"What You Know Bout Love" is a song by American rapper and singer
Pop Smoke from his
posthumous
Posthumous may refer to:
* Posthumous award - an award, prize or medal granted after the recipient's death
* Posthumous publication – material published after the author's death
* Posthumous (album), ''Posthumous'' (album), by Warne Marsh, 1987
* ...
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 includ ...
'' (2020) as well as the EP ''Mood Swings'' (2020). The song was written by Pop Smoke, alongside producer IAmTash, with additional writing credits going to
Elgin Lumpkin (Ginuwine) and
Troy Oliver
Troy Oliver is an American multi-instrumentalist, record producer and songwriter born in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. He wrote and produced "Jenny from the Block" and " I’m Real" for Jennifer Lopez, and " Differences" for Ginuwine
E ...
for the interpolation and sampling of Ginuwine's "
Differences". The song was released as the fifth
single
Single may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Single (music), a song release
Songs
* "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004
* "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008
* "Single" (William Wei song), 2016
* "Single", by ...
from the album on October 9, 2020, by
Victor Victor Worldwide
Steven William Victor (born September 6, 1980) is a Haitian-American record executive, artist manager, music publisher, and A&R representative. He is the founder & CEO of Victor Victor Worldwide and SVP of A&R at Universal Music Group. He forme ...
and
Republic Records
Republic Records is a New York City–based American record label owned by Universal Music Group (UMG). It was founded by Avery Lipman and Monte Lipman as an independent label in 1995, and was acquired by UMG in 2000. Republic was initially an ...
. An
R&B track, it lyrically showcases Pop Smoke singing about his passion for his lover. The song received generally positive reviews from
music critics
Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...
, with a number of them praising the lyrics and the rapper's range.
It peaked at number nine on the US
''Billboard'' Hot 100 and number four on the
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
, becoming Pop Smoke's second top-10 single in the United States, and third in the United Kingdom. Internationally, the song peaked within the top five of four other countries, including Norway, where it reached number three. The song has received several
certifications
Certification is the provision by an independent body of written assurance (a certificate) that the product, service or system in question meets specific requirements. It is the formal attestation or confirmation of certain characteristics of a ...
, including being certified triple platinum in Canada by
Music Canada
Music Canada (formerly Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA)) is a non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, manufacture, produce, and distribute music in Canada. It a ...
(MC). The accompanying music video was directed by Oliver Cannon and uploaded to Pop Smoke's YouTube channel on December 22, 2020. It features never before seen clips of the rapper and his fans performing the song's dance challenge on
TikTok
TikTok, known in China as Douyin (), is a short-form video hosting service owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. It hosts user-submitted videos, which can range in duration from 15 seconds to 10 minutes.
TikTok is an international version ...
. The video received positive reviews, with critics describing it as bittersweet.
Background and composition
"What You Know Bout Love" was one of the earlier songs Pop Smoke had when
Steven Victor
Steven William Victor (born September 6, 1980) is a Haitian-American record executive, artist manager, music publisher, and A&R representative. He is the founder & CEO of Victor Victor Worldwide and SVP of A&R at Universal Music Group. He former ...
first signed him. Victor recalled how excited he was about the song because he always liked the original
sample
Sample or samples may refer to:
Base meaning
* Sample (statistics), a subset of a population – complete data set
* Sample (signal), a digital discrete sample of a continuous analog signal
* Sample (material), a specimen or small quantity of s ...
, which Pop Smoke found on his own on
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
. Victor said "What You Know Bout Love" was one of the tracks that they thought was too big to release right away. He and his team always wanted the song on the album because they thought it was at that level. Victor commented that when Pop Smoke talked about the song, he stated, "Yo, this is for when I'm in my love bag. IAmTash explained he posted the beat for "What You Know Bout Love" in 2019. He stated that he put it up as a
Playboi Carti
Jordan Terrell Carter (born September 13, 1996), known professionally as Playboi Carti, is an American rapper. Carter was initially signed to local underground label Awful Records prior to signing with ASAP Mob's AWGE Label under Interscope R ...
