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Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon

Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon is the debut studio album by American rapper Pop Smoke. It was posthumously released on July 3, 2020, by Victor Victor Worldwide and Republic Records, and a deluxe edition of the album that includes fifteen additional tracks—including remixes of three songs from the original—was released on July 20 that year, a date that would have been Pop Smoke's 21st birthday. It is a drill, trap, and R&B record.

Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon

July 3, 2020 (2020-07-03)

  • 2019
  • 2020

  • Chalice (Los Angeles)
  • Crosby (Los Angeles)
  • EastWest (Los Angeles)
  • Encore (Los Angeles)
  • Paramount (Los Angeles)
  • Track Record (Los Angeles)
  • United (Los Angeles)
  • Flossy (Brooklyn)
  • Studio 92 (Brooklyn)
  • Mudd Monkey (New York City)
  • Penthouse (New York City)
  • Quad (New York City)
  • Sanctuary (Nassau)
  • Tape London (London)
  • Twin (Paris)

56:41

American rapper 50 Cent executive-produced Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon following the murder of Pop Smoke during a home invasion on February 19, 2020. 50 Cent finished the album for Pop Smoke by calling the featured artists and taking care of the deadlines. After the completion, 50 Cent helped fulfill Pop Smoke's wish to take his mother to an awards show. Jess Jackson mastered and sequenced Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon and reworked the tracks to get the professional sound of a big recording studio. Before his death, Pop Smoke had begun to set up the Shoot for the Stars Foundation to help youth achieve their goals while living and growing up in difficult circumstances, providing access to technology and other resources. Guest appearances on the album include Quavo, Lil Baby, DaBaby, Swae Lee, Future, Rowdy Rebel, 50 Cent, Roddy Ricch, Tyga, Karol G, Lil Tjay, and King Combs. The deluxe edition of the album adds appearances from Fivio Foreign, Dafi Woo, Dread Woo, Davido, PnB Rock, Jamie Foxx, Gunna, Young Thug, A Boogie wit da Hoodie, Queen Naija, Calboy, and Burna Boy.


Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon was supported by six singles, including US Billboard Hot 100 top-20 hits "The Woo", "Mood Swings", "For the Night", and "What You Know Bout Love". Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon was a commercial success, debuting at number one on the US Billboard 200 and giving Pop Smoke his first US number-one album. All 19 tracks on the standard album also charted on the Billboard Hot 100 following its first week of release, which gave the late rapper the most simultaneous entries on the Hot 100 posthumously. The album spent two non-consecutive weeks atop the Billboard 200 and received a double platinum certification. With Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon spending 34 weeks in the top five of the Billboard 200, it became the fourth album in the 21st century to spend so many weeks in the top five.


The album also topped the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums for 19 non-consecutive weeks and Top Rap Albums chart for 20 non-consecutive weeks, making it the longest-running number-one record on the latter chart. Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon received mostly positive reviews from music critics upon release and multiple publications praised the production. It appeared on several publications' lists of the best albums of 2020, including being placed in the top-10 by Billboard, Complex, The New York Times, The Ringer, and NPR. The album won Top Billboard 200 Album and Top Rap Album at the 2021 Billboard Music Awards.

Background[edit]

American record producer Rico Beats introduced rapper Pop Smoke to record executive Steven Victor in April 2019. After signing to Victor's label Victor Victor Worldwide and Republic Records, Pop Smoke told Victor in addition to rapping, he had experience as a singer, having previously sung for services at a church. To demonstrate his abilities, Pop Smoke played Victor an unreleased song called "Something Special" and a track called "What You Know Bout Love"; the latter made a deep impact on Victor Victor executives, persuading them Pop Smoke was more than "just another drill rapper from Brooklyn". Victor knew that many of rap's most popular musicians had been responsible for pushing new sounds into the mainstream because he worked closely with American rapper Kanye West as the chief operating officer of his record label GOOD Music at the time. The record executive devised a strategy in which Pop Smoke would go on to create a series of mixtapes devoted only to Brooklyn drill, which would be "raw, gritty street rap with bass-heavy production". After Pop Smoke would establish himself as the "leader" of the subgenre that was growing in New York City, he would then release a debut album that showcased his melodic side with bigger, more mainstream songs like "Something Special".[1]


