Interview w/ Son of Paper

Kyle J Shin, aka Son of Paper is an Asian-American rapper here at Wesleyan. His debut album Paper Mache  is coming out on Nov. 22 on all platforms. I sat down with him to talk about everything from his Asian background to the experience of being a rapper at wes. 

First off, where did the name Son of Paper come from?

It was the fourth name that I chose actually. Before that I went through a mix between location and identity-based names. Ultimately, I wound up with this name to document my Chinese side’s family history. Talking about the phenomenon of paper sons and daughters, who were Chinese immigrants, and the only way for them to come into the country was they had to go through this illegal process of purchasing fake identification papers. 

You talked a little about your identity playing a role in your name, how does identity play a role in your music?

I think inherently being an Asian-American in the hip-hop and rap scene makes me different, no matter what I say my identity is, at the forefront. And so over the years I found myself talking more about family and less directly about politics because I know there's always this political lens that’s cast upon me just me being up there.

Ok I know you’re a senior now, but how did you start out rapping ?

I started rapping in high school and started recording junior and senior year of high school. But, I didn’t even become Son of Paper or perform till I got to Wesleyan. Coming here I knew it was a hobby of mine and it was a great way to express how I felt about the world and something that I couldn’t do with sports which is why I came to Wesleyan. Doing open mics and culture show, seeing the feedback really motivated me to keep going each year. So, no its no longer a hobby, but my career and passion that I want to pursue. 

What do you think you contribute to the hip-hop scene at Wes?

I’ve been developing into a mentor of sorts. There's other younger artists that I’ve helped out, teaching them about the industry and how to create music. I think that I definitely have some knowledge and experience that I could pass down. 

What are your thoughts about the Rap scene at Wesleyan? 

I think on an individual level it's very strong, but I wish there was more collaboration. I feel like Hip-Hop collaborations are kind of dead.

Paper Mache is your new album. Can you tell us about that? 

Yeah it’s releasing on the 22nd. It’s my debut album, all-platform release, and kind of my introduction to the world. It’s a very vulnerable piece, I talk about Asian male masculinity and family dynamics. I feel like it does a good job of inviting the listener in to create dialogue on these topics. I would also say that each song is it’s own vignette that can be incorporated into any playlists. 

Any upcoming shows and future plans? 

So, I just performed at the Trinity culture show and it was nice to reconnect with people and creating new fans. So on campus I have shows on the 22nd and 23rd. On the 22nd I’m performing at the Korean Culture show and the 23rd will be my album release show!

-Interview by Luca Coletta