Poundside Pop

Poundside Pop, the Philadelphia rapper, initially attracted major-label attention through early tracks and freestyles yet deliberately refined his abilities before seeking a national platform. Readiness for that step became clear with the 2022 release of WOCK AND ROLL (PURPLE EDITION).

Born Aziz Smith, he first approached music casually alongside high school friend Trap Street Saddi while aiming for a promising college sports path. Saddi’s sudden death altered that trajectory, prompting Smith to extend their collaborative work as a tribute. His 2017 solo single “OSS” turned viral and made him a local sensation, though he turned down every record deal that followed. A period in Los Angeles yielded further underground successes, among them 2019’s “Drippin Again.” By 2020 he had returned to Philly and dropped the mixtape Wock and Roll. That groundwork led him to sign with Epic, which released WOCK AND ROLL (PURPLE EDITION) in 2022.

CLEAR VISION, an EP issued in 2024, arrived amid controversy after Poundside used an interview with podcaster DJ Akademiks to criticize fellow Philly rapper Meek Mill, propose banning him from the city, and thereby ignite a lingering feud.