HIP HOP
Last week was special for 50 Cent. Not just the Get rich or die trying ‘ The rapper turned 45, but on Sunday night (July 12), his protégé, Pop Smoke, got his first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 with Shoot the stars Aim for the moon getting 251,000 equivalent album units. Smoke The latest feat also made him the first artist to debut at number 1 on the Billboard 200 with a posthumous album since the introduction of XXXTentacion. Fur in 2018
For the 1950s, his decision to continue Smoke’s legacy after his tragic death last February included securing a group of features from rap heavyweights like Roddy Ricch, Future, Lil Baby, and more. In addition to appearing on Smoke’s “The Woo,” 50 previously signed with the late rapper who tweens his 2000s classics like “Many Men” and “Candy Shop.”
“When I met [Pop Smoke], I said, it was time to redo my records, “says 50 Cent Billboard about Smoke’s flip on “Many Men” for his hymn song “Got It on Me”. “Those [first two albums of mine] They are [from] ’03 and ’05. If there’s something that moved you and it’s silly, the new artist is supposed to use that or make his version of it. “
Enchanted by his husky voice, slick songwriting skills, and boastful personality, fans have embraced Smoke from the start of his career. After creating a buzz with open-mouthed hymns such as 2019’s “Welcome to the Party” and “Dior,” listeners craved more discs infused with Smoke-inspired drills. His ability to take over the New York rap scene and create a new sound that rocked the hip-hop game across the country earned him acclaim, and comparisons to a young 50 Cent, who launched the genre with its appeal. street vendor in the early 2000s.
“I didn’t even realize his [last] his name was Jackson, “says 50 about his similarities.”[He even had] the same goose bumps I had before fixing them. ”
While 50 recognizes the similarities, it also breaks the different paths of both stars when trying to crack the code for conventional gold. When he blocked the rap game with his shocking mixtapes, 50 Cent is the future and Guess who is back, He cleverly mixed hits known as LL Cool J’s “Luv You Better” and Angie Martinez’s “If I Can Go” to grab listeners’ attention. Smoke used her drill tracks as bait, before choosing to calm fans with the more pop-friendly tunes found in the later half of her debut album.
“You can hear the drill music and the assault,” says 50. “[Pop] He was not showing his abilities to do different things musically. And then she came out of that after those first two tapes to create the music that she was creating at the time. “
While Shoot For the Stars Aim For The Moon continues to receive high praise, there were initial complaints regarding the execution. Chicago MC Calboy voiced his problems being pulled from “Diana,” while some fans were not thrilled that Nigerian singer-songwriter Burna Boy was pulled from “Enjoy Yourself,” in favor of the star. Latin Karol G.
“Now look, [Pop Smoke] he has the number 1 record, and this is not the record he would have submitted [if he were still around]. You have some of the guys that were in the logs that were swapped, and they’re upset. I understand, but they were not part of what would have made the best albums. They are still in growth stages. So when they see themselves come out of the record, they say, ‘Why do you postpone it, but put the Latin artist on?’ The Latino audience is THIS GREAT, bro. And you have an established Latino artist, “50 states.
#Calboy took a moment to express his frustration after discovering that he had been left out of # PopSmoke’s song “Diana”.
• @ 147Calboy @DjCarisma #CheccdInWithCarisma
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[WATCH] https://t.co/DbWaDcpxjd pic.twitter.com/6tDLIGy0mL– Power 106 (@ Power106LA) July 10, 2020
50, who also says he refused to take money while serving as the album’s executive producer, explains to Billboard I just wanted to finish the album based “on culture and your relationship with Pop Smoke.”
“As soon as I know the record was set for No. 1, I feel like I did enough,” he offers.
Watch the interview with 50 Cent in its entirety above as he talks about keeping his promise to Pop Smoke, choosing the album cover, not feeling pressured to complete the album, and more.
