by Paul Attard Music What Would Meek Do?

DooWop | Cappin’ Aint Dead

September 30, 2019

Tracing influence is a tricky proposition. It’s rather easy to duck into any hip-hop forum and post away about how every young rapper with some skin in the game is a child of Future, Lil Wayne, Young Thug, or any other figure of rising popularity from the past decade or so. To actually prove such a direct connection becomes more complicated — just ask Gucci Mane, Jeezy, or T.I. to get an idea about how consistently history is in flux. DooWop is a case of an artist who isn’t so much influenced by his particular mentor, but more a complete copy of everything about said mentor’s general aesthetic. The ‘master’ in question is Chief Keef: DooWop carries the same vocal delivery, intonation, and lyrical ability (along with the same fondness for absurd cover art) as his so-called ‘father.’ (Sosa has DooWop signed to his Glory Boyz label, and even did nearly all of the production on Cappin’ Aint Dead himself). That means there’s generally a 1:1 ratio of hits to misses, often songs with decent ideas behind them that are lacking in the necessary formal execution. “Cap Flow” has featured guest Lil Uzi Vert practically stealing the show with his own verse before he starts trading bars with DooWop, who can barely keep up with his energetic contemporary. When Chief Keef himself shows up as a featured guest, on “My Woes,” he drowns out his own artist with the sheer commanding prowess of his voice — and throws DooWop in the big pile of forgotten Sosa clones in the process.


Published as part of What Would Meek Do?  | Summer 2019.