Who I Smoke
| "Who I Smoke" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Yungeen Ace, Spinabenz, and FastMoney Goon featuring Whoppa Wit Da Choppa | ||||
| from the album Life of Betrayal 2x | ||||
| Released | April 16, 2021 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 2:14 | |||
| Label | Cinematic | |||
| Songwriter(s) |
| |||
| Producer(s) | Drilltime | |||
| Yungeen Ace singles chronology | ||||
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| Spinabenz singles chronology | ||||
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| FastMoney Goon singles chronology | ||||
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| Whoppa Wit Da Choppa singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Who I Smoke" on YouTube | ||||
"Who I Smoke" is a song by American rappers Yungeen Ace, Spinabenz, and FastMoney Goon featuring Whoppa Wit Da Choppa. Released as a single on April 16, 2021,[1] "Who I Smoke" samples Vanessa Carlton's "A Thousand Miles"[2][3][4][5] and serves as a diss track against multiple deceased people who are specifically named and disrespected in the song. "Who I Smoke" performed successfully for the featured rappers, going viral throughout social media and on music platforms following its release.[1] "Who I Smoke" was described by HipHopCanada as having exemplified "Jacksonville's deadly KTA vs. ATK war"; the rappers featured are associated with ATK,[6] which sources have described it standing for "Ace's Top Killers", "Ace to Kill", or "Aim to Kill".[7] Many of the individuals named in the song were friends with Julio Foolio, another rapper who, prior to his death, were rivals against the creators of "Who I Smoke".[8]
Lyrics from the song were later used by prosecutors against Spinabenz (Noah Williams) in 2022 as alleged evidence on a charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, though Williams was found not guilty on the case.[9]
Music video
[edit]"Who I Smoke" was initially released as a music video on YouTube.[10] Directed by TeoShotThis, it features the artists in a golf course[11] wearing polo shirts and khakis, partying, smoking cigars, and "hurling threats at their opps".[12][11] The music video, described by HotNewHipHop as being edited in "comical" fashion, also features the artists "smoking on" various deceased rival gang members, including "Bibby", "Teki", and "Lil Nine".[11]
Reception
[edit]Eric Wells of Complex characterized "Who I Smoke" as being one of multiple which contained "wildly disrespectful lyrics," though adding that "beyond all the shock value is an undeniably talented new era of rappers, who are all drawing attention to themselves in their own ways".[1] Alex Zidel of HotNewHipHop described the song as being "one of the most disrespectful songs of the entire year, and quite possibly one of the most hilarious diss tracks of the last decade".[10]
The rappers behind "Who I Smoke" received criticism due to its sampling of Vanessa Carlton's "A Thousand Miles", after which Carlton responded with a statement reading: "To the white folks that have expressed anger/shock over my approval of A Thousand Miles’ usage in the Spinabenz, Whoppa Wit Da Choppa, Yungeen Ace, & FastMoney Goon song Who I Smoke, I invite you to ask yourself why you feel this way & then read this." Along with her statement, Carlton attached the McNair Scholars Research Journal article Share Cropping Blackness: White Supremacy and the Hyper-Consumption of Black Popular Culture.[13]
Certifications
[edit]| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[14] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Wells, Eric (June 3, 2021). "The Explosive Rise of Jacksonville Rap". Complex. Archived from the original on June 3, 2021. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
- ^ Caraan, Sophie (June 1, 2021). "Vanessa Carlton Defends "A Thousand Miles" Sample on Rap Song "Who I Smoke"". Hypebeast. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
- ^ Pierre, Alphonse (May 14, 2021). "Rap's Latest "Shocking" Viral Scheme Is Not Shocking at All". Pitchfork. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
- ^ Marie, Erika (May 31, 2021). "Vanessa Carlton Defends Rappers Sampling "A Thousand Miles" On "Who I Smoke"". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
- ^ Williams, Aaron (March 29, 2021). "'Who I Smoke's Vanessa Carlton 'A Thousand Miles' Sample Is Driving Fans Wild". Uproxx. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
- ^ "Spinabenz, Whoppa Wit Da Choppa, Yungeen Ace & FastMoney Goon team up for "Who I Smoke"". HipHopCanada. April 20, 2021. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
- ^ Bridges, C. A. (June 24, 2024). "Jacksonville rapper shot, killed in Florida, attorney says. Who is Julio Foolio?". The Florida Times-Union. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
- ^ Cole, Alexander (April 25, 2021). "Foolio Responds To "Who I Smoke" With Fantasia-Inspired Track "When I See You"". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
- ^ Zaru, Deena (October 21, 2022). "Rapper found not guilty in case where lyrics were used as evidence". ABC News. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
- ^ a b Zidel, Alex (April 16, 2021). ""Who I Smoke" Gets Added To Streaming Services". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
- ^ a b c Zidel, Alex (March 31, 2021). ""Who I Smoke" Is A Viral Masterpiece From Florida Rappers Spinabenz, Whoppa Wit Da Choppa, Yungeen Ace, & FastMoney Goon". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
- ^ Brace, Ryan (April 13, 2021). "'Who I Smoke' is 2021's shocking viral hit". The Michigan Daily. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
- ^ Caraan, Sophie (June 1, 2021). "Vanessa Carlton Defends "A Thousand Miles" Sample on Rap Song "Who I Smoke"". Hypebeast. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
- ^ "American single certifications – Yungeen Ace – Who I Smoke". Recording Industry Association of America.