Blueface Clarifies Telling Rappers To "Check In" When Coming To L.A.

Blueface recently caught heat over comments he made online following Pop Smoke’s murder in the Hollywood Hills area of Los Angeles.

Weeks after Pop Smoke was murdered in an affluent area of Los Angeles, there are still many questions circulating about his death. The rapper had just released Meet The Woo 2 and was in a Hollywood Hills residence when he was shot and killed during a home invasion. Following the tragic news, Blueface came forward with a bit of advice for artists who make their way to L.A. Some people thought he was telling rappers to “check in” with streets prior to landing, but in an interview with Bootleg Kev, Blueface stated that wasn’t what he was saying at all.

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“The way they took what I was saying like, go find your local hood that’s affiliated with what you—honestly, that’s the last thing I’m promoting,” said Blueface. “If anything, go find you a regular, square that’s got maybe a gun license or permit or even a security guard or even a friend of a friend that can pull up and provide you with the utensils that you need to defend yourself.”

He doubled down that he wasn’t telling rappers who come to Los Angeles to contact gang leaders in order to get permission to move around the city. “That’s the last thing you should do,” the rapper added. “They gonna extort you! F*ck that. We ain’t payin’ nobody sh*t.” Bootleg Kev said he thinks that people need to keep their guard up more than getting the “artillery” they need. “They see the palm trees, they’re in the hills,” and they get distracted.

Blueface added, “They don’t know that the ‘hood is a 20-minute drive. They coming, for sure.” Watch Blueface with Bootleg Kev on Real 92.3 below.

Pop Smoke "Meet The Woo 2" Sales Report

The late Pop Smoke is expected to move up to 40,000 equivalent album units of "Meet The Woo 2" in its second week out.

Brooklyn rapper Pop Smoke was tragically murdered last week in the Hollywood Hills just days after releasing his most-consumed project to date, Meet The Woo 2. At the time of his death, Smoke was at the height of his popularity, only continuing to open more eyes to his version of drill rap. Experiencing solid first-week numbers, the rapper was beginning to hit his stride and critics were excited to hear what the 20-year-old would come up with next. As we all know now, his story came to an abrupt end but that doesn't mean that his music will lose its appeal. In fact, it has surged even higher since his death and, in a new sales projection report, Meet The Woo 2 is expected to match its first-week numbers in its second week out.

As expected by Hits Daily Double, one of the most respected sources of sales numbers in the music industry, Pop Smoke will have the ninth most popular album of the week with anywhere between 35,000 and 40,000 equivalent album units moved. K-pop band BTS will have the chart-topping position with a bewildering 350,000 units estimated, while Youngboy Never Broke Again enjoys a great week with up to 100,000 sales figures. Roddy Ricch follows closely behind in the third spot.

Let us know your favourite song off of Meet The Woo 2 in the comments. Rest in peace, Pop.

Pop Smoke’s "Dior" Lands On Hot 100 Charts

Pop Smoke's "Dior" single posthumously climbs up the Hot 100 charts, marking his second placement and first as a solo artist.

Pop Smoke's death has left a void in the Brooklyn drill scene, and songs like "Dior," and "Christopher Walken" serve as reminders of what he was bringing to the game. While he had yet to reach the pinnacle of his potential, Smoke was quickly solidifying himself as a fan-favorite, with his contribution to Travis Scott and the JACKBOYS' "Gatti" marking his first song to hit the Hot 100 charts. Now, Smoke has done it again -- though this time posthumously-- with "Dior."

Pop Smoke's "Dior" Lands On Hot 100 Charts

Billboard have revealed their updated Hot 100 charts, where Pop Smoke's "Dior" is currently sitting at 49, between Migos, Young Thug, and Travis Scott's "Give No Fux" and Lil Baby's "Sum 2 Prove." In a bittersweet turn, the song's success likely came as a direct result of Smoke's passing, as is so often the case whenever the game loses an artist. It should be noted that upon its initial release, Pop Smoke's Meet The Woo 2 sold a solid 36,000 album-equivalent units. Not bad for a 20-year-old newcomer -- not bad at all.

It's unclear whether his fans will continue to drive his music up the charts, but it's certainly nice to see the young rapper's legacy continue to shine. "Dior" served as a strong serving of Smoke's modus operandi; baritone bars, a darkly orchestral instrumental, and an infectious refrain. There's no telling how far Pop Smoke might have gone had he not been murdered at the age of 20. At least we had a chance to Meet The Woo before he shuffled off this mortal coil. Rest in peace, Pop Smoke.

