Actor/singer Jeremy Pope has announced his debut EP, Last Name: POPE, will release independently on June 21.
The project will include the lead single, “U, Lost,” and its B-side, “What I Gotta Do.” Pope wrote and co-produced both songs.
“U, Lost” is a much-needed confidence booster following a breakup. Here, Pope reminds his ex of what they’ve lost and how he doesn’t tolerate any form of disrespect.
“You forgot that you was f***ing with the best / You forgot to speak my name up with your chest / You forgot that we don’t do no disrespect,” Pope sings in the first verse.
“U, Lost” arrives with a dance-drive video directed by C Prinz and choreographed by Parris Goebel (Rihanna, Ciara).
Conversely, “What I Gotta Do” is the more vulnerable track, in which Pope sings about a love interest who is seemingly becoming distant.
While Pope admits that he’s “starting to trip and feel some type of way” about it, he ultimately wants to talk with him about where they stand. “You still got your sh*t at my place / You need space / Tell me if something’s change / Are we okay?” he croons.
Speaking on Last Name: POPE, the multi-hyphenate entertainer says, “I took the time and space I needed to explore my sound as an independent artist. Three and a half years of working on this. Doing anything on your own takes a different kind of discipline and practice — being your own champion, your own resource.”
Pope continues, “I’ve been writing and producing music since I was 13, but putting together a complete body of music and visuals that reflect the ‘me’ now was a different kind of challenge. I am so excited and grateful to begin sharing this music and to bring people into my heart, sonically and visually.”
He concludes, “‘U, Lost’ and ‘What I Gotta Do’ are the first two records off this new project. I felt it was important to release the two records at the same time so people can recognize I’m not here just to drop singles, but to tell a story if I can.”
In the world of acting, Jeremy Pope is known for his roles, such as Archie Colman in the Netflix series Hollywood (2020) and Ellis French in the drama film The Inspection (2022). The latter earned Pope several awards, including an NAACP Image Award and a Golden Globes nomination, among other accolades.
Furthermore, his portrayal of Eddie Kendricks in the Broadway musical Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations scored him Tony and Grammy nominations.
Stream Jeremy Pope’s two new songs “U, Lost” and “What I Gotta Do” below.
