Beat the Rap

Paul Wall, 36, shines bright with his gold grill and a candy-red slab with protruding swangas. These vocabulary words — they refer to his car — are among many popularized by Wall in his 2000s-era hip-hop. But the rapper, who released his Diamond Boyz album earlier this year, is creating much more than a dope freestyle with the launch of his Trahan’s Wings & Daiquiris concept — six more locations bow this summer — and a forthcoming collab with 8th Wonder Brewery. “I’m very Houston-centric,” he says proudly. Can you spot the fake fact about Wall?

Julie Soefer
5068_170322_PaulWall2

1.


You can score a custom grill without leaving the house with his new delivery service Grillz On Wheelz. “We make a mold of your teeth, cast the gold, set the diamonds, and send it back.”

2.

Wall, who now pals around with retired Rockets point guard Kenny Smith, attended the Smith’s basketball camp at age 12 — and won MVP. “They taught us you can be whatever you want to be as long as you put in the work. That resonated with me."

3.

He asked Beyoncé Knowles out in middle school. “We were in the same grade, and I asked her to a dance.”

5102_170322_PaulWall

Art+Culture
What’s the Secret to Biz Success? ‘Show Up with Kindness,’ Says Bianca Bucaram

How did you get to where you are today? Passion, persistence, and faith, and a little bit of luck. I graduated from Vanderbilt University with a degree in Political Science and Spanish, on the track to be pre-med. Little did I know that a journey to help my younger sister would set my course to sail in PR. I had no background in communication, except my raw talent, and was fortunate enough to have a family member who needed her story to be told! I was helping tell my younger sister (one of the most recognized influencers in the online vegan community) @fullyrawkristina’s story, and it all blossomed from there.

Keep Reading Show less

Beth Muecke, Justin Garcia

HANDSOME HOUSTON ARTIST Justin Garcia held a homecoming of sorts at Downtown’s Z on 23. He’s been on a world tour with Orphaned Starfish Foundation, the nonprofit that helps orphans, survivors of trafficking, and refugees break their cycles of abuse and poverty. Garcia is traveling to all 80 of the foundation’s programs around the world, creating unique art pieces that aim to capture each program's unique feel with color, shape and words.

Keep Reading Show less
Art + Entertainment

Diana Madero, Thea Pheasey, Alejandra Peterman, Hillary Jebbitt

EIGHT CHEFS, THIRTY years — and one big dinner! Urban Harvest rang in its fourth decade of community gardens, farmers markets and food access at their annual farm-to-table dinner cooked up by some of the most notable chefs in town.

Keep Reading Show less
Parties