Watch Pop Smoke’s Final Interview

Pop Smoke spoke about the "blessing" of all his incoming success on BBC Asian Network.

When a recording artist passes away, there are two different ways that fans tend to react. They either dive into their discographies and interviews, hoping to honor the artist's legacy and salvage the artist's memory. While some may be able to derive joy from the artist's work and pay tribute to them in this fashion, others may find this too painful of a reminder that someone they admired is gone.

For those who can muster the strength, Pop Smoke's final interview is making rounds online. He speaks to the hosts of BBC Asian Network, DJ Limelight and Kan D Man, about his wave of success and his recently-released project Meet The Woo 2. The clip serves as a devastating reminder of where the Brooklyn rapper was heading and also how respectful of a guy he was. Before the hosts start asking him questions, he asks them where they're from and establishes a connection over their shared Middle Eastern roots. He goes on to discuss his breakout song, "Welcome To The Party", and the various UK producers he had linked up with. He seems genuinely appreciate of all the good fortune that was coming his way. "Life just work like that," he said. "You never know when the blessing comes your way."

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Last Wednesday (Feb. 19), Pop Smoke suffered a fatal gunshot wound during a home invasion in Hollywood Hills. Police are still investigating whether it was a targeted hit.

Pop Smoke’s Streams Increase 392 Percent Following Death

Pop Smoke’s streaming numbers jumped from 5 million to 24.7 million on the day of his death, after he was tragically murdered in a fatal shooting in West Hollywood.

Pop Smoke’s discography is seeing a spike in streaming, rising from 5 million streams to 24.7 million streams after it was announced that the rapper was tragically killed in a fatal shooting in the Hollywood Hills on Wednesday. According to Billboard, tons of fans rushed to streaming services to play his music on the day of his death, resulting in a 392 percent increase in streaming numbers, per Nielsen Music/MRC Data.

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Pop Smoke’s catalogue as a whole garnered 24.7 million streams on February 19th following his death, almost five times as many as the 5 million streams the day prior. “Dior” off Pop’s 2019 debut mixtape, Meet The Woo, has raked in the most streams since we lost the young artist, rising from 909,000 listens on February 18th to 5.2 million on the 19th—a whopping 467 percent increase. However, while “Dior” may have the most listens, “Better Have Your Gun” saw the greatest increase in streams. The song was at 202,000 streams on February 19th, having experienced a 783 percent jump. The late artist also experienced a 984 percent increase in digital downloads of his songs, sitting at 3,000 downloads in total, 1,000 of which were “Dior.” Most strikingly, Pop’s music saw a 12,179 percent jump in album sales between Wednesday and Thursday, 3,000 of the 4,000 of which were his new album, Meet the Woo 2.

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Pop Smoke’s murder took place in the early hours of the morning on Wednesday as a result of what was initially believed to be a home invasion robbery. It has since been reported that surveillance footage from the Hollywood Hills home had led authorities to believe that the shooting was in fact a targeted hit, rather than part of an intended robbery. While the police investigate Pop Smoke’s murder, which may have had ties to gang relations, the rest of the world continues to mourn the loss of a young talent gone too soon. RIP Pop Smoke.

Pop Smoke Allegedly Concerned About Gangs Prior To Death: Report

Pop Smoke reportedly canceled his show last Sunday because the NYPD shut it down, but TMZ states otherwise.

As the investigation into Pop Smoke’s death continues, there have been many theories of why he was murdered in the Hollywood Hills. The 20-year-old rapper’s recent mixtape Meet The Woo 2 just debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 chart the day before his death. With so much to look forward to in his career, gossip about the circumstances surrounding Pop Smoke’s death have flooded social media.

TMZ recently reported that Pop Smoke’s East Coast family have made their way to Los Angeles to immerse themselves into the investigation. The publication returned on Saturday (February 22) morning to share more speculation into the rapper’s slaying by reporting that Pop Smoke was concerned for his safety days before he was murdered on Wednesday (February 19).

According to TMZ, last Sunday (February 16), Pop Smoke was set to perform at the Kings Theatre in his hometown of Brooklyn. However, the rapper reportedly shared on his Instagram Story that the show had been canceled because he claimed the “NYPD wouldn’t let me perform.” TMZ states that they’ve spoken with the New York Police Department and it wasn’t their call to shut down the show—Pop Smoke allegedly made the decision to back away “out of concern there were gang members in the audience.”

The outlet continued, “The rapper was out on bail in a federal car theft case and was ordered to stay away from gang members, so cops say canceling the show was really self-preservation… There’s been a buzz in L.A. among Pop’s circle that gang members might be behind his murder. The fact that Pop himself had concerns about gang members was something that has not escaped the attention of police.”

