Sean Paul Reveals The Story Behind His Stage Name

Mya Abraham
·2 min read
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Sean Paul recently unveiled some loose inspiration behind his stage name. Born Sean Paul Ryan Francis Henriques, the 49-year-old explained to Vice in a mini-documentary that part of the moniker stemmed from a Guyanese cricketer Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

“Everybody was like, ‘Sean da Paul,’ and that name stuck,” the beloved dancehall artist stated. “Then I just started to say it in shows and met the dude Chanderpaul years later, and he’s like, ‘Yo!’ But yeah, big up to Shivnarine Chanderpaul.”

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After the documentary aired, the “Get Busy” artist tweeted, “If u didnt kno ~ now you kno: big up #Chanderpaul.”

Paul recently made his Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade debut alongside fellow Jamaican artist Ziggy Marley. According to reports, the “Temperature” artist is the first dancehall act to perform during the annual event.

“Thanksgiving in NYC is always a Vibe!!! Honored to be apart of @macys Parade representing for dancehall and Jamaica,” he wrote on Instagram.

Earlier this year, Paul released his eighth studio album, Scorcha, which has been nominated for GRAMMY in 2023 for Best Reggae Album. When speaking about the new LP that admittedly differentiates from his 2002 Grammy-winning album, he told VIBE, “I have bridged a gap where I’ve become successful at doing the usual thing but now it’s my own sound. I’ve always wanted the music to evolve and go somewhere without losing the roots.”

He added, “The style on this album is totally me. Yes, I’ve done some changes to the work, but there’s also that root there. [..] I’m showing maturity on this album with tracks like ‘Borrowed Time,’ ‘Calling On Me,’ and also, ‘No Fear.’ They’re more thoughtful and mature topics. I’ve been criticized as carrying it too pop-y at times. I’ve been criticized as watering down the original sound. But when you’re a key player, you affect change.”

Watch the full oral history behind “Get Busy” above.

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