11 Songs Where the Juice is Totally Potent features songs from Doja Cat, James Bay, Lizzo, Lostboycrow, and ScHoolboy Q.

“Rollin’ down the street, smokin’ indo / Sippin’ on gin and juice, laid back.” Recognize those lyrics? Well, they hail from the Snoop Dogg classic, “Gin and Juice”, which appeared on his 1993 debut album, Doggystyle.  Of course, The Notorious B.I.G. had his own ‘juicy’ classic, entitled, “Juicy” where he “Made the change from a common thief / To up close and personal with Robin Leach.”  The juice, which is the subject of the songs on this playlist, 11 SONGS WHERE THE JUICE IS TOTALLY POTENT, doesn’t stop there.

Nelly once asserted, “Pimp Juice / …I think I need to let it loose.” Years later, Boosie Badazz, kept it 100 on “No Juice” (Touch Down 2 Cause Hell): “Bitch you ain’t got no juice, and nobody believe you / And you can’t lie.” As for Yo Gotti’s take on “Juice” from I Still Am (2017), he’s hella confident on the chorus: “I got that juice / New AP / She got that juice / She got that squeeze.” Yep, the drip is real.

On 11 SONGS WHERE THE JUICE IS TOTALLY POTENT, just because the juice is potent doesn’t mean we are being literal.  Few of these songs are actually about any sort of juice that you drink.  Juice is used in a variety of contexts, though most of the time, it comes back to being awesome, notable, or keeping it totally 100, being ‘the shit.’ Musicians providing songs for this juicy playlist include Doja Cat (“Juicy” featuring Tyga), James Bay (“Pink Lemonade”), Lizzo (“Juice”), Lostboycrow (“Orange Juice” ), and ScHoolboy Q (“Numb Numb Juice”) among others.  Without further ado, let’s get totally juiced for 11 SONGS WHERE THE JUICE IS TOTALLY POTENT, shall we!

1.Lizzo, “Juice”

Cuz I Love You • Nice Life / Atlantic • 2019

“Mirror, mirror on the wall / Don’t say it ‘cause I know I’m cute (Ooh, baby) / Louis down to my drawers / LV all on my shoes.” What makes Lizzo’s  “Juice” so ‘juicy?’ Well, at 3:15, it’s just the right duration. Adding to the pro of optimal length is a throwback, soulful groove that definitely fuels her fire.  Lizzo is feisty from the onset of this Cuz I Love You gem, pop-rapping initially.

As exemplified by the aforementioned excerpt from the first verse, she spits some mad game. Even better than the verses are the, catchy, swagger-laden pre-chorus and chorus sections.  She closes out the pre-chorus with a bang, asserting, “Heard you say I’m not the baddest bitch, you lie,” with the chorus following in all its glory. She doesn’t lie when she says, “No, I’m not a snack at all / Look, baby, I’m the whole damn meal.” She is INDEED “the whole damn meal.”

2. ScHoolboy Q, “Numb Numb Juice”

CrasH Talk • Interscope • 2019

“I mean that’s bitch shit / Faking like you got it in your pockets, yeah, that’s bitch shit / Talking to them hoes, you steady gossip, yeah, that’s bitch shit.” Even with just two minutes to work with, ScHoolboy Q manages to do work on “Numb Numb Juice”. “Numb Numb Juice” is one of the best songs from Q’s 2019 studio LP, CrasH Talk.

On “Numb Numb Juice,” ScHoolboy Q backed by a minimalist, malicious-sounding backdrop – perfect fuel for the grimy fire of the rapper, who’s profane and unapologetic. Q mostly raps about violence, specifically shooting, fakes – “gangsta shit” you might say.  Sure, “Numb Numb Juice” is ‘been there and done that,’ but Q is potent as ever.

3. Doja Cat, “Juicy” (Ft. Tyga)

Hot Pink • Kemosabe / RCA • 2019

“I keep it juicy, juicy, I eat that lunch, uh / She keep that booty, booty, she keep that plump, yeah / That natural beauty, beauty, yeah, yeah / If you could see it from the front / Wait ‘til you see it from the back… juicy.” That’s rapper and singer Doja Cat – sexual ad unapologetic to the nth degree. “Juicy” originally appeared on the deluxe version of her 2018 debut album, Amala (Amala Zandile Dlamini is her actual name).  A remix, featuring Tyga concludes her 2019 sophomore album, Hot Pink.

