Papa Dee

Papa Dee
Papa Dee during an interview at Götgatsbacken, Stockholm, on 2 June 2008.
Background information
Birth name David Christopher Daniel Wahlgren
Also known as Papa Dee
Born (1966-07-13) 13 July 1966
Origin Gothenburg, Sweden
Genres Rap, ragga, dancehall
Occupation(s) Musician, songwriter
Instruments Vocals
Years active 1988–present
Associated acts The Bitter Twins
Stonefunkers
Brooklyn Funk Essentials
Website Official website

David Christopher Daniel Wahlgren (born 13 July 1966), better known by the stage name Papa Dee, is a Swedish rap, ragga and dancehall musician. His most commercially successful track is his version of the Cat Stevens song "The First Cut Is the Deepest".

Music career

Wahlgren debuted in 1988 with the single "Funky Raggamuffin/Let the Music Play", a mixture of dancehall and hip hop. He then joined the Stonefunkers and became the group's rapper. This was followed by a few years of cooperation with Rob'n'Raz. Wahlgren then went solo, and had his breakthrough in 1990 with the album Lettin' Off Steam, which was predominantly hip hop and dancehall. His next album, One Step Ahead, had elements of soul and reggae, mixing song and rap. His 1994 release, Original Master, produced by Denniz Pop at Cheiron Studio, incorporated Euro disco into his music.

During the 1990s and 2000s he released several albums, often in cooperation with Desmond Foster and a couple with Soundism. 2001, Soundism also produced the Papa Dee song "Hottie Hottie Girls" featuring Lady Saw,[1] Jamaica's prime female dancehall star. Kent (Gillström) Isaacs also produced a couple of Papa Dee's more dared and innovative albums. One of the albums they did together was the cover album, recorded in Jamaica, with reggae musicians including Horse-Mouth, Flabba Holt and Chinna Smith. He is also a member of The Brooklyn Funk Essentials and of Dubchek with David Barratt.

His songs have been featured in several feature films including Predator 2, starring Danny Glover. In 1997 Dubchek made music for the critically acclaimed Two Girls and a Guy featuring Robert Downey, Jr. and Heather Graham. In the Swedish feature film/comedy Smala Sussie Papa Dee was credited both featuring as himself onscreen and as songwriter.

PD composed music for the stage (Top Dog/ Underdog at Stockholms Stadsteater)

Due to his prolific yet flexible imprint Papa Dee has enjoyed a successful career as one of Sweden’s most sought after voice artists dubbing cartoons and movies alike.

He took on Eddie Murphy’s character in "Mulan" (1998) and "Mulan 2" (2005) as Mushu.

In Snow Dogs (2002) he rendered Cuba Gooding Jr's character .

Replacing Will Smith in the Swedish release of "Shark Tale/Hajar som Hajar" (2004) he featured as Oscar.

In Space Chimps (2008) he voiced Andy Samberg's character Ham 3.

As founding member of the NYC groove collective Brooklyn Funk Essentials he has recorded 4 full-length albums:

Cool and Steady and Easy (1994)

In the Buzz Bag (1998)

Make Them Like It (2000)

Watcha Playin’ (2009)

As Dubchek with David Barrat, Papa Dee recorded full-length albums

Down Memory Gap Lane (1998)

The Far East End (2010)

Highlights as featuring guest artist include:

Leftfield's Leftism on the track Release the Pressure (1995)

Titiyo My body says yes (1990)

Mad Professor compilation DJ’ s Choice Tribute to MLK (1990)

Diana King's album Respect (2002) in the duet Keep It On The Downlow

In 2001 Chrysler used his track ”Ispy” for its worldwide commercial.

Between 2000-2008 Papa Dee hosted his own radio show, P3 Rytm for SR, the Swedish National Radio Network

2012: Back on the move Papa Dee’s currently working on his book Was Jean Baptiste Bernadotte a blackman? and his upcoming album Fall From Grace is in the final stages.

