DJ Paul has opened up about the origins of the stage name for the iconic Memphis Hip-Hop group Three 6 Mafia.
In a recent episode of the Dumb Blonde Podcast with Bunnie XO, DJ Paul set the record straight about the origins of Three 6 Mafia’s name and shut down long-standing speculation that it has any connection to satanism. When asked about the inspiration behind the group’s name, DJ Paul explained that it initially stemmed from a lyric by Lord Infamous.
“Basically Lord Infamous said ‘Triple Six Mafia’ in a song,” he recalled. “That wasn’t even our group name. He just said it. He was just like, ‘A Triple Six Mafia falling dun, dun, dun in a silencer.’ And I liked that. And I was like, ‘Whoa, that’s dope.'”
"It was just an image."
— The Art Of Dialogue (@ArtOfDialogue_) February 17, 2025
DJ Paul denies ever studying Satan and shuts down rumors that Three 6 Mafia was involved in satanism.
(🎥 BunnieXo/YouTube) pic.twitter.com/XePmOjGiQP
DJ Paul continued, explaining how he began sampling the phrase in the music he was producing, and as a result, it quickly gained popularity among their audience.
“It still wasn’t our name,” he said. “I would just sample it. And then, when it was time to form a group, I was like, ‘Hey, we should call ourselves Triple Six Mafia.’ And everybody liked it.”
He noted that as the group gained traction, an unexpected fan base emerged.
“Next thing I know, white fans came like that,” he said. They flocked to us. Then we got a call to do a show in Bartlett, Tennessee. I’m like, ‘Bartlett, Tennessee? I didn’t even know Black folks could go out there.’ And then we just started doing shows in nothing but white clubs.”
As the conversation continued, DJ Paul switched gears and addressed the rumors about his deceased rap peer Lord Infamous’ alleged ties to satanism. Though DJ Paul didn’t shy away from confirming that Lord Infamous did indeed “experiment” with the non-theistic religion, he made it clear that it was never a serious belief system for him.
“I know Lord Infamous has gone on record to say that he dabbled in like Satanism and all that stuff,” he said. “He didn’t do that for real. He didn’t know. I just watched an interview with him last night where he was talking about how he went to hell and demons were torturing him. And like, it was crazy. And I was just high.”
When Bunnie XO pressed him on whether there was any real satanic reasoning behind the name, DJ Paul was firm in his response.
“No, the lore has always just kind of like—your reputation precedes you,” he said. “Yeah, it was just an image. It was just something that was cool. We never studied Satan or any of that. I don’t know nothing about all that.”
DJ Paul also countered any claims about the sinister intent of the group’s name by emphasized his deep roots in church, highlighting his musical upbringing.
“I grew up singing ‘Amazing Grace’ in the church and playing the organ,” he said. “Everybody knows that every Sunday in Mississippi. It don’t get no more churchier.”
Lord Infamous passed away in 2013 at age 40 after suffering a major heart attack. Before Three 6 Mafia existed, DJ Paul and Lord Infamous were apart of a duo called Da Serial Killaz. They released their popular mixtape Come With Me To Hell in 1993 which was home to what would eventually become the Three 6 Mafia fan-favorite tracks “Tear da Club Up” and “P#### Movie.”