In the 5 years since rising hip-hop producer Powers Pleasant dropped 2019’s Life Is Beautiful, his debut studio album, life actually has sucked. From the COVID-19 pandemic to the sweeping Black Lives Matter protests that rocked his hometown of Brooklyn, NY, this making an attempt half-decade culminated in Powers’ sophomore effort, the thrilling Life Sucks, which he launched on Oct. 4 as his first full-length venture on Mass Appeal.
Featuring a plethora of hip-hop heavyweights, together with A$AP Ferg, Denzel Curry, Joey Bada$$, Mike Dimes, Saba, Dro Kenji, Dc the Don, AG Club and Guapdad 4000, Life Sucks explores the darkish introspection that characterised a lot of the final 5 years, in addition to the boundless vitality and verve that New York’s rap scene lately channeled into fusions of drill and Jersey membership. From “That’s Tough” to “Bandoe,” Powers easily flips between these two modes, by no means dwelling in a single emotional house for too lengthy.
Life Sucks additionally options its fair proportion of girls in hip-hop — reminiscent of Audrey Nuna, Armani Caesar, Tkay Maidza – placing the document in dialog with feminine rapper’s mainstream dominance in 2024. For Powers, collaboration is all about giving everybody a shot, therefore the whopping 21 totally different artists featured throughout the album. “I don’t give a f—k about any of that,” he tells Billboard over Zoom as he rides by Mexico City forward of Curry’s Club Mischievous Halloween livestream occasion. “I like dope artists, I don’t care if you’re a man or a woman. I work with people that are dope and I try to give them an opportunity.”
To rejoice one month of his newest album, Powers Pleasant broke down 5 self-selected key tracks from Life Sucks.
“SMH” (feat. Joey Bada$$, CJ Fly, Nyck Caution and Aaron Rose)
This is a little bit little bit of an older tune. It’s with Joey Bada$$, CJ Fly, Nyck Caution and Aaron Rose. This tune has such a spot in my coronary heart, it has a whole lot of the professionals on it and it’s certainly one of my favourite tracks on the album. I like the way it feels like a boom-bap tune, it’s tremendous vibey. We made that tune collectively in Williamsburg. Everybody goes loopy on it, however Joey actually killed that verse.
Most individuals don’t even understand it’s him! He got here out and carried out it at my first headlining present at Baby’s All Right in Brooklyn and it was a particular second to have all of us onstage as a result of we haven’t touched the stage collectively in fairly a while. It was a particular second for the day-one followers and for me to the touch my roots the place I began.
“Bandoe” (feat. Denzel Curry, Meechy Darko & Soulja Livin Tru)
I made this one with Denzel Curry, Soulja Livin Tru and Meechy Darko at Dot da Genius’ studio, The Brewery in downtown LA – Denzel has a room in there. It was my first time assembly Soulja Livin Tru, and he simply had this uncooked vitality. He’s very genuine and true to himself. I believe this was the primary beat I performed, and he simply went within the sales space and did the verse and the hook in a single take. I used to be like, “Oh, nah this is f—king hard!” He had double entendres and his movement was f—king sick. I like highlighting lesser-known artists with greater artists and making bangers collectively as a result of it places them in entrance of a complete new viewers.
“Shmoke” (feat. A$AP Ferg & Armani Caesar)
I made this in LA with Ferg and Armani [Caesar]. Ferg was truly recording one other observe that I had already made. At the time, I performed him each single beat I assumed he would love. So, I used to be like, “Damn, I need something. I need some s—t right now.” I used to be going by my e-mail and located some s—t that had a lot vitality. I liked the horns. I knew I had quarter-hour to make the beat whereas Ferg was within the sales space recording, so I had my headphones on going to work. He got here out of the sales space to listen to [his playback], and he heard a few of the new beat by my headphones and he was like, “This is fire, load that s—t up.” He simply went in there and went loopy with Armani; their chemistry is so wonderful.
That was my first time listening to Armani on a banger and he or she f—king slid on that s—t, it was simply so natural and actual. I like when songs simply come collectively and also you’re not making an attempt too arduous to make one thing, it’s simply pure. “Shmoke” is the one tune that has a pattern — “Technologic” by Daft Punk. That s—t was costly as f—okay. We truly ended up interpolating it; we re-recorded it so we might simply must clear it on the publishing facet.
I often don’t pattern that a lot, due to the enterprise of it — however I do love samples. As an impartial artist, I don’t all the time have the finances to clear sure issues, so I prefer to work with a whole lot of sample-makers or co-producers to get my imaginative and prescient throughout. If it’s dope, it’s dope; I’m by no means gonna not make some s—t as a result of there’s a pattern. It’s all about what matches the vibe.
“Endtro” (feat. Denzel Curry & Hannah Mundine)
This is one other certainly one of my favourite songs on the album. I made this one with my bro Tim Randolph. For this one, I used to be considering stadium standing – large, grand toast music, however not essentially only a banger. I needed to include totally different vibes, so the 808s are distorted on some lure s—t, nevertheless it’s not a lure beat, there are boom-bap drums and a heavy-ass guitar. When we have been making the beat, [Tim] despatched me the chords that turned the hook – and he was truly beginning a brand new beat on the time. But I used to be like, “This is f—king crazy how it goes from nice s—t to super hard s—t.” It’s form of like day and night time, the juxtaposition between these elements was caught in my coronary heart. I like the way it goes from this serene, angelic vibe with Hannah Mundine on the hook, after which Denzel simply goes loopy.
“Baby Boy Is Drunk” (feat. AG Club & Audrey Nuna)
It’s form of a loopy beat — I don’t know what the f—okay I used to be considering once I made that s—t. [Laughs]. But it’s a banger! I like throwing bizarre sounds collectively. I used to be within the studio with AG and we made this collectively, and so they slid on that s—t so easy. I by no means actually heard no s—t like that from them earlier than.
I used to be nearing the completion of [Life Sucks] and this was one of many previous few songs that wasn’t totally completed. I used to be like, “Damn, who would kill this s—t? Audrey. Her and AG Club would go crazy.” I despatched it to her, she completely smashed it, and it turned the tune we all know immediately.
With this album, I really feel like I’ve grown as an all-around artist. I prefer to credit score working with Dot da Genius and Dre Moon – who’re each extremely gifted, gifted, award-winning producers. I’m extra intentional with how I create now. Putting myself in rooms with individuals who I believe are higher and extra gifted than me makes me go even tougher as a result of I really feel like I’ve to be at that stage. I’m all the time pushing myself and striving to be one of the best, so I like working with different artists and getting out of my consolation zone. Being comfy is dope, however you don’t develop in consolation. You must put your self in uncomfortable positions to develop and be wonderful.
I by no means have a specific sound, it’s all me simply sporting totally different hats. I’m not precisely certain the place I’m going with the following document. I believe this is likely to be the top of the Life sequence for now; we’re gonna open an entire new chapter.