In the context of Hot Pink, “Juice” is another production by TYSON TRAX, with Yeti Beats co-producing as well.  As the aforementioned Doja Cat chorus suggests, the sex is pronounced to the nth degree.  “He like the Doja with the Cat, yeah,” she pop-raps on the first verse, continuing, “He like it thick, he like it fat / Like to keep him wantin’ more… / And all them niggas wanna know / How long it take to pull my pants up…” My, my, my.  Expectedly, on the second verse, Tyga is in the zone: “I’m a big dog, tryna eat the kitty cat, cat.” Juicy to the nth degree.

4. Chris Brown, “Juice”

Indigo • RCA • 2019

Chris Brown seems to struggle with moderation, at least when it comes to the amount of material on some of his studio albums.  In 2017, Brown gave listeners a hearty dose of himself with Heartbreak on a Full Moon.  Damn, was it ‘Chris Brown overload’ with far too few hits to justify its exhaustive length. Brown didn’t seem to get the memo in 2019 either as Indigo was another excessively long album, though shorter and better rounded than Heartbreak on a Full Moon.  The song at hand, “Juice” is no “Wobble Up” – a certified banger from Indigo – but it’s worth checking out.

“Juice” is certainly a respectable start to the second disc of Indigo. It’s a groovy joint where Chris Brown certainly sounds top rate, even while employing ample vocal effects and gimmickry.  As to be expected, Brown focuses on his favorite topic of sex to fuel the fire.  That means, unsurprisingly, the juice he references isn’t a nutritious beverage of any sort.  Sure, many men could argue what Brown is singing about is ‘healthy,’ but not in a nutritionally sound sense.

“Can you hear me girl? Give me all that
Give me some, give me some more
Don’t be stingy, girl, you know what I came for
Put that kitty down low, don’t stop…”

Juice indeed Chris, juice indeed.

5. Melanie Martinez, “Orange Juice”

K-12 • Atlantic • 2019

Melanie Martinez was among the most compelling contestants on NBC’s vocal competition, The Voice.  Where The Voice hasn’t exactly catapulted many of its alumni into big-time success, Martinez has achieved her fair share of success. Quite a quirky, alternative individual, it paid dividends on her 2015 major label debut, Cry Baby. Four years later, she returned with another distinct, conceptual affair with her ‘school-centric’ sophomore album, K-12.  Cry Baby, the central character on Cry Baby, returned on K-12, which is notably accompanied by a 90+ minute film.  Fitting the ‘juicy’ criteria for this particular list is the song, “Orange Juice.”

“Orange Juice” doesn’t put the popular fruit juice in a positive light.  That’s part of the genius of it.  Melanie Martinez addresses the dangers of eating disorders, seeking to attain ‘perfection’ at the risk of poor health mentally and physically.  “You turn oranges to orange juice,” she sings on the chorus, continuing, “Enter there, then spit it out of you / Your body is imperfectly perfect / Everyone wants what the other one’s working / No more orange juice.”

6. Lostboycrow, “Orange Juice”

Santa Fe • Real Name • 2019

“Free like the raven’s song, like we don’t know where to go,” eclectic pop artist Lostboycrow (Chris Blair) sings on the first line of the verse of “Orange Juice.” He continues, “Belief is a telescope that nobody taught you how to hold.” Sigh, both poetic and prudent. “Orange Juice” appears as the second track on his quietly released, 2019 debut album, Santa Fe.

Lovely guitars as well as bright, ear-catching synths help to craft the stellar production work on the records.  The sounds definitely earn “Orange Juice” the characterization of possessing smooth vibes.  Additionally, regarding the sound, the record benefits from its relatively simple but successful harmonic progression.  In regard to Lostboycrow, he delivers cool, soulful vocals that a dripping in reverb.  Interestingly, regarding the form of the song, it’s nontraditional, featuring a verse, which occurs twice in a row, a bridge, and an outro.

