POP Buchanan – 5th Grade [Single]

POP Buchanan’s “5th Grade” is like a guided tour through Crown Heights in the late 80s and 90s. With producer/beatmaker Nudgi-Nudge‘s guttural beat driving it forward, POP takes us deep into his vivid memories of a childhood tangled up with crack cocaine, and violence. This joint from the Grand Echelon signee nails the sound and spirit of old NYC, bringing that hard knock, straight from the block sound.

Take this line: “Then DOOMS got locked by the cops/ shit still early, crack put the devil in the kitchen/ that Nino brown shit wasn’t fiction/ nobody snitching/ bodies got dropped every day/ we still came outside to play.” It gives you a glimpse into the chaos and unpredictability of that time as Buchanan‘s raspy, rough-edged voice cuts through the rumble of Nudgi’s drums.

While it might be a bit much to say that POP Buchanan is the kind of artist who wears his heart on his sleeve, you can connect to what he’s feeling in his lyrics. Influenced by his Brooklyn roots and his journey to sobriety, “5th Grade” highlights POP‘s tough climb to make it through, letting listeners know that while life’s a struggle the real ones keep fighting to finish. 

Connect with POP Buchanan via the links listed:

( Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram | Official_Site | Soundcloud | Spotify | Threads | TikTok | Twitter | YouTube )