It is 1996. You are in a rusted-out Corolla with a crossfader apoxied to the dashboard. Killsadie, De La Soul, and Lifter Puller are maxing out the speakers. The window does not go down, no AC. He is singing, and smiling like a motherfucker. Welcome to Paper Tiger’s car.

Paper Tiger is Doomtree’s live DJ, our resident graphic designer, and one of our esteemed producers. Paper grew up with music at home, as the son of Minneapolis rocker Johnny Rey. As a teenager, Paper was friend to P.O.S, Cecil Otter, Mike Mictlan and MK Larada. After high school, the four lived in the now [in]famous Doomtree House—a den of creativity, beer cans, stencils, trash, and neighborhood concern.

As a producer, Paper Tiger’s style reveals his varied tastes. Listen for the influences of mid-school rap, electronic music, his friends. His snares snap, and his samples are distinguished by unusual textures and treatments. The music he makes ranges from the beautiful lamentations like Canonade (from his False Hopes release) to club-fire bangers like Game Over with Mike Mictlan, or Low light / Low Life off “Never Better” by P.O.S.

As a graphic artist, Paper keeps the Doomtree website, posters, and flyers on point. Sunglasses, skateboards, sneakers, NYC, Helvetica—all true of Mr. Tiger.