Never once is orange juice explicitly mentioned.  That said, the outro does reference Schnapps:

“Surrounded, facin’ Main Street and I’m back
Oh, I flashback to peach Schnapps and laugher
This train’s moving backwards
This train’s moving backwards
I swear this train’s moving backwards.”

7. Janelle Monáe, “I Got the Juice” (Ft. Pharrell Williams)

Dirty Computer • Bad Boy • 2018

“You so damn electro-cute / You know you got that juice / You know you got that juice / You know you got that juice.” Janelle Monáe places emphasis on ‘the juice’ on “I Got the Juice,” which appears on her Grammy-nominated (and snubbed) 2018 album, Dirty Computer.  Here’s the thing though. Dirty Computer was filled with hits, none of which were “The Juice.”  This unique record is passed up by the likes of “Django Jane”, “PYNK”, “Make Me Feel”, and “I Like That” just to name a few.  That doesn’t even consider non-advance singles like “Crazy, Classic Life” or “Americans”.

Unlike some of the other juice-oriented songs from this list, Janelle Monáe ties in the literal meaning.  No, “I Got the Juice” isn’t about physical juice either, but she at least incorporates literal references to spice things up.  A prime example is the chorus:

“I got the juice (juice tonight)
I’m the chaser, don’t need a mixer
I got the juice (juice tonight)
Baby, I’m the plug and the filter
I got the juice (juice tonight)
How many damn times I got to tell y’all?
I got the juice (juice tonight)
Baby, I got the juice (I got the juice tonight).”

It should also be mentioned “I Got the Juice” features Pharrell Williams.  Surprisingly, while Williams co-writes in addition to his vocal performance, he DOES NOT produce this particular record.  That’s in the hands of Nate “Rocket” Wonder, giving “I Got the Juice” it’s distinct sound.  Going back to the meaning of this particular song, as expected, ‘the juice’ has multiple meanings, including sexually (“I got juice between my thighs”).

8. James Bay, “Pink Lemonade”

Electric Light • Republic • 2018

Following a divisive promo single (“Wild Love”), Grammy-nominated British artist James Bay ultimately ended up exceeding expectations on his 2018, sophomore album, Electric Light. Another advance single, “Pink Lemonade”, marks one of the truly elite moments on the album, not to mention a brilliant addition to this juicy, juice-oriented playlist.  Bucking the trend of songs featuring ‘juice’ explicitly in their title, Mr. Bay gets more specific focusing on the highly coveted beverage, “Pink Lemonade.”

James Bay doesn’t spend the majority of “Pink Lemonade” singing about the beverage.  The first and only mention of pink lemonade occurs on the bridge, near the end of the song! He sings:

“Let me wake up heavy head
Lying in my bed with you naked
Go put that song on, that you love
On repeat, until we can’t fake it
I wanna drink pink lemonade
Watching movie trailers ‘til it’s late
And let’s remember all the words
That we think are gonna make our hearts break.”

If you didn’t already figure it out, “Pink Lemonade” has little to do with fruit juice or any beverage for that matter.  Bay stated in the behind the scenes video that the song is about “this massive urge and desire to escape.”  Definitely interesting, and so are the lyrics throughout the verses, not to mention the brilliant, ‘pink lemonade-less’ chorus.

“‘Do you wanna talk? Do you wanna talk it through?’
Swear I ain’t got anything on my mind
I don’t wanna talk to you.” 

Ultimately, “Pink Lemonade” is an aggressive, thrilling rock joint from Electric Light.  The guitars are robust, chocked-full of massive ‘stank,’ while Bay opts against vocal finesse in favor of unapologetic grit.

9. Chromeo, “Juice”

Head Over Heels • Atlantic • 2018

“That you’ve got the juice, yeah, yeah / That’s why I’m pressin’ ya, pressin’ ya / Pressin’ ya, pressin’ ya…” Fair enough! Romantic electro funk collective Chromeo and groove should probably be synonymous. Funky is a groovy genre, and Chromeo have no shortage of groovy-ness, so… Chromeo, who hail from Montreal, is comprised of Dave 1 and P-Thugg, both of which were born in the late 1970s.  Doesn’t that play a role in the funky vibes to some extent – born at the end of disco and enjoying that incredibly grooving music of the 80s?  ‘The Funklordz’ as they’re dubbed released their fifth studio album, Head Over Heels, in 2018.  Thankfully, they included some serious “Juice” on the project.

