Poo Bear’s Unearths The Mournful ‘Hard 2 Face Reality’ With Features From Justin Bieber And Jay Electronica

Jay Electronica unexpectedly resurfaces with an unusual collaborator on producer/songwriter Poo Bear‘s new single, “Hard 2 Face Reality,” an update of an older song which also features longtime collaborator Justin Bieber.

The production style fits into the stripped-down, melodic pocket of the tracks Poo previously crafted for Bieber on the latter’s 2015 Def Jam album, Purpose. With a mellow pop guitar and straightforward songwriting, the trio addresses the difficulty of breaking up with a longtime partner after falling out of love. Each has certainly had extensive experience with that situation, at least, and provides a separate perspective, with Jay Electronica’s verse providing an unexpected counterpoint of gruffness to the proceedings.

Poo Bear has been hard at work on his debut solo album, Birthday Music, after crafting hits for artists like 112, Usher, and Justin Bieber for almost two decades in the music business. He’s also been collaborating with a number of Latin artists, as reggaeton star J. Balvin gave him a career resurgence after their collaboration “No Hay Titulo.” In fact, Birthday Music will be a bilingual pop album featuring Brazilian singer Anitta, Jennifer Lopez, and Colombian singer Juanes.

Poo also told Rolling Stone that he is bringing more up-and-coming artists into the spotlight on his debut, as well as detailing how he made the unusual connection with the notoriously-elusive Jay Electronica:

“I happened to be at Roc Nation in New York and I met Jay Electronica’s manager. I was like, ‘Hey, man, do you think he would get on this record?’ The manager was like, ‘Let me hear it.’ I played it; he said it was a smash. So he sent it to Jay. Everybody doubted that he’d get on it – Jay is really picky. Everyone’s like, ‘Good luck!’ I gave him a deadline, and he turned it in on the deadline day. I couldn’t even believe it. It’s like an alien on the record.”