The Drop: A Snowfall Saga’ Releases Full Soundtrack
As it prepares to wrap up its acclaimed debut season, FX’s The Drop: A Snowfall Saga officially releases the show’s original soundtrack to all DSPs. Helmed by Larrance “Rance 1500” Dopson, who handled the production, and lyricist Jason “Problem” Martin, with cultural consultant Los Angeles rapper Glasses Malone, the soundtrack offers new songs that faithfully recreate the music of early ’90s Los Angeles and the world the show’s characters inhabit. Music is essential to the show’s DNA, as it puts the West Coast rap boom under a microscope and examines its relationship with the streets.
The soundtrack collects previously released singles, including the headline-grabbing “LA Theme Song,” the show’s main title theme, featuring an unheard verse from the late, great Nipsey Hussle, which brilliantly sets the tone for the series with propulsive bass and shiny synth arpeggios. Simmie Sims III, aka acclaimed L.A. rapper Buddy, who plays aspiring rapper “Artillery” in the series, puts his vocal stamp on several highlights, including “Back To The Hood,” which features a sample of Chaka Khan’s classic “Ain’t Nobody,” and the minimalist “There Goes The Neighborhood,” welcoming a guest appearance from L.A. legend Suga Free. Other songs showcase the talent of Demario “Symba” Driver, who plays “Tip Toe,” and cultural consultant Glasses Malone, including last week’s bite-sized “Ruff & Tuff” and the paranoid “One Wrong Move.”
This week’s release of the full soundtrack brings new original songs and star-studded remixes of earlier singles. “Where You From Pt. 2” is a brand new posse cut, bringing together veterans of the West Coast, including the legendary Snoop Dogg and The Drop lyricist Jason “Problem” Martin, with rising stars of the current scene Lefty Gunplay and Jap5. The Drop enlisted Crenshaw native Grammy-winning producer and artist Terrace Martin to transform “John’s Theme” into a mournful slice of L.A. jazz, laden with Martin’s saxophone and solos from accomplished veterans of the city’s beat scene. For the first time, The Drop‘s original soundtrack releases official remixes of previous singles, adding L.A. icon Kurupt to “There Goes The Neighborhood” (Remix) and providing an opportunity for The Drop cultural consultant Glasses Malone to show off his skills behind the mic on the remix to “One Wrong Move.”
Throughout the season, musicians, cast members, and writers from The Drop appeared on Behind The Beat, a short-form companion series that unpacks the music and cultural influences behind The Drop. An immersive journey into the sounds, stories, and community at the heart of the series, Behind The Beat reveals the creative process behind the show’s music and explains how the show’s songs and stories feed off of each other. This week, FX releases a special “wrap-up” episode of Behind The Beat, reflecting upon the music of the series and how it pushed the story forward and provided an essential sense of time and place during the first season. All episodes of Behind The Beat are viewable on the official YouTube account of FX Networks. Snowfall developed a cohesive soundtrack that makes you remember each scene as the songs playout. I cannot wait for the next season of The Drop: A Snowfall Saga.