Featured Article Summary #39

"Smoking on My Ex Pack" is a rap song by SZA from her album SOS. The song has a boom bap style with hard-hitting beats and a sample from Webster Lewis. SZA wanted to move away from being known as a sad R&B artist and explore aggressive hip hop music. The song features braggadocious lyrics about her sexual desirability and mocking her past lovers. Initially, the rap section was longer, but SZA cut it down. Critics praised the songwriting and thought it showcased SZA's potential as a rapper. The song charted and was performed on her SOS Tour. SZA's debut album Ctrl, released in 2017, received critical acclaim for its R&B sound and emotional songwriting. Her next album, which she finished in Hawaii, is anticipated to be a mix of different genres, including R&B and hip hop. SZA wanted to challenge the label of being an R&B artist and incorporate rap into her album. The track "Smoking on My Ex Pack" is a rap song influenced by boom bap music, using a sample from Webster Lewis's "Open Up Your Eyes" for its composition. Jay Versace, the producer, created the beat specifically for SZA and she found it easy to write lyrics to. SZA's song "Smoking on My Ex Pack" was created as a way for her to express her anger and seek revenge through her lyrics. The released version of the song is short but packed with braggadocio and insults towards her past lovers. She also raps about blocking a famous rapper on social media and rejecting an ex-boyfriend who wants to get back together. SZA revealed that the album would be released in December 2022, and a track list was posted on Twitter on December 5. One of the songs, "Smoking on My Ex Pack," charted in multiple countries and was certified gold in April 2023. American rapper Latto performed a freestyle rap over the beat, and SZA reacted positively to it. The song made its live performance debut on the SOS Tour.