Smino & J. Cole's Highly-Anticipated Collab "90 Proof" Lives Up To The Hype

BYAron A.Published on September 30, 20228.8K Views

Smino calls on J. Cole for the lead single off of "Luv 4 Rent."

We're officially approaching the 4-year mark since the release of Smino's excellent project, NOIR. Though he hasn't left fans empty-handed. The St. Louis rapper came out out a handful of singles since then, along with a few collabs with artists like Yebba, J.I.D., and more. However, he's remained lowkey as fans anticipate one song in particular.

Following the debut of his new song on St. Louis's Hot 104.1 a few weeks ago, Smino's finally unveiled his latest collab with J. Cole, "90 Proof." Smino's elastic vocals stretch over the bluesy production from Monte Booker and Groove. J. Cole delivers yet another stand-out verse in his 2022 run, flexing double-time flows with a melodic approach akin to Smino's.

"90 Proof" serves as the first single off of Smino's forthcoming album, Luv 4 Rent.

Smino and J. Cole are no strangers to each other. The former lent his talent to Revenge Of The Dreamers III on "1993" and "Sacrifices," both of which feature J. Cole.

Earlier this year, Dreamville released D-Day: A Gangsta Grillz Mixtape with DJ Drama. Additionally, Cole appeared on Bia's "LONDON," Benny The Butcher's "Johnny P's Caddy," and more.

Check out Smino's "90 Proof" below.

Quotable Lyrics
I don't really do the cameras, I be low in Los Angeles
You n***as ain't never gon' see me, I might as well be in Canada
You n***as ain't ever gon' be me, it's best to stay in your parameters
You know they gon' G-O-A-T me, I spell it out for you like Fabolous

About The Author

Aron A.

Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.