-type beat. IAmTash announced it was just for marketing, but in October 2019, he saw a snippet of Pop Smoke dancing to it. He admitted to not having known where Pop Smoke got the beat from because he had never spoken to him. IAmTash hypothesized that Pop Smoke got it from YouTube.
The song was written by Pop Smoke, alongside IAmTash,
Elgin Lumpkin
Elgin Baylor Lumpkin (born October 15, 1970), better known by his stage name Ginuwine, is an American R&B singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. He began his career as a member of Swing Mob in the early 1990s. Signing to Epic Records as a solo ...
, and
Troy Oliver
Troy Oliver is an American multi-instrumentalist, record producer and songwriter born in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. He wrote and produced "Jenny from the Block" and " I’m Real" for Jennifer Lopez, and " Differences" for Ginuwine
E ...
.
IAmTash solely handled the song's production.
Mastering and
mixing were both handled by
Jess Jackson, while Rose Adams, Sage Skofield, and Sean Solymar served as assistant engineers.
Zene, Corey Nutile, and Dom Martin handled the song's
programming, while Pierre Rogue was credited as assistant programming engineer.
"What You Know Bout Love" was released on Pop Smoke's posthumous debut studio album ''Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon'', as the fifteenth track on July 3, 2020.
Music journalists
Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...
described "What You Know Bout Love" as an
R&B track.
The song prominently samples the instrumental of Ginuwine's 2001 hit, "
Differences", standing as one of several tracks from ''Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon'' to sample early 2000s songs. Lyrically, it finds Pop Smoke detailing his infatuation with his lover, and eager to please her. Jade Gomez of ''
Paste'' opined that the song is a sensual, "sentimental reflection on love", and that Pop Smoke "ponders the beauty of his girlfriend going for a jog and making him breakfast." In a retrospective commentary, the staff of ''
Dazed
''Dazed'' (''Dazed & Confused'' until February 2014) is a bi-monthly British style magazine founded in 1991. It covers music, fashion, film, art, and literature. Dazed is published by Dazed Media, an independent media group known for producing ...
'' wrote that Pop Smoke "delivers a sensitive confession of catching feelings despite yourself. 'Look, baby, I said I ain't gon' front.'"
They continued, saying the rapper "trip
slightly over the words, 'You got my heart beating so fast to words I can't pronounce'."
The staff stated that "What You Know Bout Love" speaks "straight to a generation raised on 90s R&B expectations of romance, searching for connection in a time when sending nudes is considered a love language."
Reception
"What You Know Bout Love" was met with generally positive reviews from
music critics
Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...
, with a number of them praising the lyrics. ''
NME
''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
''s Dhruva Balram opined the song shows Pop Smoke "had ambitions to break into multiple genres."
Julyssa Lopez of ''
The New Yorker
''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issues ...
'' reacted favorably to Pop Smoke's versatility, writing: "Softened performances on 'What You Know Bout Love' and '
Something Special' illuminate newly poppy pop sides of the artist, yet, even in those quieter glimpses, his presence looms large—an enduring force, too big to contain." August Brown of the ''
Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
'' said the song showcases Pop Smoke's range, along with fellow album tracks "Yea Yea" and "Diana", which "have new open space and melody, with lyrics that are even sometimes tender." In her album review, Hannah Giorgis of ''
The Atlantic
''The Atlantic'' is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher. It features articles in the fields of politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science.
It was founded in 1857 in Boston, ...
'' said, "of the slow jams that sample earlier hits, 'What You Know Bout Love' is the clear highlight. Pop Smoke sings the
chorus
Chorus may refer to:
Music
* Chorus (song) or refrain, line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse
* Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound
* Chorus form, song in which all verse ...
with an arresting warmth and opens the second verse with a rare admission of weakness."
