Papi Da Connect is Using Music to Bridge the Gap Between the Life He Has and the Life He Deserves.
Adverse conditions can be a hurdle to success for many people and kindling for others. Papi Da Connect, also known as Capi Cu, has overcome more adversity than people see in a lifetime. His brief time on the streets of Brooklyn, New York, only added to his grief. Over the years, he’s made his fair share of mistakes while gaining clarity on his life’s path. Now, blessed with a chance to make music and change lives, the only thing on his mind is making sure the world dances to his rhythm and rewards him for it.
Born in Brooklyn’s King County Hospital as Rafael Hernandez, Papi’s early life was tumultuous. Family issues led to his mother and his siblings moving down to Georgia when he was still a child. When asked about his childhood, Papi is direct and unwavering.
“My family and I ended up homeless when I was around the age of four. My mother and father were both originally from the Bronx, and after they got into a fight, it left us in the middle of the Bronx in the winter. We eventually moved in with our aunt and her husband to Georgia. He was in the military stationed in Hinesville, Georgia.”
Papi started his schooling experience in Puerto Rico from kindergarten to third grade. From there, he came back to Georgia, spending some time in Hinesville before moving to Augusta.
All the change and turmoil brought its share of pain to Papi, but more than anything, it conditioned him to the idea of being the only one. Papi was the only Puerto Rican student in his English language learner classes. His forceful personality and popularity often caused clashes with his peers, who envied the attention he got, which led to frequent fights. It wasn’t long before Papi dabbled in the streets.
“I was doing my thug shit, banging and doing certain things, and music wasn’t a priority back then.
Fighting in school along with rampant absences affected Papi’s educational career, and it wasn’t long before he found himself kicked out of three schools in Augusta, including Glen Hills High School and Butler High School by the 10th grade. From there, he and his family moved to Arlington, Texas. The…
