AJ Tracey has been a fixture of the UK grime scene for years now. He has multiple acclaimed projects to his name. Tracey may not be as big of a star as some of his contemporaries, like Skepta, for example. However, he has the respect of his peers and continues to release music that his fans enjoy. His latest single, "Crush," released on Wednesday and features the consistently excellent Jorja Smith. A snippet of Smith's verse was released a few days before, gaining some traction ahead of the track's release. Tracey and Smith trade bars over a sample of Brandy's "Love Wouldn't Count Me Out" from her 2002 album, Full Moon.
The resulting track is one with a surprising amount of energy behind it. There's a bit of a story being told as well. AJ Tracey opens the song with a quick verse showing love to his girl. Though, he does sneak in a threat to get her "ex-link popped" halfway through. Jorja Smith takes the role of a scorned girlfriend, accusing Tracey of being insincere in his words, suggesting that he's been cheating and that he wants to go off and be with whoever he's been cheating with. Smith sounds at home over the production, which is a departure from the neo-soul-adjacent sounds she typically sings over. She also delivers a characteristically silky hook, asking for love and support from the boy in question. The resulting track is a catchy one, with two strong performances from talented artists who, surprisingly, do not have more music together. Check out "Crush" below.
AJ Tracey & Jorja Smith - "Crush"
Quotable Lyrics:
Like my girls how I like my coffee, sweet
Or like my Hennessy, neat (Facts)
I don't wanna wear my heart on my top or sleeve
Unless it's the CDG
Like, baby girl, be easy
I'll hold your hand, but still be greazy (Yo)
2K23 LON Weezy
Fuck FaceTime, come see me in 3D
