// From Left to Right: Picnic, Pikahsso and Tahiti of PPT
Picnic, Pikahsso and Tahiti of PPT are stark examples that not all hip-hop music coming out of Texas is the average Chopped and Screwed, grills on deck, rap crap. The Dallas based group have engaged fans with their unique blend of 70s soul, 80s synthesizing dance, 90's smoothness and uber positive rap lyrics since their beginning.
“A lot of times people look at eccentric groups and [think] you’re soft… [but] we just some brothas trying to do something positive." -- Pikahsso of PPT
With their debut album Tres Monos in Love making the second round for The 2008 Grammy nominations, a new album entitled DEnglish coming next year and solo projects PPT has a lot to be positive about. But, they have experienced slight hostility for being a clean rap group.
“We experienced a lot of backlash,” Pikahsso explains in a phone interview with Art Nouveau Magazine. “A lot of times people look at eccentric groups and [think] you’re soft… [but] we just some brothas trying to do something positive. Sometimes people stereotype you [because] you’re trying not to curse [but] I’m from the hood [of] South Dallas…there is nothing wrong with coming from a good upbringing [but] we’re just showing people you don’t have to be no fool [because] when you get to a certain age and [you’re] acting a fool for no reason it’s like what’s the point?”
“We can open more doors with no profanity on the album,” Tahiti later adds. “We’ll be able to appeal to kids and adults [and] older people that are easily offended. We’ve been able to perform in a lot of places where cats that have a whole lot of profanity in their music can’t.”
The meaning behind the group’s debut album Tres Monos in Love is self explanatory, relationships are definitely behind this album—a rarity in hip-hop music.
“The whole album is about relationships… the good the bad the ugly, the whole album is about love,” Pikahsso explains.
PPT took a different approach to promoting Tres Monos in Love and added nine videos for most of the songs of the album to add an incentive for fans to purchase the album. This marketing ploy is undoubtedly a scheme to compete in an industry with record sales that are down 15%.
“You know people [want to] download and bootleg so we said ‘what can we do where the fan and consumer will actually want to come in this store to buy this album?’” Pikassho says. “We compare it to a box of cracker jacks, when you get a box of cracker jacks it’s a prize at the bottom of the package that makes the kids dig to the bottom to get the prize.”
Tres Monos in Love has been a quiet success garnering great reviews and getting PPT fans all over the country. After a performance before Grammy Board members the group got enough of them to notice the album which resulted in their album and single making the first round of the 2008 grammy nominations for Best Rap Album for Tres Monos in Love and Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group and Best Rap Song for Work it Out. Although they didn't make the final round for a group with little or no promotion besides internet buzz making the second round with huge acts like T.I. and Jay-Z is impressive.
“I know this will sound generic but it’s like a dream come true,” Pikahsso energetically says. “It’s like you grow up all your life and you see people on T.V. doing that and you never think that can happen to you, But, it’s a wonderful feeling…it’s really humbling.”
// From left to right: Tahiti, Picnic and Pikahsso of PPT
The average group would capitalize as much as they could off the success of their debut album and milk it for as long as they can—but PPT is not your average group. The trio is busy at work on their concept second album due out in January called DEnglish. The creative album will feature the group rapping in English accents a contrast to what is expected from three Dallas natives.
“We wanted to come with something that is totally different,” Tahiti says of DEnglish.
“We got to constantly push the envelope,” Pikahsso adds. “[We’re] singing like the Beatles and Sting in British accents, DEnglish is English and Dallas together…We’re trying to put Dallas on the map.”
Besides their collective work as PPT each individual has solo projects in the works. Pikahsso is working on his The American Weirdo Pixtape which he describes as him “rapping over a lot of popular beats backwards” and Tahiti is planning on releasing a mixtape next year to commemorate his 40th birthday.
“A lot of people are embarrassed to admit their age in hip-hop,” Tahiti explains. “[Rappers] want to seem younger [so] when I turn 40 I’ll drop a mixtape to commemorate that.”
To find out more information on PPT please visit their MySpace at www.myspace.com/PPT3