Personal life

Wahlgren was born in Gothenburg, Sweden, to a Swedish mother and a Ghanaian father.[2] His father left the family when he was a small child.[3]

On 14 September 2008 Wahlgren was arrested; three days later he was charged (Swedish: Häktningbeslut) with grave assault (Swedish: grov misshandel) with bodily harm to his wife.[4][5] On 20 October 2008, a Swedish lower court found him guilty of a lesser charge of assault (Swedish: misshandel), and he was fined.[6][7][8] His wife categorically denied that maltreatment had taken place.[4][9]

In the 2010 re-trial all other charges were dropped. Papa Dee was furthermore reimbursed by the State due to the treatment and unlawful detention he’d been subject to.

As a consequence of the stress caused Papa Dee’s health deteriorated. He went through heart surgery in 2010.

His wife Andrea Wahlgren, (denying the allegations and never heard in court) wrote a book, ”En Fjärils Kamp” (A Butterfly’s Struggle) fuelled by the experience that no one wanted to hear her side of the events. It was released on www.vulkan.se (print on demand) and on the internet. Papa Dee and Andrea Wahlgren divorced in 2012.

Discography

Albums

  • Lettin' Off Steam (1990)
  • One Step Ahead (1993)
  • Original Master (1994)
  • The Journey (1996)
  • Island Rock (1998)
  • The Man Who Couldn't Say No (2001)
  • Live It Up! (2004)
  • A Little Way Different (2008)
  • Fall From Grace (2012)

Singles

Year Single Peak chart positions Album
SWE
[10]
NOR
[11]
FIN
[12]
AUT
[13]
1988 "Let The Music Play / Funky Raggamuffin" single only
1989 "Microphone Poet" (with Rob'n'Raz) Lettin' Off Steam
1990 "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" 16
"Lettin' Off Steam"
"Beautiful Woman (Love Supreme)"
1991 "Take It Easy" One Step Ahead
1992 "Ain't No Substitute" 6
1993 "Runaround Girl" 19
"Mr. Taxidriver"
1994 "I'd Rather Be With You" Original Master
"Jungle Sound Clash"
1995 "The First Cut Is the Deepest" 5920 The Journey
1996 "The Journey" 920
"The Tide Is High" 4420
"Feeding You Lies"
1998 "Island Rock" 23 Island Rock
"Endless Road"
1999 "The Big Showdown" The Man Who Couldn't Say No
2001 "I Spy" 40
"Hottie Hottie Girls"
2005 "My No 1" (from Melodifestivalen) 51 single only
"Murder In The Dancehall" Live It Up!
2008 "Suzy Wong" Papa Dee Meets The Jamaican Giants
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released.
Year Single Peak chart positions Album
SWE FIN UK US
1988 "Summertime Is Partytime / Summertime" (by Jon Rekdal) singles only
"Competition Is None" (by Rob'n'Raz)
1989 "After The Rain (Ragamuffin Style)" (by Titiyo) 1360
1990 "Big Bad World" (by Dayeene) United Soul Power
1991 "My Body Says Yes" (by Titiyo) 42 Titiyo
"Come Back (For Real Love) (The Remix)" (by Alison Limerick) 53 singles only
1992 "Girls" (by Timebomb)
1993 "Dangerous" (by Swing-A-Ling Sound System) Swing-A-Ling Sound System Volume One
1996 "Release The Pressure" (by Leftfield) 13 Leftism
"Rude Boy" (by Leila K) 298 Manic Panic
2000 "Petite Très Chic" (by Elephant) Selected Random
2003 "Girls' Anthem (The Girlie Tune)" (by Beats and Styles) 14 This Is... Beats And Styles
2004 "Allstars" (by Beats and Styles) 2 single only
2006 "Fira Med Oss" (by Emrik Larsson) Kontrollen
2007 "Take It Back" (by Beats And Styles) Walk, Don't Talk
"Automatic (Morgan Page vs. Peace Bisquit Radio Mix)" (by Ultra Naté) single only
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released.

