You can always tell when an artist is worth their salt if they step behind the mic for the LA Leakers. We've seen no shortage of excellent bars from lyricists like Reason, Mez, and DaBaby, and now Pop Smoke can add his name to the list of contributors. Following the release of his breakout "Welcome To The Party" single, Smoke has been touted as one of New York's rising voices. It's only fitting the Leakers hooked him up with a G-Unit classic, the formative 50 Cent cut "U Not Like Me."
Off the bat, the Red Spyda produced instrumental strikes a gritty chord, the perfect backdrop for street reflections. Pop Smoke sets things off on a surprising note, spitting a double-time flow in contrast with Fif's own collected menace. Eventually, he slows things down to a more comfortable pace, one that highlights the depth of his lyrics. "Manslaughter and the homicides, whole bunch of mamas cry," spits Smoke. "Whole bunch of n***as die, looking up I wonder why."
Between his baritone cadence and his New York state of mind, there are more than a few nostalgic shades of the G-Unit collective. Be sure to check this one out, if only to see that there's plenty more to Pop Smoke than a viral single. Keep this man on your radar.