Bashar Barakah Jackson, better known as Pop Smoke, was a rapper, producer, and singer who rose to stardom in 2019. The Brooklyn native became the face of the New York drill scene as well as a local celebrity. Drill music is an offshoot of trap music that gained popularity in Chicago in 2010. Artists such as Chief Keef, Lil Dirk, Young Chop, and Fredo Santana were early ambassadors of the style. Here’s how to use Roland’s Zenbeats software to recreate the immortal “Dior.”
Drill Captain
By 2012, drill music had developed a new haven in the UK. This was especially true in predominantly Black and Caribbean London neighborhoods like Brixton. It would be the UK drill sound that would most influence Pop Smoke’s output. In 2019, Pop Smoke teamed up with UK-based producer 808Melo to work on his first mixtape, Meet the Woo. This collaboration led to his first big single “Welcome to the Party.” Its success led to a pair of remixes featuring Nicki Minaj and Skepta.
However, the standout track from this project was “Dior.” Also produced by 808Melo, “Dior” became Pop Smoke’s biggest record. Peaking at number 22 on the Billboard charts, “Dior” is the only track on all three Pop Smoke projects. It’s considered the artist’s signature song and earned a 2021 Best Rap Performance Grammy nomination. In the wake of Pop Smoke’s untimely passing earlier this year, let’s shine some light on this massive single.
Reverse Violin
“Dior”-producer 808Melo also produced Pop Smoke’s first mixtape and the majority of his discography. In fact, 808Melo is a pioneer of UK drill which subsequently influenced the New York drill scene.
The track’s main melodic component is a reversed violin sample in G minor. You can recreate the part using the ZC1 violin preset. To achieve a reverse effect, adjust the parameters of the built-in envelope filter.
A Complex Pattern
After getting the violin part, let’s focus on the most complex part of the beat: the drums. In general, drill and hip-hop beats center around the drum and 808 patterns. On “Dior,” there’s a complex hi-hat pattern working in tandem with three different 808 parts. In addition, there are a few different snare and percussion patterns in the track.
While the pattern sounds complex, the secret to the track’s signature feel is the space left in the beat. 808Melo expressed a desire to create complex beats with room for the artist to breathe. The drums utilize the OG Legend drum kit, available in the Zenbeats store.
808 Glides
UK drill music uses lots of 808 glides. This portamento technique combines two 808 notes creating a glide/bending effect. To achieve this in Zenbeats, you don’t even have to use an 808. A mono bass synth with an 808-style sound works as well.
Load the ZC1 instrument using the “Sub Bass Atk” preset, then program the patterns on the piano roll. To create the glide sound, simply overlap the notes and go into the piano roll to edit the automation. You can even create automation for the pitch bends. This allows you to bend the pitch between the notes, replicating classic UK drill 808 slides.
Unusual Sounds
Now that we have the main melodic part and the drums, let’s analyze the rest of the tune. There are a few unusual sounds in the mix. These include what sounds like a money machine, a chirp, a stomp, and a vocal one-shot.
Since the drum kit in Zenbeats allows users to load samples, you can find replicas of these sounds and write them in as a drum pattern. The verse features a simple piano part, also in G minor. To play this riff, use the ZC1 preset “JD Piano” and add some reverb. On the hook, there’s another string part, played mostly in intervals of perfect fourths and fifths.
Dark Textures
These choices add to the dark texture of the song, as these open intervals are common in Gregorian chants. For the strings, I used the ZC1 preset “Mood Strings.” Paying attention to the arrangement is key in recreating this beat. Every part has a certain space in the track. It’s important that each element shines and works cohesively.
Full Track
Now it’s time to hear how all these disparate parts combine into the melange that is “Dior” by Pop Smoke. As always, your ears are the greatest assets you have as a producer. Listen to the track below and see if you can isolate the different elements we covered in the sections above.
