There is a lot more to Pop Du’Rilla than meets the ear. True to the essence of his moniker, the explosive energy of this gritty Hip Hop soldier opens eyes and commands attention. After surviving years of ups and downs in his music career, Pop is back on track with a new deal and a fresh approach.

Born in Patterson, New Jersey and raised in Decatur, Georgia, Pop was first inspired to rhyme by The Sugarhill Gang around age 12. He enjoyed battling, and gained a rep for his witty verses. In the early 90’s he was signed to Boston-based label Critique Records under the name Poppa Doo. “ I came out with my first album Walk Like A Play Ya – no guest appearances, and I sold like 30,000,” explains Pop. “It flopped like a muthafucka, but for me being unknown and it doing 30,000, they gave me another shot. I ended up doing another album and shooting a video for it featuring MC Breed and Smif N Wessun. That did pretty good. I had two videos on BET – I had ‘Walk Like A Play Ya’, and my second video was ‘Mother’s Prayer’, a black and white video. They were giving me real heavy spins with it.” 

In an attempt to expand the roster, Critique Records signed Digital Underground to a contract. Their project, Future Rhythm, did not fare well, and the situation left Pop out of a deal. Despite the setback, Pop kept himself in the mix and eventually ended up getting a chance to work with Suave House Records. “I was able to be featured on an 8-Ball song, then they asked me to do a solo song and it went from there,” explains Pop. “We went to New York to do the album, and were managed by Jam Master Jay. Jay got us the deal, basically Jay flew me to New York – we did a demo, and he asked me what label did I want to go to. I gave him three labels in particular – at the time Rap-A-Lot was hot, Master P’s label No Limit, and Suave House. It so happened he was going to Suave House to do “Run’s House” over, he let them hear my tape and the man wanted to sign me.” 

Even in such good company, there were still challenges on the business end for Pop. “We ended up recording an album, but [leaving was] really was kinda on me. I was being jerked out of a lot of money at the time. I was supposed to be given some more money when I got back [to New York]. Jam Master Jay wasn’t taking it from me, his company was, and he was on tour all the time so he didn’t really have hands-on as far as the management part.” Despite the financial situations with the management firm, Pop held Jay in high regard. “Jay was my man. His funeral was real hard for me – it was hard for me to see him lying in the casket like that. It was a real humbling experience for me, because when I think of him sometimes I see him like that. There will never be another Jay. That energy that Jay had – it had to go somewhere, cuz that man right there was full of energy.” 

During his tribulations, Pop visited the Pacific Northwest with Castro of The Outlawz, and decided that he enjoyed the area. Within a couple of years, Pop relocated permanently to the Pacific Northwest for a change of pace. He met up with a newly formed Noc On Records team, and after a year or so of building the relationship both label and artist decided that joining forces would mutually beneficial. Any reservations Pop had about revitalizing his career with such a young label were quickly laid to rest. “At one time it was kind of humbling, because I’ve been through a lot to get where I’m at now,” he explains. “For me to have to start over, it’s like back stepping. But then again, I took it as a positive and ran with it. God don’t make no mistakes. Like a newborn baby I’m given a whole ‘nother chance. If you ever heard somebody say ‘If I only knew then what I know now’ – I got that chance.” 

With plans laid out for a new album and live performances in 2004, Pop expresses enthusiasm for the next phase of his life. “It’s a positive for me, because I got faith in this record company. They’re growing, and they know the direction they wanna go in. I’ve seen real potential at this label for them to pay attention to me, hands on. We’re gonna make this project happen. For me it means financial stability, no more hustling, and for people to feel and hear what I’m saying. I want people to grasp what I’m saying and run with it. I’m ready.”

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