Pop Smoke’s posthumous debut album, released July 3, 2020, four months after the Brooklyn drill rapper was murdered during a home invasion in Los Angeles. The album introduced Pop Smoke’s deep voice and aggressive drill sound to mainstream audiences, debuting at #1 and becoming the biggest rap album of 2020.
Tragic Timing
Pop Smoke was killed February 19, 2020, at age 20, just as his career was exploding. His earlier mixtapes “Meet the Woo” and “Meet the Woo 2” had caught fire on TikTok (especially “Dior” and “Welcome to the Party”). 50 Cent executive produced the posthumous album, assembling features from Quavo, DaBaby, Roddy Ricch, and more.
Brooklyn Drill Goes Mainstream
Shoot for the Stars brought Brooklyn drill—a harder, darker evolution of Chicago drill with UK influences—to Top 40 radio. Pop Smoke’s gravelly baritone over menacing 808s created an unmistakable sound. Tracks like “For the Night” (with Lil Baby and DaBaby) and “The Woo” (with 50 Cent and Roddy Ricch) became summer anthems.
Commercial Dominance
The album debuted at #1 with 251,000 units, the biggest first-week debut for a posthumous album in over a decade. It spent multiple weeks at #1 and went triple platinum. “Mood Swings” (with Lil Tjay) became Pop Smoke’s first top-40 hit as a lead artist.
Legacy
Pop Smoke’s death was mourned by drill fans worldwide. Shoot for the Stars immortalized his potential, influencing countless Brooklyn drill artists who followed. The album proved drill music could cross over to mainstream without dilution, cementing Pop Smoke’s legendary status.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoot_for_the_Stars,_Aim_for_the_Moon https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/pop-smoke-shoot-for-the-stars-aim-for-the-moon/ https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/pop-smoke-shoot-for-the-stars-aim-for-the-moon-debuts-at-no-1-billboard-200-chart-9412806/