, save a red hoodie, and this look on his face. A look that emanates P’s inner strength, a look that claims the room. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Crown Heights to be exact, the rapper holds his delt deck with the severity of knowing gratitude. Maybe you knew him from his newly shed skin: Little Pain. Today and onward, though, P Almighty has been birthed.
P wasn’t always like this, though; it’s that special sauce that’s been added to create the artist we listen to today, a little something called growth. At first, he jumped into the music industry with a mentality akin to ‘trolling’. Music was an outlet that gave him a place to contribute to the melody that was already made up around him. His methods were abundant in juvenile tact, though still methodical. The need for expression and explosion of self was at the age issued for youthful abandon.
The delicacy of being able to give back, in the beginning, was more of a ploy to be a part of something; it’s now blossomed into a full-fledged passion that P dedicates to his life’s translation. Little Pain had substance but it wasn’t as directed compared to what P Almighty is doing as the conductor.
As we wait for his latest project, ‘The P Almighty Show,’ we get a taste of that sauce with his latest and yet, first single under P Almighty. His track “Glocks in Japan,” touches on theories scholars debate but now, thanks to him, are brought to the masses. One representation of P’s insight comes in the form of rapping about tough gun laws in Japan, though pieces are still found every day. We find symbolism to rare energy found in places otherwise looked over.
P and I get into it more and dissect motives for lyrics such as, “civilized not savage, knowledge itself is wealth.” Comprehension, authenticity, and ode depth can be unveiled below. Don’t let it go over ya head.
Finally, you’re out of the hiatus you took from music. What was up with that?
To learn, to grow as a person, as a human being; About myself and the world we live in, you know?
What do you think is the importance of learning and educating yourself? Why did you find the transition of Little Pain to P Almighty vital?
I feel like the more you understand yourself, the more you know what’s around you, and vice versa. With that, you know how to interact with your surroundings, that’s beneficial for you and everyone else as we evolve—opposed to being confused and lost and just not knowing what’s going on and how it all relates to one another.
Did you feel like, before the hiatus, that’s what you were kind of caught up in?
I would say that, you know, like with anything, sometimes you have to stop to see what’s goin’ on. So, let’s say if I’m drinking a lot, I would have to stop. From stopping or hitting the breaks, I would see the benefits of giving my body a rest. I’d be able to check with myself like, “wait a minute, this thing might not be good for me,” it helps find an objective viewpoint. I just needed time because we live in a very fast-paced society. I just needed time to: stop and clarify (and check on myself).
That makes total sense. From the jump, though, where has influence reigned in from, music-wise or in general?
Music has always been around me. My grandfather’s from Guyana, and he has a pretty huge record collection and still makes mixtapes and CDs, so I grew up on a lot of reggae, dancehall, and the likes of Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder. Watching BET was like a family affair; we had 106 & Park and The Basement, music was always prevalent and around in all settings. It was just in me at that point.
I remember the first person, the first artist that truly inspired me was probably Lil Wayne. I just felt like the music was fire and the consistency in it, how unique his style was, he was original. Originality is one thing I’ve always admired in any aspect of art. Cause there’s nothing new under the sun, but someone finding a new way to express a thought that, in a way, that we never thought about creates a source of humbling nature.
Lil Wayne, like all household names, becomes a representative of many. Would you feel comfortable assuming that role?
Yeah, but I think that comfortability would have to come from self. Like anything, you have to find balance and how that would look and work for yourself, particularly as an individual. In general, sometimes we put so much weight on celebrities to guide us when it goes back to them just being people. All these precedents we put on them, we could take that responsibility in our everyday lives with the people and places around us.
Do you find your support is pretty strong?
Yeah, that’s attributed to the person I am right now.
Keeping this new project in mind, ‘The P Almighty Show,’ what are the goals surrounding its release?
This will be my first project under my new name. It’s just signifying the foundation of who P Almighty is as an artist.
Real quick, how did you come up with “Almighty?”
P Almighty is my righteous name. I am part of the culture of the 5-Percent Nation, so I decided to use it as my stage name as well. I came up with it myself, and I’m recognized as that in my community so having it transcend into my artistry was crucial.
What type of complex does that originate from, Almighty being a synonym for God, no?
You can say it means “God-like,” yeah, but I want to speak to the miseducation of being taught to seek outside of ourselves. “Almighty” is about living in reality and living your truth. There’s a Lauryn Hill quote, one of my favorite quotes, and she says, “what the people want is fantasy but what they need is reality.” For example: When you’re a kid, someone tells you, “be nice so that Santa comes and leaves you a gift under your chimney,” wherein actuality it’s your mom or father who’s busting their ass, working overtime, to get you these gifts. “Almighty” is me forgoing the fantasy and honoring whatever we think we’re “without” is within.
What’s to expect with this new project? What are we hearing?
This project comes from a place of expansion. While I was creating, I was listening to Erykah Badu, a lot of Neo-Soul, alternative dance, and old 80’s funk. There are some Drill songs, some very playful songs, and some more serious, trap-inspired songs—kind of a melting pot and different elements of what I appreciate.
Who are you doing this for, who’s the “perfect” audience for you? You want someone on Wall St with this playing out their headphones. You want someone in Uganda bumpin “The P Almighty Show?”
I want everybody in the audience, you know? That’s the thing with art; in general, we can all find a way to relate to it somehow. To have our different perceptions of it is what it’s about. Anybody and everybody.
Follow P Almighty here for more and stream his new track ‘Glocks in Japan’ below.