Pop Smoke’s "Meet The Woo 2" Scores Solid First Week

Pop Smoke secures his first top 10 placement on the Billboard charts with his new album “Meet The Woo 2.”

Pop Smoke may be a newcomer to the rap game, but he and his recent Meet The Woo 2 album have already come out swinging. Still feeling the residual success of his breakout single “Welcome To The Party,” Smoke’s momentum has ultimately led to a respectable first-week haul for the young artist. Especially considering the lack of prominent features from A-list talent, often employed as a not-entirely-subtle tactic to boost streaming numbers.

Pop Smoke's "Meet The Woo 2" Scores Solid First Week

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Though he wasn’t quite able to topple Roddy Ricch‘s seemingly unwavering Please Excuse Me For Being Antisocial, Pop Smoke did manage to crack the Billboard top 10, coming in at number seven. Clocking in a total of 36,000 album-equivalent units, the project marked a new milestone for Smoke, validation that his early success was far from a fluke. Unfortunately, not even a thoroughly introduced Woo was enough to conquer the enduring powers of Green Day, who waged war on trap music and “Swedish Songwriters” with their critically maligned Father Of All album.

In any case, a top ten chart placement remains a big win for Pop Smoke, and we can only hope he continues to keep the streak alive — lord knows that an artist can little afford any breathing room these days, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him back in the booth before long, barking a barrage of baritone bars into existence.

Pop Smoke’s "Meet The Woo 2" Is Laced With Heavy Artillery: Review

ALBUM REVIEW: Pop Smoke’s “Meet The Woo 2” plays to his strengths, blending elements of UK Drill, London electronic, and New York hip-hop.

On Meet The Woo 2, Pop Smoke’s official debut album, he sticks to his comfort zone. But there is growth to be found — both musically and personally. The 20-year-old Brooklyn phenom delivered an equally glossy and gutter debut with Meet The Woo. Successfully merging together the sounds of UK drill (influenced by the genre’s Chicago roots) and London’s penchant for electronic music, the rapper’s menacingly deep voice delivered a sobering reality. He relentlessly turns an opp into a duppy and barely wastes a breath mentioning the color of his Balmain jeans. His recklessness and haunted realities were masked as viral bangers like “Welcome To The Party” and “Dior” that would propel him as New York City’s next up.

The Brooklyn drill scene wouldn’t exist without the efforts of Bobby Shrmuda. But even as artists like 22Gz and Sheff G spearheaded the sound in Brooklyn, it’s artists like Pop Smoke and Fivio Foreign that banked on the opportunity of the international crossing as UK drill began to gain both prominence and notoriety at the same time. Meet The Woo 2 expands even further on the sonic mission as 808Melo reclaims the driver seat on the project, directing the frenetic marriage of grime, drill, and trap in the same direction. Following the dominant intro on “Invincible,” Pop Smoke and Quavo bring out the heavy artillery on “Shake The Room.” For the most part, the song’s vibe can be summed up by Pop Smoke’s go-to bar: “Henny, no chaser.” There’s enough ferocity on his part that it’s hard not to imagine one beating their chest after slugging down hip-hop’s favorite brown. With Melo on the beat, Pop Smoke manages to bring out an ounce of inspiration out of Quavo who has seemingly mailed in every single collaboration he’s done since Culture. It’s an important collaboration, too, since Quavo is the only A-List name attached to the project. Pop Smoke makes the most with his hometown contemporaries but the addition of Quavo marks one of the few major co-signs on wax, aside from a Travis Scott collab in December.

It’s easy to forget Pop Smoke is only 20-years-old due to his guttural vocals but there are moments throughout the project that remind everyone that he’s still new to this professional world. Weeks after his arrest over a stolen Rolls-Royce, it’s Steven Victor– Pusha T’s manager and head of the newly launched Victor Victor label Pop Smoke is signed to– that has been teaching the Brooklyn rapper how to maneuver through board rooms and courtrooms. On “Get Back,” Pop Smoke lets off clips for ad-libs as he details a crime-filled lifestyle. “N***as tryna lock me up and give me a bid, huh?/ I’m like n***a, f*ck the pigs/ The judge like, ‘Why you actin’ like a dick?’/ I said, ‘I’m movin’ like I’m Steven Vic.’”

