Review: "Meet The Woo 2" Album by Pop Smoke
He’s definitely not the next Tupac Shakur, but it’s undeniable that Pop Smoke’s drill style of gangster is incredibly catchy, and he’s sort of created a sub-genre of rap with his one-of-a-kind delivery. At just 20 years old, Smoke starting blending his NYC swag with a UK style of drill rapping. In lieu of rappers like Waka Flocka fading into the background, artists like Smoke are here to pick up the slack. He’s made for the radio, with that raspy growl and addictive but hood-friendly hooks. His latest project is a mixtape follow-up to “Meet The Woo” dubbed “Meet The Woo 2”.
With singles like “Christopher Walking” dropping before the album, we at DCWS were pretty hype for the ultimate product of “Meet The Woo 2”. Filled with Pop’s signature adlibs, his sound does get a little repetitive over time, but there are some stand-out tracks that are going to be dominating roof parties as soon as the weather starts to warm up.
Lyrics aren’t exactly Smoke’s strong suit, but he pleasantly surprised us with “Element” and “Armed and Dangerous”. Element showed off a more clever side of the rapper with witty pop culture references like “I have her hanging off the rod like she Mimi.” Sweetheart shows a slight less aggressive side of Smoke and blends beautifully with Fivio Foreign’s husky vocals to create a well-textured song and creepy hook that helps keep the album from getting monotonous.
The Canarsie-raised native also brings more of his moshpit inducing bangers to the table like “Shake the Room” featuring Quavo, a kindred spirit to Pop in terms of chill personality with a dose of turn-up. Hypnotizing female vocals give us snake charmer vibes that are perfectly paired with a spliff.
“Dior” is featured as a bonus track, but it’s one of our favorite tracks that embody the Pop Smoke spirit. It’s lighthearted, filled with drip and party vibes embody NYC. This project feels full circle next to its predecessor, “Meet The Woo” which included his breakout track “Welcome to the Party.” Pop is a gangster no doubt, but an easy one that likes to dance and “get retarded off the xan.” His foremost priority is to chill out and party, which is a message we’re grateful for in the mess that is 2020.