While Pop Smoke may not be with us anymore, his legacy will live on forever. Insert [Dread Woo](https://www.instagram.com/dread_woo/), the Brooklyn native who’s here to represent the Woo forever. In fact, it was Pop’s death that led Dread to making music in the first place.
The rising star arrives with his own version of New York drill crossed with R&B, adding melody and harmony and sprinkling in elements of UK grime. Regardless, his lyrics tell his story as someone who came from the trenches and turned their life for the better, seeing music as not only an escape, but a means of income to take care of himself and his loved ones.
Most recently, Dread unleashed his newest single and visual called “Tom Brady,” inspired by the talents of the famed professional football player. Talk about full circle: Dread and Pop used to play football together on the field. Fast forward to today, Dread has a standout feature on Pop’s critically-acclaimed _Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon_ album, collaborating together on “Woo Year.”
_Flaunt_ caught up with Dread Woo via Instagram Live, who was posted in Brooklyn where it was raining. Read below as we discuss his biggest influences, friendship with Pop Smoke, recording with the Woo, the meaning behind “Tom Brady,” fatherhood, and more!
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**What does Brooklyn mean to you?**
Brooklyn is everything. Everything goes down in Brooklyn. Brooklyn’s everything to be growing up. Growing up, going to school, you just seen everything.
**When did music come into play for you?**
I started rapping when Pop Smoke passed, but I always had a passion for music growing up.
**Do you go live often?**
Yeah, I gotta show love to the fans and the people that see what I'm doing. Show them I’m outside. \[laughs\]
**Who were you bumping that made you want to do it?**
Growing up, I listened to a lot of Meek Mill, 50 Cent, Jay Z, and a lot of reggae. Got some Jamaican blood in me.
**Are we going to hear reggae in your music?**
Soon soon, switch it up for them.
**How did you and Pop Smoke meet initially?**
Honestly, I forgot. It was through one of my friend's other friends. He introduced Pop to all of us 4 or 5 years ago. Ever since then, we bonded. We clicked from there.
**Can you bring us back to when the Woo really originated?**
The Woo’s been around, ain’t going to lie. It's been around for a couple of years now, from way before me and Pop's times. But Pop brought it back, he brought it out there. He brought it out in the world and made it what it is now.
**Can you define the Woo?**
The Woo is basically a lifestyle. We all live a lifestyle, you know? You got a nice car, you look good, that's Woo. You go outside and you look good, you tell that person Woo.
**Why did Pop call you Tom Brady?**
It was a football thing. We used to play football, we were good at football. It’s us, we used to be killing. We played for different teams but when we’d link up, we‘d play street football.
**Did it get rough out there?**
Street football is street football. If you’re not built for it, don't come to play. Don’t come to the park.
**When did all that shift into music then?**
It was 2018. Regularly, we’re linking up every day. He’d pick me up, he'll be rapping his little freestyles to me. One day, we’re going to the city on the train and he rapped me a freestyle. It was the "Got It On Me" freestyle or one of them. I'm like “nah,” that's when I really told him “you gotta really take this shit seriously.” Once he seen everybody’s telling him that, he took that to the next level.
**What was it like seeing Pop’s career skyrocket?**
I ain't gonna lie, it was a movie. Every day, waking up and doing new things with him. Waking up, seeing artists I used to watch on TV, all types of stuff like that. A lot of memories, good memories. \[I remember\] when we’re on a stage, rocking the crowds performing. It was fun.
**What was the craziest show?**
Every show was crazy. We rocked the crowd at every show, or so we felt. The craziest show was when we went to Boston. I ain't gonna lie, the fans in Boston go crazy. Crazy.
**What was your favorite song to do?**
It was either "Dior" or "Welcome to the Party.” That "Welcome to the Party” gets the crowd going.
**What vibe were you on creating “Tom Brady”?**
I got "Tom Brady" out right now, that's a part of my [_Smoke Will Never Clear_ mixtape.](https://soundcloud.com/dread-woo/sets/smoke-will-never-clear) I dropped the mixtape to show my fans what I'm about and what I've got. Showing them different flows and versatility. For them to tell me what I should work on, what I'm good at and what they really want to hear from me. From doing that, I watched everything and I learned. Now, I got some new heat in the stash for the fans.
**Was the video shot back home?**
Oh yeah, it was shot in Brooklyn. Canarsie to be exact. When my boy RJ called me at the video shoot, he put a smile on my face. He's locked up right now. While we’re shooting the video, he called in the midst of it. I was able to speak to him and put him in this video.
**When you found out the news about Pop’s passing, how did you cope?**
It was heartbreaking, it's still heartbreaking. I still can't get over it. I don't know how to. Everyday, I’m trying to find a way to work. People tell me to get over it, but it’s not really...
**What's been working for you?**
Keeping me active, staying active. Really and truly, I like to workout or I’ll go visit him. Me being in the stu, I live in the stu now. Me being in the stu more and more, it still makes me think about him like “damn, I used to be in the stu with him.” But it still keeps me motivated in the same way.
**What’re you working on? What can we expect?**
I got a lot of heat in the stash, like a good 10. I got the next album in the cut. \[laughs\] More than 10 songs, but 10 songs that are about to drop. I’m about to work on my video shoot soon. I got a lot of songs coming, a lot of songs.
**Who have you been working with?**
A lot of the Woo’s. Rah Swish, Curly, Quelly, Jay Guapo, my boy Wiz G.
**3 things you need in the studio?**
Gotta have the weed. Gotta have the dawgs in the studio, my friends. Weed, dawgs, and some liquor. Casamigos.
**How much do you smoke in a day?**
If you know you know, I smoke a lot. I’m a dreadhead. \[laughs\] Like 14 grams a day.
**Do you come out to Cali often?**
I haven't been there since he passed but it's neither here nor there.
**When you're working out, who do you like to bump?**
Everything Pop Smoke, it’s either Pop Smoke or me.
**What's your favorite Pop Smoke song?**
I ain't gonna lie, it's a lot. But "Armed and Dangerous" really gets me going, that used to be our shit. We used to play that shit 100 times. back and forth on repeat all day. One song.
**How's it feel to be a father?**
It gives me more motivation, more blessings. I got something to fight for. Little boy on the way, I'm excited.
**Any goals for yourself at this point in your career?**
I have a lot of goals. I'm trying to fulfill my full capacity, my full point in my flows and my comfortability in rapping. So when I hear any beat, I could attack it the right way. That's one of my main goals right now, that's why I be in the stu a lot working.
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