Shot and killed in February at just 20 years old, Pop Smoke’s death shook up the music industry. An incredibly talented artist on the cusp of breaking through worldwide, he was seen as one of the leaders of a subgenre of trap; Brooklyn drill. After his estate gave the go-ahead for the release of the album and entered into a publishing deal with Warner, the initial release date was set for June but was pushed back due to the Black Lives Matter protests that swept the US last month.
His debut album was finally released today. Steven Victor (Pop Smoke’s manager and Senior Vice President of A&R at Universal Music Group) said of the release, “Pop’s music belongs to everyone. This album is a celebration of where Pop was headed and where he wanted to be. The process of working on this album with all our friends, peers and heroes has been amazing and we thank everyone for their support. Pop’s music and legacy belongs to the world now and we want you to continue to manifest your love in creative ways that we haven’t even thought of yet.”
The album artwork was designed by Virgil Abloh and changed at the last minute after public outcry. Of the design, Victor said, “you wanted Virgil to design your album cover and lead creative.. Virgil designed the album cover and led creative..”
Check out the album below.