“Juice” is chocked-to-the-brim with swagger, period.  The production (Chromeo and Jason Evigan) is superb, characterized by its incredibly degree of finesse. That backdrop includes ultra-smooth synths, ample rhythmic lines, and a strong, punchy beat.  Dave 1 delivers a bright and compelling vocal performance, trying his best to persuade this totally awesome woman to be with him, as the aforementioned chorus suggested.  Dave 1 knows who is in the driver’s seat, singing on the first verse, “It ain’t no mystery who’s in control / You’re sittin’ pretty, I’m replaceable.” Later, on the second verse, he puts a smile on the listener’s face with the endearing lyrics, “It’s usually freezin’ when I act this way / But it’s cuffin’ season, in the month of May.”

Another brilliant moment? The bridge, where Dave 1 knows he’s got a gem and he better not mess thing up – he’d definitely be a “damn fool if he didn’t recognize!” If you didn’t already figure it out, Chromeo isn’t referring to your favorite fruit juice/drink.

10. Blackbear, “Juicy Sweatsuits” (Ft. Juicy J)

Digital Druglord • Interscope • 2017

“Yeah, yeah / Juicy sweat suits / Doing lines in the restroom / All your drugs to impress who?”  “Juicy sweatsuits” finds Blackbear – aka Mat Musto – speaking ill of his exes.  What’s new right? “Juicy Sweatsuits” appears on his 2017 album, digital druglord, one of three projects Musto released that year (Mansionz with Mike Posner and a mixtape, Cybersex).  Sure, “Juicy Sweatsuits” fits the criteria of this most juicy playlist, but we can’t mention the album digital druglord without dropping the name of his most famous hit, “do re mi.”  Of course, it should also be noted that Musto co-wrote that famous Justin Bieber hit, “Boyfriend”.  Time to get back on track though, focusing on those ill exes!

Through blackbear’s eyes, his exes want him back and are clearly trying to make him angry by joining forces.  He is unfazed, criticizing their poor choices – namely cocaine usage (as aforementioned) – and ultimately being thankful he’s out of the relationship. Mic drop! Juicy J appears as the featured guest and remains true to himself, referencing the Wraith and essentially, paralleling his come-up with upgrading his chick.

“You think you can do better, you just lyin’ to yourself
Can’t name one nigga that can never keep up
My last chick wasn’t dope enough, I had to re-up.”

Once again, juice in itself is a non-factor in “Juicy Sweatsuits.” Well, damn it! Regardless, Blackbear does reference those sweat suits throughout the course of the song, including the chorus:

“Tell me why my exes besties now
Thinking pics gon’ stress me out
Mad that I won’t sex ‘em now
Y’all just look depressin’. In those sweatsuits…”

11. Ty Dolla $ign, “Juice”

Campaign • Atlantic • 2016

Following a compelling debut album with Free TC (2015), rapper/singer Ty Dolla $ign returned in 2016 with a mixtape, Campaign.  Campaign actually isn’t too far-fetched from being a studio album in effect, with some legit standouts. While one might argue “Juice,” the song featured on this particular list, falls into the second tier of songs as opposed to those in the top tier (“Zaddy” > “Juice”), it’s still a track totally worth mentioning.

On “Juice,” Ty Dolla Sign brags, “She only call me when she want the juice.” Hmm, someone is confident to the nth degree! The juice which Dolla refers to definitely isn’t a beverage, but himself.  Essentially, he’s come up and all the women want him. If you listened to Free TC you totally remember him singing “Horses in the Stable,” which focuses on how many members of the opposite sex want to be with him.  On “Juice,” he makes this crystal clear on throughout, particularly on the bridge:

“They doubted me and now she want my energy
We ain’t got no chemistry but I still might fuck though…”

11 SONGS WHERE THE JUICE IS TOTALLY POTENT [Photo Credits: Atlantic, Bad Boy, Brent Faulkner, Interscope, Kemosabe, Nice Life, Pexels, Pixabay, RCA, Real Name, Republic]