Bianca Gracie of ''
Paper
Paper is a thin sheet material produced by mechanically or chemically processing cellulose fibres derived from wood, rags, grasses or other vegetable sources in water, draining the water through fine mesh leaving the fibre evenly distributed ...
'' magazine stated that 'What You Know Bout Love' gives Ginuwine's 2001 'Differences' smash an added dose of nostalgia."
Writing for
Uproxx
''Uproxx'' (stylized in all caps) is an entertainment and popular culture news website. It was founded in 2008 by Jarret Myer and Brian Brater, and acquired by Woven Digital (later renamed Uproxx Media Group) in 2014. The site's target audience ...
, Wongo Okon described the song as an "R&B sample trifecta." In a less enthusiastic review, ''
Slant Magazine
''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York ...
'' Charles Lyons-Burt opined that the song strays from Pop Smoke's "patented
drill
A drill is a tool used for making round holes or driving fasteners. It is fitted with a bit, either a drill or driverchuck. Hand-operated types are dramatically decreasing in popularity and cordless battery-powered ones proliferating due to ...
and
trap
A trap is a mechanical device used to capture or restrain an animal for purposes such as hunting, pest control, or ecological research.
Trap or TRAP may also refer to:
Art and entertainment Films and television
* ''Trap'' (2015 film), Fil ...
origins", and said it is "dreary and tepid rather than
nexciting sonic departure." The staff of ''Dazed'' placed "What You Know Bout Love" at number 14 on their ''The 20 Best Tracks of 2020'' list, calling it a "genre-mixing crossover that deserved to make
op Smokea star" as well as "an endearing chink in the armor of his initial cockiness."
On social media platform
TikTok
TikTok, known in China as Douyin (), is a short-form video hosting service owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. It hosts user-submitted videos, which can range in duration from 15 seconds to 10 minutes.
TikTok is an international version ...
, "What You Know Bout Love" was one of the top 10 songs of 2020 on the app, with over 12.1 million videos.
Accolades
Commercial performance
Following the release of ''Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon'', "What You Know Bout Love" debuted at number 52 on the US
''Billboard'' Hot 100. The song later reached number nine on the chart, giving Pop Smoke his second top-10 hit in the United States.
"What You Know Bout Love" also peaked at number 11 on the US
''Billboard'' Global 200.
It further peaked at number four on the US
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...
and number eight on the US
Mainstream Top 40
Pop Airplay (also called Mainstream Top 40, Pop Songs, and Top 40/contemporary hit radio, CHR) is a 40-song music chart published weekly by Billboard (magazine), ''Billboard'' Magazine that ranks the most popular songs of pop music being played o ...
.
The song peaked at number one on the
Rhythmic Rhythmic may refer to:
* Related to rhythm
* Rhythmic contemporary, a radio format
* Rhythmic adult contemporary, a radio format
* Rhythmic gymnastics, a form of gymnastics
* Rhythmic (chart)
The Rhythmic chart (also called Rhythmic Airplay, and ...
chart, giving the late rapper his second number one on the chart.
With this feat, Pop Smoke became the first artist rapper to have back-to-back number ones on the Rhythmic chart since Canadian rapper
Drake
Drake may refer to:
Animals
* A male duck
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name
* Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* ...
.
On the
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
, the song entered at number 27 for the issue dated September 25, 2020. The following week, it rose 13 places to number 14. The song climbed to number nine for the issue dated October 9, 2020, giving Pop Smoke his third top 10 hit in the United Kingdom. "What You Know Bout Love" later rose to number four for the issue dated October 23, 2020.
"What You Know Bout Love" peaked at number 16 on the
Canadian Hot 100
The Canadian Hot 100 is a music industry record chart in Canada for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. The Canadian Hot 100 was launched on the issue dated March 31, 2007, and is currently the standard record chart in Canada; a n ...
.
