People & Lifestyle
Yung Pooda Announces His Return With New Summer Anthem “Drop” Releasing At Midnight
Yung Pooda Announces Highly Anticipated Return With New Banger “Drop” Releasing 4.29 At Midnight PRE-SAVE HERE
In 2019, Yung Pooda found himself at a crossroads between the streets and the studio. After performing alongside legends such as Boosie Badazz, Slim Thug, and Z-Ro, recording with platinum icon Paul Wall, and igniting a buzz of his own throughout the country, the Houston rapper made an important pledge to himself. His pledge changed the course of everything to follow in its wake.
“In the middle of recording and getting in all kinds trouble, I promised God I would get out of the streets and just do music,” he admits. “I stuck to my word.”
Long before this vow, hip-hop called to him as a kid in Orange, TX. Pooda’s mother bumped Naughty by Nature’s “Hip Hop Hooray” throughout the one-bedroom and one-bathroom house built by his grandfather that he and his mom shared with his grandma. As he puts it, “I used to go nuts to that song!” He used to listen to classics from OutKast, JAY-Z, Lil Wayne, Master P, Ludacris, DJ Screw, and more. When Pooda visited dad, pops actually built a home studio at his spot to cook up beats and DJ. Growing up, he practiced his skills on the mic and sharpened the wordplay, developing a signature style. He sent shockwaves through the city after a successful showcase, earning endorsements from the likes of DJ Hi-Cof Houston’s 97.9 The BOX who said, “He’s always been a lyricist.” Inciting local excitement, he performed multiple tour dates with Boosie Badazz and teamed up with Paul Wall for the single “Beat Up The Block.”
Relocating to Prairie View, he moved into a two-story house with his cousin and two friends where they “were trapping and getting money, but shit got too hectic.” At this point, he reset everything. “There were fights, threats, and all types of shit,” he recalls. “I ended up saying that prayer.”
His music made its way to Jeff Aronson, CEO of It’s A 10 Records, a boutique label, who immediately signed him in 2019. In 2020, Pooda made waves on Tik Tok and mix show radio with the release of his first single, “Repeat Dat” which was produced by GRAMMY® Award-winning duo Cool & Dre [JAY-Z, Beyoncé, Nas] along with a reflective song, “Lies Told”- his thoughtful response to social unrest and police brutality. This year, his critically acclaimed newest single, “Chicken N Grits” is bringing him to the
forefront. C&G has earned over 30 million Tik Tok views, was the #4 “Most Added” song at urban radio and is in rotation at BET Jams, Revolt and YO! MTV Raps.
Fresh of the release of his new single with hit-maker DJ Choose “Forever Tippin,” which gives a new-school feels to the Mike Jones, Paul Wall, Slim Thug classic “Still Tippin,” Pooda has amassed his third, consecutive, hit in less than one year. Produced by Cool and Dre, his track is currently flowing in the millions with audio streams as the hard-hitting visual flows in over three million views on You Tube and has continued to receive an heavy-hitting stamp of acclaim since its release this past June with plugs from The Source, Hip Hop DX, Kazi Magazine as Houston Press stated “Pooda’s “Forever Tippin” pays homage not only to the track’s original stars, but to the uniquely Houston rap sound they pioneered.”
Moreover, the track entered the Mainstream R&B/ Hip Hop Airplays Charts on Billboard and earned the #1 most added via Urban Radio during its release as Pooda earned the achievement as the #2 most discovered artist on Shazam.
In the end, Pooda fulfills every promise and leaves his mark on the culture in the process. “When you listen to me, I want you to feel enlightened and great,” he leaves off. “I hope you relate to the emotion and know you’re not alone. I’m young enough to make mistakes and old enough to know better. I’m telling my story. I’m human.”