![]() With production mainly handled by UK producer 808Melo, the beats vary between each track while maintaining the essence of triplet hi-hats, sharp snares and resounding bass that has made Smoke’s tracks eclipse millions of views. A clear shot at rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine’s questionable self-claim to be the king of the city, Smoke comes back from the grave here to correct anyone who might be thinking that he won’t live on in memory. Over a haunting piano intro, singed synths maintain that early threat while Smoke delivers his best claim yet to be the King of New York by emphatically stating: “ I don’t want none of that extra loud shit / This ain’t none of that rainbow hair shit / Know what I’m sayin’? (I be in New York with the gangsters) / This the real streets shit, yeah, n***a / (I be in New York with the gangsters) / Fuckin’ voice of the streets, man”. ‘Gangstas’, for example, is Pop Smoke at his very best. It’s an early indicator of the 19-track album’s pomp, as well as Smoke’s singular lyricism.Īs the album progresses space is made for pure trap, and certain songs veer towards R&B sensibilities and melancholic reflections. Executively produced by legendary rapper 50 Cent and featuring 21 producers with an all-star cast of features – including Quavo, Future, Roddy Rich and more – the album is rich, dense and layered but never strays too far from its sole purpose: to remind everyone of the immense talent Smoke held.įrom the jump, Quavo and Pop Smoke trade lines on ‘Aim For The Moon’, an aspirational, smoky track with a resounding bass that plummets when their collaborative deep voices spit lines like: “ Welcome her to the party / The afterparty’s afterparty, then party again (Oh) / Hundred bitches, hardly any men (Oh) / In my room is where the party began“. This debut album was nearly finished at the time of his death, and has since been guided through its final stages by his friend, manager and label owner Steven Victor. His murder in February 2020, during an apparent robbery at his rental property in Los Angeles, was cruelly timed. ![]() Off the back of two mixtapes, ‘Meet The Woo’ and ‘Meet The Woo 2’, Pop Smoke positioned himself as the successor to the long-vacant throne of New York rap. He took the specific regional sound of Brooklyn drill and gave it national attention before then launching it into the global spotlight. Pop Smoke had the kind of signature sounds – anthemic drill-inspired production underneath a guttural baritone that spat braggadocious lyrics – which made him instantly stand out. If the fanbase’s biggest gripe with a posthumous release is its artwork, then you’ve done a pretty good job.Ī once-in-a-generation talent, the Brooklyn-born artist’s impact on hip-hop was immediate, providing a powerful, uplifting voice when it was needed most. Thankfully, Pop Smoke’s just-released ‘Shoot For The Stars, Aim For The Moon’ is a posthumous album that is measured with care and is a complete ode to a rapper tragically taken from his family, friends and fans far too early. Too frequently they’re a transparent attempt to get one last paycheck from the oeuvre, compromising the artist’s vision for marketability and sales (read: the numerous, wobbly Tupac collections since his death). ![]() Nailing the posthumous album release is never easy. ![]()
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