"Snitching"
Song by Pop Smoke featuring Quavo and Future
from the album Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon
ReleasedJuly 3, 2020
GenreTrap
Length4:19
Label
Songwriter(s)
  • Bashar Jackson
  • Quavious Marshall
  • Nayvadius Wilburn
  • Tyron Douglas
  • Seth Jones
Producer(s)
  • Buddah Bless
  • Seth the Chef

"Snitching" is a song by American rapper Pop Smoke featuring fellow American rappers Quavo of Migos and Future, from the former's posthumous debut studio album, Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon (2020). The song was written by the artists alongside producers Buddah Bless and Seth the Chef,. Quavo was originally going to put the song on Migos' then-upcoming fourth studio album, Culture III. Before the song was created, it was inspired by fellow American rapper 6ix9ine.

"Snitching" is a trap song that sees Pop Smoke rap about the threats he faced every day during his life, while Quavo and Future rap to bring awareness to the traitors of the world. Critics praised the song's instrumentation, with some picking it as a highlight on Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon. In the United States, the song reached number 54 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 30 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, while it further peaked at number 51 on the Canadian Hot 100.

Background

Before "Snitching" was created, the song was inspired by fellow rapper 6ix9ine, who was considered a snitch.[1] The song's beat was created by American producers Buddah Bless and Seth the Chef. Buddah Bless originally did not make the beat for Pop Smoke because at the time, he was only just recording drill music. Quavo played "Snitching" to Buddah Bless and intended to put it on his hip hop trio Migos' upcoming fourth studio album Culture III. While Quavo was working on the song, Pop Smoke walked into the studio they were in and expressed a desire to be part of the song. Record executive Steven Victor at first reached out to Jay-Z to add a verse to the song but the rapper did not respond. Victor then reached out to Future, and the rapper agreed because he felt honored to be able to work with Pop Smoke.[2] The song was written by Pop Smoke, known as Bashar Jackson, alongside Quavo, Future, Buddah Bless, and Seth the Chef, who have the respective real names of Quavious Marshall, Nayvadius Wilburn, Tyron Douglas, and Seth Jones.[3]

Music and lyrics

Musically, "Snitching" is a trap song.[4][5] According to Karlton Jahmal of HotNewHipHop, the song's beat is made up of a "guitar riff sprinkled with a chime and peppered with stop and go percussions". Quavo raps two verses and the chorus, while Pop Smoke and Future both rap the third and fourth verses.[6]

NME's Dhruva Balram noted Pop Smoke raps about the threats he faced in his everyday life and the measures he took to defend himself: "There's never a day I don't walk without it/Shoot a nigga, never talk about it (Shh)".[7] Wongo Okon of Uproxx wrote that Quavo and Future "bring awareness to the traitors of the world".[8] Briana Younger of NPR opined that Future appears to honor Pop Smoke by imitating him during the song.[9] Quavo raps: "Look at my status, No, I'm not braggin', I'm not average, My bitch want a Patek, I bought her a whip and I told her, "Stop naggin'", Too much jewelry, my diamonds is blastin', I bought it off backend, The club is packed in, Step in your city we goin' in."[10]

Release and reception

On July 3, 2020, "Snitching" was released as the eighth track on Pop Smoke's posthumous debut studio album Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon.[11] Balram described the track as "straight-up icy".[7] Earmilk's Ashton Howard and David Crone of AllMusic stated "Snitching" is one of the album's standouts and highlights, respectively.[11][12] Writing for Vulture, Craig Jenkins commented the song "would've silenced anyone who tried to accuse Pop Smoke of being a one-dimensional artist".[5] Jahmal opined that the song is one of the catchier tracks on the album, and said it has "a chorus that is easy to remember and sing".[6] Gary Suarez of Entertainment Weekly called it disjointed.[13] Following the release of Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon, "West Coast Shit" debuted and peaked at number 54 on the US Billboard Hot 100.[14] The song simultaneously peaked at number 30 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and number 51 on the Canadian Hot 100.[15][16] It further charted at number 122 in France.[17]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.[3]

Charts

Weekly chart performance for "Snitching"
Chart (2020) Peak
position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[16] 51
France (SNEP)[17] 122
US Billboard Hot 100[18] 54
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[15] 30

References

  1. ^ Tigg, Fnr (August 3, 2020). "6ix9ine Called Out for Referencing Nipsey Hussle and Pop Smoke's Deaths While Discussing Using Security Team". Complex. Archived from the original on September 23, 2020. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  2. ^ Skelton, Eric; Setaro, Shawn; McKinney, Jessica. "Cover Story: The Making of Pop Smoke's 'Shoot for the Stars Aim for the Moon'". Complex. Archived from the original on January 5, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
  3. ^ a b "Credits / Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon / Pop Smoke". Tidal. Archived from the original on January 5, 2021. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
  4. ^ Schwartz, Danny (July 6, 2020). "Pop Smoke's Endless Summer Continues on 'Shoot for the Stars Aim for the Moon'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on January 5, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
  5. ^ a b Jenkins, Craig (July 7, 2020). "Pop Smoke's Story Might Always End With a Glaring Question Mark". Vulture. Archived from the original on December 8, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  6. ^ a b Jahmal, Karlton (July 5, 2020). "Pop Smoke, Quavo, & Future Avoid All The 'Snitchin'". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on March 14, 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  7. ^ a b Balram, Dhruva (July 3, 2020). "Pop Smoke – 'Shoot For The Stars, Aim For The Moon review: Brooklyn rapper's posthumous debut matches rising star's ambition". NME. Archived from the original on January 5, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
  8. ^ Okon, Wongo (July 7, 2020). "Pop Smoke's 'Shoot For The Stars, Aim For The Moon' Expands The Late Rapper's Mainstream Appeal". Uproxx. Archived from the original on January 5, 2021. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
  9. ^ Younger, Briana (July 3, 2020). "Pop Smoke's First And Final Album Falls Between Two Worlds". NPR. Archived from the original on October 29, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  10. ^ "Check Out Latest English Official Audio Song 'Snitching' Sung By Pop Smoke Featuring Quavo And Future". The Times of India. July 8, 2020. Archived from the original on March 14, 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  11. ^ a b Crone, David. "Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon – Pop Smoke". AllMusic. Archived from the original on January 5, 2021. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
  12. ^ Howard, Ashton (July 3, 2020). "Brooklyn legend, Pop Smoke shoots for the stars on his brilliant posthumous album". Earmilk. Archived from the original on October 9, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  13. ^ Suarez, Gary (July 2, 2020). "On Pop Smoke's Shoot for the Stars Aim for the Moon, unfulfilled promise looms large". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on October 26, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  14. ^ Zellner, Xander (July 13, 2020). "All 19 Songs From Pop Smoke's New LP Chart on Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 5, 2021. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
  15. ^ a b "Pop Smoke Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  16. ^ a b "Pop Smoke Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  17. ^ a b "Pop Smoke – Snitching" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
  18. ^ "Pop Smoke Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
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