Posted by Andrew Unterberger on 01/05/2013 at 12:56 PM Videos

The Popdust Files: N.O.R.E., name changes, P.A.P.I.

Remember N.O.R.E., the Queens-bred rapper behind such delectable ’00s hip-hop jams as “Nothin’” and “Oye Mi Canto”? He’s coming back in 2013 with Student of the Game, his first album in six years, as well as a new single, “Tadow” featuring 2 Chainz, Pusha T and French Montana, to be released soon. But when you see N.O.R.E. again, he’s gonna look a little different—in the artist credit, anyway. where N.O.R.E. will now be known as P.A.P.I.

Talking to MTV, P.A.P.I. explaiend that he wanted to “do something totally different for the album,” and had entertained such name-change ideas as Superthug (because of his breakout single of the same name) and Good Belt (“Coz every time you see me, I got on a good belt”). But ultimately, he went with P.A.P.I., because it’s the name he was originally known by. “My name in Lefrak City and my name in Queens is actually P.A.P.I., it’s not even N.O.R.E.,” the rapper says, additionally explaining that the name acronym stands for Power Always Proves Intelligence. (Sure.)

P.A.P.I. works well enough, but we sorta wish he’d gone with Good Belt. 2 Chainz has clearly made it acceptable to name yourself after fashion accessories, and how great a self-introduction would shouting “GOOOOD BELLLLLLT!!!!” be? “People ain’t ready for Good Belt,” though, claims the rapper formerly known as P.A.P.I. Maybe he’s right.