Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon / Pop Smoke / July 3, 2020
- Joshua Yoo
- Jul 12, 2020
- 2 min read
Updated: Sep 13, 2020
One of the most distinguishable and unique voices in rap, Pop Smoke had nothing but a promising future, gaining a load of traction in pushing the drill movement forward over his past two mixtapes. On his posthumous album, Pop Smoke provides a wider variety of stylistic efforts, from hard-hitting drill to slow-jam R&B, and while not everything sticks, it signifies an artist whose growth and versatility were beginning to blossom.
Pop Smoke’s anomalous voice is one his strongest selling points, and on many of the rap cuts, he delivers his lines with the same high energy and intensity that people were drawn to on his previous projects (“Make It Rain”). He also expands on his style by testing his singing voice on a number of hooks and R&B cuts, but although it has its moments of charm, generally it comes off a bit flat and lacking depth (“Enjoy Yourself”).
With executive production from 50 Cent and Steven Victor, it’s hard not to yearn for better production and guest choices on certain parts of the album. Credit should be given for assimilating such a wide group of talented artists, but the issue arises where Pop Smoke himself is not present enough on his own songs, being crowded out stylistically and compositionally by his features (“Snitching”). And while he is able to mold with a trap style beat, the album relies too much on trap, which sometimes limits Pop Smoke creativity in his writing and delivery (“For the Night”).
The big picture is that his posthumous album reveals a commendable effort in attempting and creating his own style. The musical direction and captivating approach to rap was still in the works, but it’s painful to realize how great of a prospect Pop Smoke could have become.
R.I.P.
Best Track(s): Aim for the Moon, Got It On Me, Something Special, The Woo, Make It Rain
Lowlight(s): Diana, Snitching, Mood Swings
SCORE: 5/10
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkHgpc2Fjxk
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