Patrick Williams, b.k.a. Pat Piff, started grooming his hip-hop skills at the mere age of eight, as he would listen to songs on the radio in his basement, and rap over the songs playing.
Lots of people probably recognize the name from the original (and better) version of ‘Smoke & Drive’ that first appeared on Big Sean’s ‘Finally Famous the Mixtape,’ where Pat dropped a verse informing us that he spends more money on Swishers than we could ever make.
Pat Piff is originally from Detroit, and formed a friendship with G.O.O.D Music’s Big Sean in high school, and the two would form S.O.S (Sons of the Streets), where the two honed their skills, and rose up amongst the local hip-hop scene.
When it came time for college, Pat Piff moved to Atlanta where he attended Clark Atlanta University and continued making music.
This latter part of 2009 Pat Piff has a lot on his plate, as he has a mixtape dropping in August, and plans to drop two more along with an EP before year’s end, all the while continuing to work on his album.
Pat Piff’s style is quite unique and is sure to stand out for any listener. After a few listens, you are sure to become a fan.
The Urbanian was lucky to get an interview with Pat Piff, as he gave us the scoop about his mixtape, Finally Famous Entertainment, some songs to smoke and drive to, and much more.
The Urbanian: What initially drew you to hip-hop music?
Pat Piff: I know this sounds weird but what I really like about music in general, not just hip-hop music, is vibrations. I really like the way sound feels. I love bass and the way it feels when it’s really, really loud. I fell in love with hip-hop in 1995. I was really into A Tribe Called Quest, Pharcyde and Bone Thugs and Harmony. Their music has this real euphoric hypnotizing effect almost like a high and that’s what I want to achieve sonically.
TU: What are some of the songs from the radio you remember reconstructing? And how would you reconstruct them into your own?
PP: Well, when I decided I was gonna try rhyming just for fun it was like 1997 and my mom had Janet Jackson in heavy rotation. I used to zone out to “Got till its Gone” it was something about the beat. I discovered it was a J.Dilla beat years later. In the song she is singing like a whisper so I would be in my basement like rapping over her and the beat. At that point all my rhymes were about food. I was a real fat kid.
TU: What was the most important thing you learned about hip hop when you were part of S.O.S with Big Sean?
PP: I learned that there is more to rap than rapping. Big Sean has always had this charisma in his flow; sometimes it’s not so much about what he’s saying but how he says it. Sometime I would focus so much on lyrical content that a few bars blast over people heads. You can say what you think is the hardest line ever in Rap but if the listener doesn’t understand it, it’s worthless. You have to use a universal language everybody can understand. Being a part of S.O.S taught me it’s all about understanding the game and timing, like Murda Mase said off a skit on his first album..”It’s all about time B, everybody can’t make moves at the same time”. BUT IT’S PIFF’S TIME NOW!!
TU: What’s your favorite memory from the Friday Night Cypher days on 102.7?
PP: I’ve got so many memories from the Friday Night Cypher that it’s hard to choose one. We were on the show for so long, it survived longer than some of the radio personalities. I really enjoyed when it first started and was hosted by the Hype Squad Lt. Dre and Sugar Rae. It was cool because when we would going in on the radio they would shout our high school, Cass Tech. That was love. I can remember going off for like 20 minutes straight on Mobb Deeps Quiet Storm instrumental and Big Sean spitting real fast on the Jigga What instrumental. My buddy Mike Posner and I eventually ended up interning at the station and we got a chance to cipher with Royce Da 5′9 which was dope. Oh yeah, another memory I have from the Cypher is this one time Mike Posner got on the mic and started spitting, yeah that’s right spitting, ( he says he’ll never do it again) and was like “You know me I might pull up in a hummer Truck”. That was hilarious just cause of who he is.
TU: What point in your life did you feel like hip-hop was your calling and you wanted to pursue it as a career?
PP: I knew I was going to be a rapper the first time I rhymed in front of a large crowd. When I finished, it erupted with OOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! It was in my school’s auditorium that was the greatest feeling in the world.
TU: How did it feel to win the N.A.A.C.P Freedom Festival Award for Best Conscious Rap Song/Spoken Word? What song won it for you?
PP: It was crazy! I didn’t expect to win at all! One of my teachers, MC, as we liked to call her, made me aware of the contest and tried to tell me I had it in the bag. MC was the performing arts teacher at our school and I was a member of the Performing Arts Guild so she was always on the lookout for any scholarship money available to us. As the contest winner, I got some prize money and free tour of the SONY building in New York. Big Sean went with me out there to New York which was cool. The only weird thing about it is shortly after a gospel label was trying to work with me.
TU: You have a new mixtape dropping in August, Hungry As A Hippie. What can you tell us about it?
PP: Hungry as a Hippie is in the metal institution. I tried to make it a SUPER introduction to me and my world for those who don’t know and love me at this point. I was going through a lot of let downs when I wrote the records so you’ll be able to hear a little of that frustration. Towards the end of the project things started to get a lot better and that’s reflected in the music as well. The usual suspects are involved Big Sean, Mike Posner and a few surprises. Doing shows with Big Sean has really influenced the record, too; just seeing how crowds respond to some of his songs was inspiring. To sum it up Hungry as a Hippie is like Future Retro Woodstock sh*t in Detroit.
TU: Our favorite song by you is by far ‘People Talk’. How did this song come to be?
PP: Yeah, that’s the first joint on Hungry as a Hippie produced by my homie and engineer John Doe..but don’ look for him…lol. Finally Famous is kind of a big deal now and with this brand we built there’s a lot of hate. I’ve heard some of the dumbest rumors about my crew and me and that just fuels the fire. I did that joint a little bit after Pharrell shouted me and the set out at a show in Detroit. It was crazy to me how people started talking after that. When I heard the beat I was hesitant at first ‘cause it had the Led Zeppelin sample and they’re a serious band but I had to do it. I knew people would relate ‘cause lots of people talk…. about each other … about Pat Piff and even your mother.
TU: We’re also big fans of the original Smoke n Drive. In your opinion what are some of the best songs out there to smoke and drive to?
PP: Bone Thugs has a song called The Weed Song; that’s a no brainer. I LOOOVE Sister Nancy BAM BAM and Snoop Dogg Breathe In and pretty much anything by Devin the Dude. If you’re looking for a real good time go get some chronic and play NIGGA PLEASE — that Old Dirty Bastard album. There’s a lot of Neptune’s production on that… classic. And anything Pat Piff of course. I’m General Patton of the Pot Smokers lol.
TU: For those that don’t know, you’re associated with the Finally Famous Entertainment crew. Can you describe what it’s like being a part of all that and how it got started?
PP: Its feels great. I really believe we can be the next Rocafella. Everyone associated with us is beyond talented and extraordinarily loyal to FINALLY FAMOUS. We started the company as friends and we still remain friends. Planning big events for our city has groomed us into the business men we are now. We deal with the biggest names in the game: Kanye is the Big Homie; Pharrell is the Big Homie. What amazes me most is that we’re all so young and this is only the beginning. Success, for us, is inevitable.
TU: What does the future hold for Pat Piff?
PP: HUNGRY AS A HIPPIE is coming this August. Look forward to a lot more show dates when that drops. Come see me! I’m on most of the Finally Famous projects coming out as well as BIG Sean’s FINALLY FAMOUS the album so look out for me on those and I’m dropping 2 more tapes and EP before the year’s outti.
TU: Finally, anything you’d like to add?
PP: Yes, there is something to I’d like to add. I’d like to add zeros and commas to my check, please. Thanks.
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