Popcaan, Preme ‘Link Up’ EP Album Review

Popcaan’s performance on the Link Up EP with Canadian rapper and fellow OVO Sound artiste Preme, is a clear indication that the St. Thomas native is unstoppable, and that he remains a consistent and prolific son of Dancehall.

His rhyming skills and his melodies come naturally on the EP. There is no overshadowing or upstaging of the Jamaican, on what was a highly anticipated joint project released only a few days ago.

Relationships, love for women and multiple sex partners are the main themes of the EP, and of course Popcaan’s love for partying and having fun at the end of the week, as demonstrated on the track titled Weekend.   Interestingly, no direct reference made of ganja smoking which is usually a recurring decimal, in projects in which Popcaan is featured.

Surprisingly, in what is perhaps the most outstanding track, titled Love Cost Too Much, which features BEAM, the son of dancehall/gospel reggae pioneer Papa San, the artistes take on the issue of money-grubbing and gold-digging women, a topic which is not often sung about in Dancehall or Hip Hop circles.

In Love Cost Too Much, the three artistes tell a story of a woman, whom they firmly scold and dismiss for being only interested in the glitz and the glamour associated with the superstar lifestyle, as opposed to being truly interested in the artistes themselves as men and lovers.

Popcaan’s hook, “You want Louis V you want Prada you want Gucci, mi seh huh love costing to much baby,” perfectly complements the emotional mood of the song, which appears to be one of sorrow and regret, yet relief at releasing this woman from his life.  This song has instant like-ability and will surely have lasting popularity, especially amongst men.

There are metaphors galore on the ostentatious track Freeze, an apparent ode to diamonds, in which Popcaan reminds us that his wrists “a freeze”, meaning he consistently wears bracelets or watches with lots of ice (diamonds).   

Preme on the other hand, also boasts of their wealth and ability to attract women, and also declares that they both reached the heights of success without doing nefarious things such as selling their souls to the devil, a deed many superstars are oftentimes accused of doing.

The project also features Comfortable with Davido, as well as rappers Wiz Khalifa on Wining Queen and French Montana on Murda, the final track consisting of fiery “bad man” lyrics in which the trio promise to fire gunshots at, and destroy their enemies who are seeking to hurt them.

Listening to the six tracks, which are all interesting fusions of Hip Hop with Dancehall, it comes as no surprise that the EP has been described in a release as an ‘effortless chemistry between Popcaan and Preme’.

The Unruly Boss’ undiluted, distinct voice sweetens the songs, and he stamps his authority on each track.  It really comes as no surprise that he was tasked with doing most of the hooks and intros, as his voice is clear, and his enunciations and pronunciations easy for listeners internationally to understand without wondering “what the heck is he saying”, as has, unfortunately, been the case with some Dancehall artistes.

Also noteworthy on this production, is the Jamaican influence on his North American counterparts, which is highly evident, as Patois, the island’s vernacular is continuously incorporated in their verses.

Despite the lockdown and jitters surrounding the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic, listening to Link Up provides an opportunity for Dancehall and Hip Hop lovers with some amount of escapism.

Between the melodies, hooks, and lyrics, this EP is a good piece of work of art, and a commendable collaborative effort.  The songwriters and producers, along with the artistes themselves, must be commended on a job well done.