New year, new N.O.R.E. After 16 years in the rap game, Noreaga [1] has changed his name to P.A.P.I.

"Sometimes if you're lost, the best way to find where you're at is to go to the beginning," P.A.P.I. told MTV News [2]. "My mother doesn't even call me Victor, my father has never called me Victor, my teachers didn't even call me Victor… 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 acronym for the Queens rapper's new name stands for Power Always Proves Intelligence.

Along with the name change, P.A.P.I. is working on his sixth studio album, "Student of the Game." He recruited VIP friends French Montana [3], 2 Chainz [4], and Pusha T [5] for his first single, "Tadow." The video, released yesterday (Sunday, Jan. 6), includes cameos by DJ Khaled [6], Diddy [7], Busta Rhymes [8], Lil Wayne [9], and Kanye West [10].