Pop Smoke may finally get to rest in peace.
The earlier reports of 400+ songs in the vault may have been exaggerated as now it seems the last of the unfinished demos has been used and abused. It’s unknown how Pop’s team is going to move forward, but one thing they could do is continue re-releasing already existing music. It wouldn’t be the first time they used these shameless tactics, either. Frustrated fans, look no further than the saturation of his beloved hit “Dior.”
On July 31, fans awoke to another deluxe edition for Pop Smoke’s second posthumous project, Faith. This makes it the second deluxe edition compiled in two weeks for the same tape. The additions included four unreleased (and unfinished) songs that likely should’ve stayed on the cutting room floor.
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Most of the material will be forgotten promptly besides a teased Fivio Foreign collab. But one late addition stands out — “Dior.”
The smash hit and arguably signature song from the late rapper has yet again been attached to the end of his project. This makes it a total of seven times since his 2019 debut mixtape Meet the Woo, where the track found its way onto an album it doesn’t belong. Here are the seven times “Dior” has been released to fish more streams.
Meet The Woo (2019)
Release Date: July 26, 2019
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Pop Smoke’s debut, Meet The Woo, deserves to be in the Museum of Modern Art. Produced by 808melo, the UK-inspired drill beats could’ve scored James Wan films. It’s grizzly and dark, with Pop’s hellish baritone holding the listener’s attention span for ransom. “Dior” was the second single from the project following, “Welcome to the Party,” which ruled over every block party in Brooklyn during the summer of 2019. The track turned Pop Smoke into a household name after organically gaining buzz within New York.
Meet The Woo 2 (2020)
Release Date: February 7, 2020
First Week Sales: Est. 36,000
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After becoming the face of the Brooklyn Drill scene with Meet The Woo, Pop Smoke went for a blockbuster sequel. Meet the Woo 2 had Pop proclaiming on “Christopher Walking” he was the new King of New York.
The production was cinematic — featuring polished beats and seamless transitions between tracks — and flaunted star power with features such as Quavo, A Boogie wit da Hoodie and Fivio Foreign. Pop sounded in command and more confident than ever. It was the second time “Dior” made it onto Pop’s project after being added as a bonus track to capitalize on his potential superstar status, serving as the final album released before his passing.
Meet The Woo 2 Deluxe Edition (2020)
Release Date: February 12, 2020
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A week later, Meet The Woo 2’s deluxe edition dropped with “Dior” tacked on again as a bonus track, marking the third time the track hit streaming services on a Pop Smoke project. With the popularity of the track soaring, it’s almost irresistible to not cash in on the extra numbers.
Pop’s buzz warranted the inclusion, even if it did seem a bit hamfisted. But maybe most importantly, this was released while he was alive and therefore, had his blessing. Unfortunately, this isn’t the last time fans would hear the celebration of Christian Dior.
“Dior” Remix // Meet The Woo 2 (Deluxe Edition) (2020)
Release Date: February 12, 2020
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For the fourth offense, “Dior” was not only already on the album as a bonus track, the song was also remixed with Gunna tapping in for a verse. High profile remixes are common when songs blow up, but the inclusion of Gunna is like putting hot sauce on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Gunna zaps the menace out of the track, replacing its rebellious energy with plastic platitudes and basic flexing. His nasally voice is prominent and out of place, as he goes on about his favorite denim jeans from Mike Amiri, Ricky Owens and Valentino. He also mentions his favorite sports cars and designer watches, as if he wanted to fill a luxury quota rather than craft a verse that had anything to do with what the song means to the people of New York. Despite the awkward feature, once again, Pop Smoke was alive to give his blessing, the last time before his tragic death.
Pop Smoke's Team Shamelessly Chose Commercialism Over Credibility On 'Faith' Album
Shoot For The Stars, Aim For The Moon (2020)
Release Date: July 3, 2020
First Week Sales: Est. 251,000
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Shoot For The Stars, Aim For The Moon is the first posthumous album from Pop Smoke. Following a fatal home invasion robbery, Pop’s manager Steven Victor sought to complete Pop’s vision. For his debut studio album, Pop wanted crossover appeal. He wanted to reach worldwide audiences and show the world he was more than a drill artist.
With 50 Cent as the executive producer, Pop’s team managed to complete the project to mostly glowing praise, including being nominated for best album of 2020 at the HipHopDX Awards. “Dior” is the final track on the album and it’s, of course, a bonus track. At this point, it becomes exhaustive after the track received a remix from Gunna on the previous release, a natural stopping point for milking the anthemic single.
Shoot For The Stars, Aim For The Moon (Deluxe Edition) (2020)
Release Date: July 20, 2020
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Is it really a Pop Smoke album without “Dior?” The track made its sixth appearance on the deluxe edition despite already being on the original. Following the George Floyd protests against police brutality in May 2020, “Dior” soared through the charts as it became the song of choice for protesters across the country.
From Portland to New York City, to the streets of Los Angeles, the sound of “Dior Dior” echoed throughout the nation. Naturally, Steven Victor and the label executives capitalized on the song becoming a street anthem.
Faith Deluxe Edition (The Second Deluxe?!?) (2021)
Release Date: July 30, 2020
First Week Sales: Est. 88,000
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Faith is an unfinished product; a compilation of broken verses and unreleased tracks that were incomplete. Pop Smoke sounds like remnants of himself; the bark has faded, growls are non-existent and his presence has long dissipated. The project was jam-packed with Hollywood features and makeshift scenarios that jaded Pop’s vision. The deluxe edition came in the form of four new songs. Immediately after, another deluxe edition was released with a total of nine new songs. The final song on this sinking ship is “Dior,” a shameless plug to squeeze every dollar out of the dead rapper’s work.
Music is an art to be cherished, not pillaged until all that’s left are voice memos and pieces of an estate. But unfortunately, with the saturation of “Dior” serving as a chief example of stretching for streams, in this new era, the dead may never get to rest in peace.