Pop Smoke's "Meet The Woo 2" Is Laced With Heavy Artillery: Review

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Meet The Woo 2 doesn’t necessarily combat the criticism that Pop Smoke lacks versatility. He plays into his strengths more than anything else. The distinct raspiness in his voice is where the money is. Even though it’s suited for the intensity of the UK drill-infused production, there are still moments where he proves it can expand past that. Songs like “Christopher Walking” build on some of the melodic-driven delivery from “Brother Man,” committing further to the sing-rap variation; though occasional Quavo/Travis Scott-like adlibs make the gruffness more palatable, it’s more for texture’s sake. Even if Pop Smoke sounds wildly out of place when he details romance, songs like “She Got A Thing” perfectly suit the female demographic without sounding like a stretch. With Axl’s smooth but gritty production complimenting the raspiness, Pop Smoke teeters into the harmonies to detail love under dim strip club lights: “Climb on top, do a split/ She wanna do it on my dick/ Sit on my Amiris, I told her look out for the stick… Woo, she gon’ do it for these bands/ She make it clap like how I do both of my hands.”

Perhaps the idea of mainstream appeal isn’t Pop Smoke’s aim quite yet but his unique sound is one that won’t be replicated authentically. His sound stems from a regional creative uprising in Chicago before producers in the UK innovated it. Even with aspirations for global acclaim, at the end of the day, Pop Smoke’s Meet The Woo 2 brings it all back to the mecca of hip-hop.

Pop Smoke Calls Theft Allegations "Cap": "We Can’t Afford To F*ck Up"

It’s all lies, according to the rapper.

People were perplexed when news broke that Pop Smoke had been arrested for allegedly stealing a vehicle. In January, the New York City rapper was reportedly taken into custody at the airport as he was making his way to the City of Lights for Paris Fashion Week. Federal agents claim that the rapper borrowed a Rolls-Royce Wraith for a music video in November 2019. The owner of the car, in turn, would receive VIP treatment at one of Pop Smoke’s concerts, but according to authorities, the owner claims he never received his car back. It was finally tracked down in Arizona.

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Pop Smoke recently sat down with Angie Martinez at Hot 97 to talk about his latest release, Meet the Woo 2. While there, Angie asked about the rapper’s recent run-in with the law. “Foolishness. I’ll tell you later,” the rapper said. “But just know… You know, it’s cap. We gon’ keep it like that.” He may not have said much about the ongoing investigation, but Pop Smoke did have a few words of wisdom for other young men such as himself who are making money in the industry.

“I’m a give a message to my young n*ggas,” he began. “N*ggas like us, coming where we come from, we can’t afford to f*ck up. We can’t afford to slip up. Make no mistakes, you heard, because they watchin’ and they want us to. We got all odds against us. And fake n*ggas be winnin’ sometimes. So, if you wanna succeed, you can’t f*ck up. You ain’t got no space for it. You can’t afford it.” Watch his full interview below.

Nicki Minaj, Pop Smoke & Denzel Curry Heat Up Our "Fire Emoji" Playlist

“FIRE EMOJI” has you covered with the best releases of the week.

Last week, in the realm of hip hop releases, we were able to dedicate most of our focus to Lil Wayne‘s album, Funeral, as it was a week otherwise filled with new singles. This week, that is not the case. We got blessed with a bunch of great projects and we’re thrilled to add some of their hottest cuts to our Spotify playlist, “FIRE EMOJI”.

Pop Smoke is one of the most buzzing rappers in the game right now, so it was an ideal time for him to follow last July’s Meet The Woo EP with a full-length sequel. Meet The Woo 2 boasts thirteen tracks and a bunch of features. Pop Smoke enlisted fellow up-and-comers like Fivio Foreign and Lil Tjay for earthquake-inducing bangers, but he also collaborates with heavy-hitter Quavo to “Shake The Room”. The beat was too crazy on that one to not include it in our playlist.

Nicki Minaj, Pop Smoke & Denzel Curry Heat Up Our "Fire Emoji" Playlist Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

While we knew Meet The Woo 2 was coming, Denzel Curry and Kenny Beats caught us by surprise on Friday with their collaborative project, UNLOCKED. The rapturous tracks came accompanied by an animated short film that you must see and may have raised the bar for creative rollouts in 2020. Kenny Beats, whose producer tag is ubiquitous these days, furnishes the Miami rapper with ferocious beats that match his uncontainable energy. “DIET_” is a perfect example that these two pair perfectly.

Last but not least, we have a single for you. Not just any single, but a Nicki Minaj single. The queen herself came out of semi-retirement this week to drop off “Yikes”, a song title that is fitting given the scandalous week she had, but we’re not gonna get into that now. This is about “Yikes”, a searing assertion that Onika cannot be played with. God bless The Barbz for bullying her into completing and releasing the track this week.