BS: The Samoan nickname "uso" has become popular in the locker room because of you. What does it mean, and what bond does it signify?

DP: "It's cool. 'Uso' means 'my brother' in Samoan. It's really cool that you'll walk around the locker room and hear a lot of people saying it. Everyone's like, 'What's up, uso?' It's really cool, man. It's just a family vibe. Just showing others, 'Yeah, you're my brother. You're my friend.' That's what the team's about. It's not about yourself or me; it's about we, it's about us and it's about team. That's what I love about the word uso. It just really brings everyone together."

BS: What are other ways you stay connected to your Samoan roots?

DP: "I love listening to Samoan music and not only that, just the way I was raised, my mom and dad raised me being able to go back home to Samoa. They took me there when I was little and I learned my culture, learned my roots. All those teachings just stuck in my heart, man. I was able to just try to teach those same teachings to my kids, and those teachings are: respect, love, treating others how you want to be treated, respecting your elders and just always trying to compete and be hungry."

BS: I know music holds a lot of meaning in your life. How did that come to be the case in your family?

DP: "I think just being an islander, we're big reggae music guys. We love island music, and we love music, period. It's just being an islander. Music is a big part of our life. When you go to Samoa and you go to the islands, on Sunday … the island just kind of shuts down. Everyone goes to church, everyone's singing, praising God and [doing so] through music and instruments, and stuff like that. Music, God, religion [are] real big in Samoa."

BS: This may be a little philosophical, but how do you describe the connection between music and personal expression and religion?