In the five years since rising hip-hop producer Powers Pleasant dropped 2019’s Life Is Beautiful, his debut studio album, life really has sucked. From the COVID-19 pandemic to the sweeping Black Lives Matter protests that rocked his hometown of Brooklyn, NY, this trying half-decade culminated in Powers’ sophomore effort, the thrilling Life Sucks, which he released on Oct. 4 as his first full-length project on Mass Appeal.
Featuring a plethora of hip-hop heavyweights, including A$AP Ferg, Denzel Curry, Joey Bada$$, Mike Dimes, Saba, Dro Kenji, Dc the Don, AG Club and Guapdad 4000, Life Sucks explores the dark introspection that characterized much of the last five years, as well as the boundless energy and verve that New York’s rap scene recently channeled into fusions of drill and Jersey club. From “That’s Tough” to “Bandoe,” Powers smoothly flips between these two modes, never dwelling in one emotional space for too long.
Life Sucks also features its fair share of women in hip-hop — such as Audrey Nuna, Armani Caesar, Tkay Maidza – putting the record in conversation with female rapper’s mainstream dominance in 2024. For Powers, collaboration is all about giving everyone a shot, hence the whopping 21 different artists featured across the album. “I don’t give a f—k about any of that,” he tells Billboard over Zoom as he rides through Mexico City ahead of Curry’s Club Mischievous Halloween livestream event. “I like dope artists, I don’t care if you’re a man or a woman. I work with people that are dope and I try to give them an opportunity.”
To celebrate one month of his latest album, Powers Pleasant broke down five self-selected key tracks from Life Sucks.
“SMH” (feat. Joey Bada$$, CJ Fly, Nyck Caution and Aaron Rose)
This is a little bit of an older song. It’s with Joey Bada$$, CJ Fly, Nyck Caution and Aaron Rose. This song has such a place in my heart, it has a lot of the pros on it and it’s one of my favorite tracks on the album. I love how it sounds like a boom-bap song, it’s super vibey. We made that song together in Williamsburg. Everybody goes crazy on it, but Joey really killed that verse.
Most people don’t even know it’s him! He came out and performed it at my first headlining show at Baby’s All Right in Brooklyn and it was a special moment to have all of us onstage because we haven’t touched the stage together in quite some time. It was a special moment for the day-one fans and for me to touch my roots where I started.
“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 meeting Soulja Livin Tru, and he just had this raw energy. He’s very authentic and true to himself. I think this was the first beat I played, and he just went in the booth and did the verse and the hook in one take. I was like, “Oh, nah this is f—king hard!” He had double entendres and his flow was f—king sick. I love highlighting lesser-known artists with bigger artists and making bangers together because it puts them in front of a whole new audience.
“Shmoke” (feat. A$AP Ferg & Armani Caesar)
I made this in LA with Ferg and Armani [Caesar]. Ferg was actually recording another track that I had already made. At the time, I played him every single beat I thought he would like. So, I was like, “Damn, I need something. I need some s—t right now.” I was going through my e-mail and found some s—t that had so much energy. I loved the horns. I knew I had 15 minutes to make the beat while Ferg was in the booth recording, so I had my headphones on going to work. He came out of the booth to hear [his playback], and he heard some of the new beat through my headphones and he was like, “This is fire, load that s—t up.” He just went in there and went crazy with Armani; their chemistry is so amazing.
That was my first time hearing Armani on a banger and she f—king slid on that s—t, it was just so organic and real. I love when songs just come together and you’re not trying too hard to make something, it’s just natural. “Shmoke” is the only song that has a sample — “Technologic” by Daft Punk. That s—t was expensive as f—k. We actually ended up interpolating it; we re-recorded it so we would just have to clear it on the publishing side.
I usually don’t sample that much, because of the business of it — but I do love samples. As an independent artist, I don’t always have the budget to clear certain things, so I like to work with a lot of sample-makers or co-producers to get my vision across. If it’s dope, it’s dope; I’m never gonna not make some s—t because there’s a sample. It’s all about what fits the vibe.
“Endtro” (feat. Denzel Curry & Hannah Mundine)
This is another one of my favorite songs on the album. I made this one with my bro Tim Randolph. For this one, I was thinking stadium status – big, grand toast music, but not necessarily just a banger. I wanted to incorporate different vibes, so the 808s are distorted on some trap s—t, but it’s not a trap beat, there are boom-bap drums and a heavy-ass guitar. When we were making the beat, [Tim] sent me the chords that became the hook – and he was actually starting a new beat at the time. But I was like, “This is f—king crazy how it goes from nice s—t to super hard s—t.” It’s kind of like day and night, the juxtaposition between those parts was stuck in my heart. I love how it goes from this serene, angelic vibe with Hannah Mundine on the hook, and then Denzel just goes crazy.
“Baby Boy Is Drunk” (feat. AG Club & Audrey Nuna)
It’s kind of a crazy beat — I don’t know what the f—k I was thinking when I made that s—t. [Laughs]. But it’s a banger! I like throwing weird sounds together. I was in the studio with AG and we made this together, and they slid on that s—t so smooth. I never really heard no s—t like that from them before.
I was nearing the completion of [Life Sucks] and this was one of the last few songs that wasn’t fully finished. I was like, “Damn, who would kill this s—t? Audrey. Her and AG Club would go crazy.” I sent it to her, she absolutely smashed it, and it became the song we know today.
With this album, I feel like I’ve grown as an all-around artist. I like to credit working with Dot da Genius and Dre Moon – who are both incredibly gifted, talented, award-winning producers. I’m more intentional with how I create now. Putting myself in rooms with people who I think are better and more talented than me makes me go even harder because I feel like I have to be at that level. I’m always pushing myself and striving to be the best, so I love working with other artists and getting out of my comfort zone. Being comfortable is dope, but you don’t grow in comfort. You have to put yourself in uncomfortable positions to grow and be amazing.
I never have a particular sound, it’s all me just wearing different hats. I’m not exactly sure where I’m going with the next record. I think this might be the end of the Life series for now; we’re gonna open a whole new chapter.