On February 19, 2020, less than a year after signing his record deal, Pop Smoke was renting an Airbnb owned by The Real Housewives star Teddi Mellencamp and her husband, Edwin Arroyave, in Hollywood Hills, California.[2][3] The rapper was killed at the age of 20 during an attempted home invasion.[4][5] Four hooded men, one of whom was wearing a ski mask and carrying a handgun, broke into the house Pop Smoke was renting.[5][6] A 15-year-old boy, the youngest of the four intruders, shot Pop Smoke three times in the chest with a Beretta M9 after fighting with him.[7] The robbers stole Pop Smoke's diamond-studded Rolex watch, which they sold for $2,000.[7][8] Pop Smoke was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where doctors performed a thoracotomy on the left side of his chest but a few hours later, he was pronounced dead.[9][10] The day before his murder, Pop Smoke and friend Mike Dee had posted several images on their social media, including one in which Mellencamp's home address can be seen in the background.[10] The rapper also posted a story on Instagram and Facebook of gifts he had received.[10] One showed the house's full address on the packaging, giving out its location.[10]


At the beginning of March 2020, American rapper 50 Cent announced on his Instagram feed he had been listening to Pop Smoke's work and had decided to help finish the late artist's debut album by serving as executive producer.[11][12] As executive producer, 50 Cent contacted artists Roddy Ricch, Drake, and Chris Brown, asking them if they wanted to be included on the record.[11][12] A few weeks later, 50 Cent recalled during an Instagram live when he first met Pop Smoke in an office.[13] The late rapper was focused on his phone, making 50 Cent annoyed.[13] He got up and saw that Pop Smoke was actually writing everything he said down on his phone.[14][15][16] He stated he "fell in love" with Pop Smoke and was going to executive produce his album.[13][14] In a later interview with Billboard, 50 Cent said he would not earn any money as the album's executive producer—he wanted to finish it because of his relationship with Pop Smoke.[17] After production was completed, 50 Cent helped fulfill Pop Smoke's desire to take his mother to an awards show.[18][19] Pop Smoke had begun to set up the Shoot for the Stars Foundation in January 2020 to help young people achieve their goals despite living and growing up in difficult circumstances, providing access to technology and other resources. After his death, Pop Smoke's family announced they would continue the foundation.[20]

Release and promotion[edit]

Pop Smoke had wanted the album to be released in the northern hemisphere summer, close to his birthday on July 20. Before his murder, the album was to have been released on June 12, Memorial Day, an American federal holiday,[1] Pop Smoke's team announced on May 14, 2020, that the album had a planned release date of June 12, 2020,[60] but the lead single "Make It Rain" was released on that date instead, and Victor announced they had postponed the album's release to July 3, 2020, out of respect for the George Floyd protests against police brutality and systemic racism.[60] Pop Smoke's estate announced they had signed a co-publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music covering his past music and Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon.[61][62]


Victor Victor Worldwide and Republic Records released Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon worldwide on July 3, 2020.[63] The deluxe edition of the album was released on July 20, 2020, on what would have been Pop Smoke's 21st birthday and features fifteen additional tracks, including remixes of three songs from the original album.[64][65] The first single from the album, "Make it Rain",[66][67] peaked at number 49 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and at number 73 on the UK Singles Chart.[68][69] "Enjoy Yourself" was released as a promotional single on July 2, 2020;[70] it peaked at number 56 on the Billboard Hot 100.[68] "The Woo" was released as the album's second single on July 10, 2020,[71] and accompanying music video, which Eif Rivera directed, was released on July 20, 2020;[72][73] it features archival footage of Pop Smoke edited on vintage television screens, and shows 50 Cent and Ricch surrounded by expensive cars and bikini-clad women.[72][73] The song peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at number nine on the UK singles chart, giving Pop Smoke his first top-10 hit in the United Kingdom;[68][69] it was nominated for Song of Summer at the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards.[74][75]


The album's third single "Mood Swings" was released on August 21, 2020.[76] A visualizer for the track featuring Jordyn Woods, and Dylan and Dakota Gonzalez, was released on August 20, 2020.[77][78] A music video for the song was directed by David wept and was released on October 7, 2020.[79][80] It shows Lil Tjay and Lala Baptiste in an on-and-off relationship, and pictures of Pop Smoke in an eternal blue flame.[81] A remix featuring the voice of American singer Summer Walker was released as a single on September 18, 2020.[82] "Mood Swings" reached number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100[68] and number five on the UK Singles Chart, giving Pop Smoke his second top-10 hit in the UK.[69] "For the Night" was released as the album's fourth single on October 3, 2020;[83] it peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100, giving Pop Smoke his first top-10 hit in the United States.[84][85] The album's fifth single "What You Know Bout Love" was released on October 9, 2020.[86] Oliver Cannon directed its music video, which was released on December 22, 2020.[87][88] The video features never-before-seen clips of Pop Smoke and his fans performing the song's dance challenge on TikTok.[87][88] It peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 and at number four on the UK Singles Chart, giving Pop Smoke his second top-10 hit in the US and his third top-10 hit in the UK.[68][69] "Hello", featuring A Boogie wit da Hoodie, was released as the album's sixth single on February 9, 2021;[89] it peaked at number 83 on the Billboard Hot 100.[68]


