The Undeniable Greatness of Pop Smoke’s “Something Special”
The Brooklyn native’s foray into R&B was proof that he was destined for the upper echelon of music
Pop Smoke’s first two mixtapes, Meet the Woo 1 and 2, were the epitome of sticking to the script. Every song stuck to New York’s patented drill sound, with each beat sounding like the soundtracks from The Matrix and every Sonic the Hedgehog birthed a child and raised it on the streets of Brooklyn. Pop Smoke fully capitalized on the sound, rising from the smoke and clouds as the poster child for drill’s potential to translate to the mainstream. His voice was crafted in the heavens and sent down to bless the ears of mere mortals, riding each and every ear-numbing, bass-laden beat with little to no effort.
His efforts to extend out of his comfort zone on Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon produced mixed results. The average Hip-Hop fan was probably disappointed with the album, expecting a celebration of the patented Brooklyn sound that Pop Smoke became the king of, which is fair. However, maybe some of the missed opportunities can be attributed to poor and uninspired showings by the featured artists. These moments were clear and stuck out like a sore thumb, like the Tyga and Quavo-assisted, club record “West Coast Shit” that felt forced and unnecessary, or the soft “Mood Swings” with Lil Tjay.
But the times when Pop Smoke was alone and adapted his sound to a new realm produced beautiful results. These are the moments that should be focused on when talking about this project because it’s really only about him. Even among the unnecessary fluff surrounding him, Pop’s efforts shined the brightest to become the biggest star possible. “Something Special” serves as the best example. In a run of R&B-influenced tracks in the back half of the project, this one stood out with a magical combination of a powerful sample and Pop Smoke’s equally powerful voice, displaying his aptitude for greatness.
The sample represents one of the biggest risks that Pop Smoke took in his career. “Something Special” flips the iconic and timeless Fabolous and Tamia track “So Into You,” allowing the melody to build the basis for the beat. Every Rap and R&B fan instantly recognizes the production, as nostalgia floods their brain with memories of all of the beautiful moments that probably accompanied that track. It took a considerable amount of chutzpah for Pop, a Brooklyn native, to hop onto a beat that a certified New York legend made his own years before.
The track works so well because Pop doesn’t attempt to simply mimic the gold-standard of Fabolous and Tamia’s version. Instead, he elects to retain the best aspects of his personality and mold them into the classic R&B sound. From the very outset of the track, his voice drips all over the famous rhythm as he takes the opening hook responsibilities. Somehow, the way he sings “I think you are something special” doesn’t sound like a painful karaoke rendition of some forgotten ’90s R&B. There are obviously moments when rappers try to sing the hook and they have to mask their lack of singing chops with aggressive usage of autotune — looking at you Kanye and Travis Scott. However, Pop Smoke’s voice and tone nestle perfectly into the realm of the classic genre of rap love songs, with his singing on the hook moving naturally into place.
His version of the love song is rife with the machismo reminiscent of early 2000 crossover hits, a la 50 Cent, Fat Joe, and Cam’ron. Pop Smoke’s idea of love resonates with both rappers and regular dudes alike. He lets his lover call him by his government name, which makes him better than other rappers that use a pseudonym for the artistry effect. For example, I’m reminded of the Skepta line from “Corn on the Curb” where he says, “Then she asked me what my real name was/And killed the conversation.” That process of building up walls is useless to Pop, who’d rather display a mature sense of vulnerability towards his love. Pop even gets a notch for participating in the classic idolization of Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston’s relationship, yearning for that “real love” they were perceived to have.
“Mother was a lawyer, her father the police
They be working long hours, so she always had the free
She said I could come with her if it get hot up in the streets
’Cause I’m a ‘rilla in the jungle and a shark up in the sea”
Between all of this, he retains the pure, teenage emotions of sneaking over to your girlfriend’s place when her parents aren’t around. Now, for legal reasons, I cannot admit that I personally relate to this experience. Nevertheless, the adorable image of sneaking around juxtaposed with an intense devotion to stand by each other resonates with me as a fan of the love song. Even if his love language is mired in expensive gifts and showy instances of love, Pop somehow captures the epitome of “young love” for a generation of music fans.
Above all, the track is simple and straightforward. There’s no gray area when it comes to Pop’s love for the subject of his desires. In an era where miscommunication is the bane of many relationships, Pop strips away any insecurities and lays it out all on the table. It’s beautiful. As a self-described connoisseur of the love song, I believe this track has the legs to stand the test of time. Not only because it capitalizes off the natural nostalgia of reminding everyone of Tamia, but due to Pop’s ability to be the voice for a generation of young dudes who are just trying to express their feelings. His bluntness, mixed with an unexpected tenderness from that source, creates a sneaky concoction of emotion that is really enjoyable. Pop’s voice was the final piece to craft a modern love song masterpiece, making it clear there are few who held the potential he was sitting on.
Matthew Ritchie is an average Division III baseball player at Johns Hopkins University, an avid writer, and has way too many opinions on sports and music. Follow his escapades on Twitter, @mkrwrt
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