Make It Rain (Pop Smoke Song)
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"Make It Rain" is a song by American rapper
Pop Smoke Bashar Barakah Jackson (July 20, 1999 – February 19, 2020), known professionally as Pop Smoke, was an American rapper. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York City, he rose to fame with the release of his 2019 singles "Welcome to the Party (P ...
, released on June 12, 2020, as the
lead single A lead single (or first single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date. A similar term, "debut ...
from his
posthumous Posthumous may refer to: * Posthumous award, an award, prize or medal granted after the recipient's death * Posthumous publication, publishing of creative work after the author's death * Posthumous (album), ''Posthumous'' (album), by Warne Marsh, 1 ...
debut studio album, ''
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 include ...
'', released on July 3, 2020. The song features vocals from rapper
Rowdy Rebel Chad Marshall (born November 24, 1991), known professionally as Rowdy Rebel, is an American rapper. He is a member of the Brooklyn-based GS9 collective, formed by hometown rapper Bobby Shmurda. He is best known for his guest appearance on Pop Sm ...
, whose verse was recorded over a phone, as he was in jail at the time.


Background

The song marks Pop Smoke's first release as a lead artist following his death in February 2020. The track was first announced a day before its release, on June 11, 2020, by Pop Smoke's manager,
Steven Victor Steven William Victor (born September 6, 1980) is an American record executive, talent manager, music publisher, and A&R representative. He founded the record label Victor Victor Worldwide in 2016. The year prior, he was named chief creative of ...
, who announced the delay of Smoke's debut album and instead released "Make It Rain" as the lead single on the day the album was originally scheduled for release. Victor stated that out of respect for the
George Floyd protests The George Floyd protests were a series of protests, riots, and demonstrations against police brutality that began in Minneapolis in the United States on May 26, 2020. The protests and civil unrest began in Minneapolis as Reactions to the mu ...
, "we have decided to delay the release of his album out of respect for the movement". Victor also helped launch the Victor Victor Foundation, a non-profit organization which works to support Black youths through voter registration efforts and aid programs focused on mentorship and emotional support. The announcement of the song teased a mystery feature on the track, which eventually turned out to be
Rowdy Rebel Chad Marshall (born November 24, 1991), known professionally as Rowdy Rebel, is an American rapper. He is a member of the Brooklyn-based GS9 collective, formed by hometown rapper Bobby Shmurda. He is best known for his guest appearance on Pop Sm ...
, a member of
Bobby Shmurda Ackquille Jean Pollard (born August 4, 1994), known professionally as Bobby Shmurda, is an American rapper. Along with Rowdy Rebel, Shmurda is considered a pioneer of Brooklyn drill music. He rose to international fame in 2014 when his single, ...
's GS9 crew. Rebel has been incarcerated since 2014, when New York police rounded the whole SG group up and charged them with gang-related crimes. Hence, Rebel's verse was recorded telephonically.


Composition

"Make It Rain" was produced by Yamaica, Rico Beats and frequent Pop Smoke collaborater 808Melo. The song delivers Pop Smoke's signature
drill A drill is a tool used for making round holes or driving fasteners. It is fitted with a drill bit for making holes, or a screwdriver bit for securing fasteners. Historically, they were powered by hand, and later mains power, but cordless b ...
style. ''Soundigest''s Luke Wells noted that the song "sticks to his op Smokefoundational roots of jaunty hip-hop with an infectious, hammering beat underscored by deep, booming vocals. His voice is
idiosyncratic An idiosyncrasy is a unique feature of something. The term is often used to express peculiarity. Etymology The term "idiosyncrasy" originates from Greek ', "a peculiar temperament, habit of body" (from ', "one's own", ', "with" and ', "blend ...
— distinct to the point of unmistakability".


Critical reception

Jason Lipshutz of ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'' listed "Make it Rain" as one of the most essential releases of the week, calling it "classic Pop Smoke, with a wall-shattering beat and enough chest-thumping lyrics to ensure that the rapper's gravelly voice never loses your attention. Lipshutz opined that "listening to the song in the greater context of a career cut way too short makes for a jarring experience, yet 'Make It Rain' also captures Pop Smoke at his most triumphant, and it's a fitting pose". Tom Breihan of ''
Stereogum ''Stereogum'' is a daily Internet publication that focuses on music news, reviews, interviews, and commentary. The site was created in January 2002 by Scott Lapatine. ''Stereogum'' was one of the first MP3 blogs and has received several awar ...
'' praised the track as "a monstrous
drill A drill is a tool used for making round holes or driving fasteners. It is fitted with a drill bit for making holes, or a screwdriver bit for securing fasteners. Historically, they were powered by hand, and later mains power, but cordless b ...
track that does not feel like a half-finished leftover" and further found it to be "a real bittersweet pleasure to hear Pop's tremendous gruff voice-of-God flow once again". Luke Wells of ''Soundigest'' had a similar sentiment, saying "It's commonplace for posthumous releases to mark a decline in quality, but such is not the case with 'Make It Rain'. ''
Pitchfork A pitchfork or hay fork is an agricultural tool used to pitch loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. It has a long handle and usually two to five thin tines designed to efficiently move such materials. The term is also applie ...
''s Sheldon Pearce commended the song, writing: "Posthumous releases often bring diminishing returns, but here Pop Smoke retains the intensity that made him great". Pearce labelled Rowdy Rebel's verse as "defiant and uncaged", further pointing out Pop Smoke's distinctness: "What really separated Pop Smoke from other local drill rappers is that thundering voice; its thick husk still feels coarse, severe, and unavoidable. The pounding Yamaica production quakes beneath him, as all the most menacing drill beats do, but his rhymes cut through commotion. He raps like he's unstoppable, and he sounds like it too". In a 4/5-star review, ''The Musical Hype'' complimented the "banging production" by Yamaica, stating "the synths are hellish, while the beat anchors things down superbly" and applauded Pop Smoke for being "tough AF. His rhymes are hard-nosed and unapologetic", while admmitting that although Rowdy Rebel's verse lacks quality due to it being recorded over a phone, he still sounds "rowdy". ''Earmilk''s Nathan Whittle-Olivieri was particularly fond of the song's production: " the spectral, barebones instrumental allows the vocals to shine in hook after hook ripe with abrasion and personality. Dutch beatmaker and producer Yamaica lets twinkling synth leads bubble beneath blown-out bass in what feels like a fully idealized track completed before Smoke's passing".


Music video

A 3-D-style video was released alongside the song.


Charts


References

{{Authority control 2020 singles 2020 songs Pop Smoke songs Songs released posthumously Songs written by Pop Smoke