It was certified triple platinum by
Music Canada
Music Canada (formerly Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA)) is a non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, manufacture, produce, and distribute music in Canada. It a ...
(MC), denoting track-equivalent sales and streams of 160,000 units in Canada.
In New Zealand, "What You Know Bout Love" peaked at number six and received a platinum certification from
Recorded Music NZ
Recorded Music NZ (formerly the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ)) is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell recorded music in New Zealand. Membership of Recorded Mus ...
(RMNZ) for shipments of over 30,000 copies.
It reached the top five in Australia,
Ireland,
Norway,
and Portugal.
Furthermore, the song has reached the top 10 in Austria,
Switzerland,
and the Czech Republic.
Music video
Background and synopsis
The music video for "What You Know Bout Love" was directed by Oliver Cannon.
It was uploaded to Pop Smoke's
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
channel on December 22, 2020.
The visual opens with a video of Pop Smoke thanking his fans and telling them how much he appreciates and loves them: "I love y'all, I fuck with y'all, and I appreciate y'all. I wouldn't be nothing without y'all."
The video includes never before seen clips of Pop Smoke working in the studio, traveling around the world, spending time with his family and friends, posting videos on his TikTok account, and performing live.
The music video also features fans performing the song's dance challenge on TikTok.
The visual ends with Pop Smoke riding on an airplane and saying: "I don't know who needs to hear this bro, but don't let nobody ever tell you you can't do nothing. Whatever you wanna do, just fucking do it. Don't look back."
Critical reception
The music video was met with positive reviews from critics. Writing for
Revolt
Rebellion, uprising, or insurrection is a refusal of obedience or order. It refers to the open resistance against the orders of an established authority.
A rebellion originates from a sentiment of indignation and disapproval of a situation and ...
, Jon Powell described the video as "bittersweet".
Royal Bey of ''Hypebeast'' stated that Pop Smoke's "energy is still felt in the official video."
Mitch Findlay of ''
HotNewHipHop
''HotNewHipHop (HNHH)'' is an online publication that covers daily news about hip hop and pop culture, including streetwear, sports, and sneakers. In addition to its editorial content, HotNewHipHop also produces the video serieses; ''How to Roll ...
'' commented that the visual "provides a welcome glimpse into Pop Smoke's behind-the-scenes process", but said it "drive
home a bittersweet reminder in the process."
He continued, admitting that "difficult though it may be to watch Pop Smoke's new video, it's still a welcome reminder of the man behind the music, and a good excuse to go back and revisit ''Shoot For The Stars''."
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from
Tidal
Tidal is the adjectival form of tide.
Tidal may also refer to:
* ''Tidal'' (album), a 1996 album by Fiona Apple
* Tidal (king), a king involved in the Battle of the Vale of Siddim
* TidalCycles, a live coding environment for music
* Tidal (servic ...
.
*
Bashar Jackson vocals, writer
*IAmTash production, writer, associated performer, programming
*
Elgin Lumpkin
Elgin Baylor Lumpkin (born October 15, 1970), better known by his stage name Ginuwine, is an American R&B singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. He began his career as a member of Swing Mob in the early 1990s. Signing to Epic Records as a solo ...
writer
*
Troy Oliver
Troy Oliver is an American multi-instrumentalist, record producer and songwriter born in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. He wrote and produced "Jenny from the Block" and " I’m Real" for Jennifer Lopez, and " Differences" for Ginuwine
E ...
writer
*
Jess Jackson mastering engineer, mix engineer
*Rose Adams assistant engineer
*Sage Skofield assistant engineer
*Sean Solymar assistant engineer
*Corey Nutile programming engineer
*Dom Martin programming engineer
*Pierre Rogue assistant programming engineer
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
References
{{Pop Smoke
2020 songs
Pop Smoke songs
Songs written by Ginuwine
Songs written by Troy Oliver
American contemporary R&B songs
Songs released posthumously
Republic Records singles
Songs written by Pop Smoke