Who I Smoke

{{Infobox song

| name = Who I Smoke

| cover = Who I Smoke.png

| alt =

| caption =

| type = single

| artist = Yungeen Ace, Spinabenz, and FastMoney Goon featuring Whoppa Wit Da Choppa

| album = Life of Betrayal 2x

| released = {{start date|2021|4|16}}

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = {{flatlist|

| length = 2:14

| label = Cinematic

| writer = {{hlist|Bryant McDuffle|Dasani Wright|Keyanta Bullard|Noah R. Williams|Reginald L. Williams}}

| producer = Drilltime

| chronology = Yungeen Ace

| prev_title = Opp Boyz

| prev_year = 2021

| next_title = Back Like I Neva Left

| next_year = 2021

| misc =

{{Extra chronology

| artist = Spinabenz

| type = single

| prev_title = Drill Time

| prev_year = 2021

| title = Who I Smoke

| year = 2021

| next_title = First Week Out

| next_year = 2021

}}

{{Extra chronology

| artist = FastMoney Goon

| type = single

| prev_title = Vanish Mode

| prev_year = 2021

| title = Who I Smoke

| year = 2021

| next_title = Late Night Vibes

| next_year = 2021

}}

{{Extra chronology

| artist = Whoppa Wit Da Choppa

| type = single

| prev_title = Vanish Mode

| prev_year = 2021

| title = Who I Smoke

| year = 2021

| next_title = Take Off

| next_year = 2021

}}

{{External music video|{{YouTube|YFfGgeddAc4|"Who I Smoke"}}}}

}}

"Who I Smoke" is a song by American rappers Yungeen Ace, Spinabenz, and FastMoney Goon featuring Whoppa Wit Da Choppa. Released as a single on April 16, 2021,{{cite news |last1=Wells |first1=Eric |title=The Explosive Rise of Jacksonville Rap |url=https://www.complex.com/music/jacksonville-rap-explosive-rise/yungeen-ace |access-date=September 4, 2024 |work=Complex |date=June 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210603183307/https://www.complex.com/music/jacksonville-rap-explosive-rise/ |archive-date=June 3, 2021}} "Who I Smoke" samples Vanessa Carlton's "A Thousand Miles"{{cite news |last1=Caraan |first1=Sophie |title=Vanessa Carlton Defends "A Thousand Miles" Sample on Rap Song "Who I Smoke" |url=https://hypebeast.com/2021/6/vanessa-carlton-defends-a-thousand-miles-sample-who-i-smoke |access-date=September 4, 2024 |work=Hypebeast |date=June 1, 2021}}{{cite news |last1=Pierre |first1=Alphonse |title=Rap’s Latest "Shocking" Viral Scheme Is Not Shocking at All |url=https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/viral-rap-who-i-smoke-spinabenz-yungeen-ace-vanessa-carlton/ |access-date=September 4, 2024 |work=Pitchfork |date=May 14, 2021}}{{cite news |last1=Marie |first1=Erika |title=Vanessa Carlton Defends Rappers Sampling "A Thousand Miles" On "Who I Smoke" |url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/372931-vanessa-carlton-defends-rappers-sampling-a-thousand-miles-on-who-i-smoke-news |access-date=September 4, 2024 |work=HotNewHipHop |date=May 31, 2021 |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Williams |first1=Aaron |title=’Who I Smoke’s Vanessa Carlton ’A Thousand Miles’ Sample Is Driving Fans Wild |url=https://uproxx.com/music/who-i-smoke-vanessa-carlton-thousand-miles-sample/ |access-date=September 4, 2024 |work=Uproxx |date=March 29, 2021}} and serves as a diss track against multiple deceased people who are specifically named and disrespected in the song. "Who I Smoke" performed successfully for the featured rappers, going viral throughout social media and on music platforms following its release. "Who I Smoke" was described by HipHopCanada as having exemplified "Jacksonville's deadly KTA vs. ATK war"; the rappers featured are associated with ATK,{{cite news |title=Spinabenz, Whoppa Wit Da Choppa, Yungeen Ace & FastMoney Goon team up for "Who I Smoke" |url=https://hiphopcanada.com/spinabenz-whoppa-who-i-smoke/ |access-date=September 4, 2024 |work=HipHopCanada |date=April 20, 2021 |language=en-CA}} which sources have described it standing for "Ace's Top Killers", "Ace to Kill", or "Aim to Kill".{{cite news |last1=Bridges |first1=C. A. |title=Jacksonville rapper shot, killed in Florida, attorney says. Who is Julio Foolio? |url=https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/crime/2024/06/24/julio-foolio-shot-killed-tampa-florida-shooting/74190381007/ |access-date=September 5, 2024 |work=The Florida Times-Union |date=June 24, 2024}} Many of the individuals named in the song were friends with Julio Foolio, another rapper who, prior to his death, were rivals against the creators of "Who I Smoke".{{cite news |last1=Cole |first1=Alexander |title=Foolio Responds To "Who I Smoke" With Fantasia-Inspired Track "When I See You" |url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/321976-foolio-responds-to-who-i-smoke-with-fantasia-inspired-track-when-i-see-you-new-song |access-date=September 5, 2024 |work=HotNewHipHop |date=April 25, 2021 |language=en}}