Other appearances

  • Debut studio album - The Bitter Twins (TBA)

See also

References

  1. soundism.com
  2. "Papa Dee: "Mali var extra kul"" (in Swedish). Sundsvalls Tidning. 2008-08-15. Retrieved 2008-09-15.
  3. Persson, Sofia (2007-11-14). "Papa Dee letar efter sin pappa" (in Swedish). Expressen. Retrieved 2008-09-15.
  4. 1 2 Edblom, Kristina; Johannes Heuman (2008-10-17). ""Det är en  mardröm" (English translation: "This is a nightmare")" (in Swedish). Aftonbladet. Archived from the original on 2008-10-23. Retrieved 2008-10-23. Dagen efter händelsen anhålls Wahlgren för två fall av misshandel varav den senare bedöms som grov. Två dagar senare lämnas häktningsframställan in till Stockholms tingsrätt. […] Men Papa Dee nekar och Andrea har hela tiden hävdat att det inte kan var hennes man som skadade henne. (English translation: The next day, Whalgren was put under arrest for two instances of maltreatment, the second of which was later considered grave. Two days later he was charged at Stockholm's tingsrätt […] But Papa Dee denies the charges and Andrea has consistently upheld that it couldn't be him who caused the injury to her.)
  5. "Greps efter en festnatt i Stockholm (English translation: Arrested after party night in Stockholm)" (in Swedish). Expressen. 2008-10-17. Archived from the original on 2008-10-27. Retrieved 2008-10-27. 8 OKTOBER Papa Dee åtalas misstänkt för två fall av misshandel av hustrun Andrea Wahlgren. (English translation: 8 OCTOBER Papa Dee was prosecuted on suspicion of two incidents of maltreatment)
  6. Elfström, Josefine (2008-10-20). "Papa Dee dömd för misshandel (English translation: Papa Dee convicted for domestic disturbance)" (in Swedish). Expressen. Archived from the original on 2008-10-23. Retrieved 2008-10-23. Daniel Wahlgren knuffade in sin fru Andrea i en stenvägg. I dag dömdes artisten till dagsböter för misshandel utomhus. Däremot frias han av en oenig tingsrätt från misstankarna om misshandel i bostaden.
  7. Linné, Peter (2008-10-21). "Papa Dee dömd för misshandel (English translation: Papa Dee convicted for domestic violence)" (in Swedish). Göteborgs-Posten. Archived from the original on 2008-10-21. Retrieved 2008-10-21. Den kände artisten Papa Dee fälldes idag av Stockholms tingsrätt. Han döms till dagsböter eftersom den misshandel - där hustrun är offret - som gått att bevisa endast anses som ringa. (English translation: The well known artist Papa Dee was convicted today by Stockholm's tingsrätt. He was sentenced to pay day-fines since the evidence in the domestic violence case - where his wife was the victim - was only enough to convict him on a lesser charge of 'assault')
  8. Trichen, Robert; Kristina Edblom (2008-10-21). "Papa Dee dömd till dagsböter i dag (English translation: Papa Dee sentenced to pay fines)". Aftonbladet. Archived from the original on 2008-10-21. Retrieved 2008-10-21. Artisten Daniel ”Papa Dee” Wahlgren dömdes i dag till dagsböter på 70 á 120 kronor för att ha knuffat in sin hustru Andrea Wahlgren i en husvägg. Åtalspunkten för misshandel av normalgraden ogillades av Stockholms tingsrätt, som dock var oenig i sin dom. Ordföranden och en nämndeman ville fälla Wahlgren även för den allvarligare misshandeln som påstods ha skett i parets bostad i Stockholm.
  9. Røyseland, Halstein (2008-10-17). "Svensk stjerne står fram: - Jeg er uskyldig (English translation: Swedish star says: I'm innocent)" (in Norwegian). VG. Archived from the original on 2008-10-20. Retrieved 2008-10-23.
  10. "Swedish chart - Papa Dee". swedishcharts.com. 1 August 2014.
  11. "Norwegian chart - Papa Dee". norwegiancharts.com. 1 August 2014. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014.
  12. "Finish chart - Papa Dee". finnishcharts.com. 1 August 2014. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014.
  13. "Austrian chart - Papa Dee". austriancharts.at. 1 August 2014. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.