A music video for "Got It on Me" was released to Pop Smoke's YouTube channel on July 3, 2020.[90] A music video for "Aim for the Moon" was directed by Oliver Cannon and was released on October 26, 2020.[91][92] The visual pays tribute to the music video for the Notorious B.I.G.'s 1997 single "Sky's the Limit",[93][94] while it features Bouba Savage playing Pop Smoke and an unnamed child playing Quavo as young versions of the rappers doing several activities.[95][96] The remix of "Diana" received a music video which was released on October 14, 2020,[97][98] and directed by Brilliant Garcia.[99][100] The video is interspersed and features clips of dimly lit neon setups of Pop Smoke recording in the studio, and celebrating and dancing with his team,[99][100] while it shows King Combs and Calboy hanging out with a crowd of friends in the streets of New York City, as well as being by luxury cars and women walking by them.[99][101]

Commercial performance[edit]

Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 251,000 album-equivalent units, giving Pop Smoke his first number one album in the US. The album also accumulated 268.44 million on-demand streams of its tracks in the week ending July 18.[122] Pop Smoke became the first hip hop act to debut posthumously at number one on the Billboard 200 with his debut studio album.[122] Pop Smoke also joined the Notorious B.I.G., 2Pac, and XXXTentacion as the only hip hop acts to posthumously reach number one.[123] All of the album's 19 tracks charted on the Billboard Hot 100 following its first week of release, making Pop Smoke have the most simultaneous entries on the Hot 100 posthumously.[124] The album returned to number one on the Billboard 200 in October 2020 after a three-month break. It was the second album in 2020 after Lil Baby's My Turn to have a lengthy hiatus between weeks at number one.[125] The album charted in the top five on the Billboard 200 for a total of 34 weeks, becoming only the fourth album in the 21st century to spend so many weeks in top five.[126][127] Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon also topped the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and remained at number one for 19 non-consecutive weeks.[128] The album has spent the longest time at number one since MC Hammer's Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em in 1990.[129] In March 2021, the album became the longest-running number-one record on the Billboard Top Rap Albums chart with 20 non-consecutive weeks, replacing American rapper Eminem's record after his seventh studio album Recovery spent 19 weeks at number one in 2010 and 2011.[130][131]


Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon debuted at number two on the UK Albums Chart,[132] which was the highest-charting international debut rap album since 50 Cent's Get Rich or Die Tryin' in 2003.[133][134] 12 weeks after its debut, the album rose to number one, becoming the first debut album to reach the top spot in 2020, and gave the late rapper his first number one album in the United Kingdom.[132][135] Pop Smoke became the first solo artist to have a posthumous debut album reach number one.[132][135] It took 12 weeks for Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon to reach number one, becoming the longest album to reach the summit on the chart in six years, since English singer George Ezra's debut album Wanted on Voyage took 14 weeks to top the chart in 2014.[132][135] Pop Smoke claimed the biggest debut album of 2020 in the UK with 222,000 chart sales.[136] In Ireland, the album debuted at number one, giving Pop Smoke his first number one album in the country.[137] It became the first debut album by an American rapper to top the Official Irish Charts in the 21st century.[137] The rapper became the only artist to ever claim a posthumous debut album in Ireland.[137] Pop Smoke also became the first artist in Ireland to have a posthumous number one album in more than four years.[137] Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon became the Official Irish Charts biggest debut album that was released in 2020.[138][139]


Elsewhere, Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon debuted at number one on the Canadian Albums Chart.[140] The album topped the ARIA Albums chart in Australia, giving the late rapper his first number one album in the country.[141][142] The album became the first posthumous record to top the ARIA Albums chart in more than two years since Australian musician Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu's fourth studio album Djarimirri in April 2018.[141][143] Pop Smoke became the 158th American artist to have an album top the charts in Australia.[142] Three tracks of Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon debuted within the top-50 of the ARIA Singles chart.[141] The album reached number one on the album charts of Austria,[144] Denmark,[145] the Netherlands,[146] Finland,[147] New Zealand,[148] Norway,[149] and Switzerland.[150]

signifies a co-producer

^[a]

signifies an additional producer

^[b]

signifies a vocal producer

^[c]

signifies an uncredited co-producer[151]

^[d]

"Paranoia" featuring and Young Thug was originally on the track list of the original album with an extra feature from Pusha T. However, it was included on the deluxe edition, without Pusha's verse.[152]

Gunna

"Diana" features uncredited background vocals from on the original album, however features and credits him on the remix on the deluxe.[153]

Calboy

Notes


Sample credits

on Complex

The Making of Pop Smoke's Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon