Prior to the release of his EP Turtle Crossing, Pote Baby garnered a fair amount of attention as an artist to watch from various critics. Now having released Turtle Crossing and recently announced a supporting role on EARTHGANG’s upcoming tour, Pote Baby has successfully proven himself to be more than worthy of his title. 

Diverse in sound and subject matter, Turtle Crossing is the perfect introduction to Pote’s style. A healthy balance of high energy, bass-heavy anthems and soothing tracks, the project showcases Pote’s ambitious character and impeccable taste for groove. Opening with the introductory track “Do Me,” featuring Simmie and Daniel Novello, he instantly grasps the listeners attention with his conversational flow. Expressing his desire to stay true to himself, his goals to uplift his Savannah community, and his puzzling trajectory, “Do Me” sets the tone not only for the remainder of the project but also for his career.

Sliding right into the second track and single “Set It Up” he completely flips the switch, offering an irresistibly smooth, yet high energy track. From then on, Turtle Crossing seamlessly shifts from chilled R&B to hip-hop, comfortably finding a perfect spot between both genres.

Some most memorable moments on the project lie within the little details. For example, tracks like “Do Me” and “Set It Up,” differ in sound, yet manage to funnel effortlessly into one another. Contributing to its overall charm, sporadic one-liners, such as the mirror-on-the wall reference in “In it," and flow switches make each song increasingly unforgettable. Equally memorable is the production. Especially when it takes on a Pharrell-esque disjointment and rhythm in “Move.” From smooth, but noticeable, transitions, to clever switches and impeccable flows, it is difficult to avoid getting sucked into his world.

Closing up the project, Pote leaves it all on the floor with “Das Me.” Another conversational confessional on his past, present, and future, “Das Me” sonically aims to slow it back down to the start as he dedicates it to the ones that may experience doubts and adversity. Encouraging them to step up to what belongs to them and find the same pride he emits in the opening track, he says, “This is your movie, this is your role.” Finishing off on a high and resonant note, it only seems right to replay the record to truly appreciate its phases and range.

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