Victor Victor Worldwide x Republic Records, 2020
The year 2020 has been a whirlwind, with a seemingly endless combination of tragedies and unpleasant surprises coming at us each month. Wildfires took over the south coast of Australia, Kobe and Gigi Bryant, along with seven others were killed in a helicopter crash, and the emergence of the Coronavirus caused a global pandemic. All of this has taken place and we’re still only seven months into the year. With that in mind, it’s hard to believe that it’s been nearly four and a half months since Pop Smoke was tragically killed during a home invasion in Hollywood Hills. He was the biggest name out of the newly-emerging New York drill scene, and was well on his way to becoming a superstar, already with a few hit records to his name. His deep, raspy voice was infectious and its presence could instantly turn any drill beat into a banger. Based on his mannerisms, his gangster persona and his flow, he drew comparisons to 50 Cent throughout his career. It’s a fitting comparison, as both of them, arguably, served as the “King of New York” at different times and Pop Smoke drew inspiration from 50. After his tragic passing, 50 vowed to finish Pop Smoke’s next album. He acted as executive producer of Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon and did an impeccable job piecing it together as the first posthumous release from Pop Smoke, even including a guest verse from himself, alongside Roddy Ricch on “The Woo.” 50 also included the track “Got It On Me,” which is Pop Smoke’s take on 50’s classic cut “Many Men” that serves as a standout on the album and also helps validate the comparisons between the two artists. Given the circumstances surrounding his murder, it’s rather chilling to hear Pop Smoke rap the hook to that song; “have mercy on me, have mercy on my soul” and “many, many, many, many men wish death upon me,” when he’s no longer with us to see the album’s success.
The first half of the album is Pop Smoke’s usual grimy self, showcasing his natural ability to use his voice as an instrument and effortlessly flow with aggression over hard-hitting production, with a little bit of singing mixed in. The second half finds Pop Smoke singing a lot more, making for some slower songs about love and infatuation, which was a side of him that we didn’t really hear much of before his passing. He was able to put his own gangster twist on them, and they serve as proof that we hadn’t seen his full musical potential yet.
The album features a lot of guest artists, and mostly all of them greatly contribute to the songs on which they appear, with the exceptions of King Combs on “Diana” and Tyga on “West Coast Shit.” Even DaBaby was able to deliver a tolerable verse on “For the Night.” Migos captain Quavo appears on the album three times, and delivers on all three occasions, which should not be a surprise considering the success of their previous collaboration “Shake the Room” off of Pop Smoke’s album, Meet the Woo 2, released earlier this year. With all of the high-profile guests on the project, it would have also been nice to hear a feature from fellow Brooklyn drill artist Fivio Foreign, considering their close friendship and past musical collaborations.
One of the catchiest songs on the album is “Enjoy Yourself,” which was one that leaked a few weeks before the album’s release. The leaked version featured a verse from Nigerian artist Burna Boy, but that was removed and replaced with a verse from Spanish singer Karol G on the official release. While the Spanish verse compliments the song’s vibe well and it makes sense that those piecing the album together wanted to reach a diverse audience, the Burna Boy verse sounded much more natural on the song. Overall, Pop Smoke’s immense talent is showcased throughout the album, both on solo tracks and alongside features, helping to solidify him as one of this generation’s top talents. DaBaby fittingly ends his verse on Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon with a nod to his fallen friend; “rest in Peace to the Pop, make me smoke ya.” Long Live the Woo
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