Co$$, “Pot Ash”

Don’t let the title fool you. “Pot Ash” is about the deep thoughts that unfurl in Co$$’s mind after the blunt is lit. Producer Exile creates a throwback beat that evokes 90s hip-hop in its jazzy saxophone and piano keys. It serves as a nice, complementary backdrop to Co$$’s bittersweet ruminations. “Cops pass/ They racial profile/ They see my profile is similar to my dad’s,” raps the LA emcee, adding that he hasn’t smiled much since his father passed away. Women don’t offer much consolation, either, and he’s painfully aware of his helplessness in their midst. “Told me ‘Troy, write a song for me’/ But it’s hard to speak when I’m tongue-tied/ Feeling like I’m untied/ Fighting but it’s hard to defend/ My heart from grieving,” he raps. This is beautiful stuff. – Mosi Reeves

"Pot Ash" Co$$