Brooklyn drill rapper
Pop Smoke
picked up on the momentum of his 2019 debut
Meet the Woo
with second mixtape
Meet the Woo, Vol. 2
just a few months later. The project is defined by
Smoke
's puffed-up confidence and deep, husky vocals that teeter between sinister charisma and all-out menace. Production is handled by
Yoz Beatz
,
808Melo
, and several others, and the instrumentals match
's dark-edged persona with room-shaking bass that leaves just enough room for moody samples.
Lil Tjay
shows up on both the lurching and trappy ode to wealth "War" and "Mannequin," and other guests include
Quavo
Fivio Foreign
, and
A Boogie Wit da Hoodie
on the grimy album standout "Foreigner." When
goes it alone, his no-holds-barred style feels relentless and unstoppable. "Dior" is
at the height of his powers, throwing bars effortlessly and riding an explosive beat typical to the blunt, aggressive feel that flows through the entire mixtape. This unrelentingly raw energy is what makes
some of
's best material. Every song walks a razor-thin line between fun and danger, thick with the same tension that fills the room right before a fight breaks out.
keeps this tension hanging for the entire duration of the tape, creating something that's exhilaratingly bleak and always ready to explode. ~ Fred Thomas