Lyrics from the song were later used by prosecutors against Spinabenz (Noah Williams) in 2022 as alleged evidence on a charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, though Williams was found not guilty on the case.{{cite news |last1=Zaru |first1=Deena |title=Rapper found not guilty in case where lyrics were used as evidence |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/rapper-found-guilty-gun-charge-case-lyrics-evidence/story?id=91875726 |access-date=September 4, 2024 |work=ABC News |date=October 21, 2022 |language=en}}

Music video

"Who I Smoke" was initially released as a music video on YouTube.{{cite news |last1=Zidel |first1=Alex |title="Who I Smoke" Gets Added To Streaming Services |url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/343762-spinabenz-and-yungeen-aces-viral-who-i-smoke-is-available-on-streaming-services-news |access-date=September 4, 2024 |work=HotNewHipHop |date=April 16, 2021 |language=en}} Directed by TeoShotThis, it features the artists in a golf course{{cite news |last1=Zidel |first1=Alex |title="Who I Smoke" Is A Viral Masterpiece From Florida Rappers Spinabenz, Whoppa Wit Da Choppa, Yungeen Ace, & FastMoney Goon |url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/320445-who-i-smoke-is-a-viral-masterpiece-from-florida-rappers-spinabenz-whoppa-wit-da-choppa-yungeen-ace-a-new-song |access-date=September 4, 2024 |work=HotNewHipHop |date=March 31, 2021 |language=en}} wearing polo shirts and khakis, partying, smoking cigars, and "hurling threats at their opps".{{cite news |last1=Brace |first1=Ryan |title=‘Who I Smoke’ is 2021’s shocking viral hit |url=https://www.michigandaily.com/arts/music/who-i-smoke-is-2021s-shocking-viral-hit/ |access-date=September 4, 2024 |work=The Michigan Daily |date=April 13, 2021}} The music video, described by HotNewHipHop as being edited in "comical" fashion, also features the artists "smoking on" various deceased rival gang members, including "Bibby", "Teki", and "Lil Nine".

Reception

Eric Wells of Complex characterized "Who I Smoke" as being one of multiple which contained "wildly disrespectful lyrics," though adding that "beyond all the shock value is an undeniably talented new era of rappers, who are all drawing attention to themselves in their own ways". Alex Zidel of HotNewHipHop described the song as being "one of the most disrespectful songs of the entire year, and quite possibly one of the most hilarious diss tracks of the last decade".

The rappers behind "Who I Smoke" received criticism due to its sampling of Vanessa Carlton's "A Thousand Miles", after which Carlton responded with a statement reading: "To the white folks that have expressed anger/shock over my approval of A Thousand Miles’ usage in the Spinabenz, Whoppa Wit Da Choppa, Yungeen Ace, & FastMoney Goon song Who I Smoke, I invite you to ask yourself why you feel this way & then read this." Along with her statement, Carlton attached the McNair Scholars Research Journal article Share Cropping Blackness: White Supremacy and the Hyper-Consumption of Black Popular Culture.{{cite news |last1=Caraan |first1=Sophie |title=Vanessa Carlton Defends "A Thousand Miles" Sample on Rap Song "Who I Smoke" |url=https://hypebeast.com/2021/6/vanessa-carlton-defends-a-thousand-miles-sample-who-i-smoke |access-date=September 16, 2024 |work=Hypebeast |date=June 1, 2021}}

Certifications

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|artist=Yungeen Ace|title=Who I Smoke|award=Gold|relyear=2021|certyear=2022}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true | nosales=true | noshipments=true}}

References