What You Know Bout Love

"What You Know Bout Love" is a posthumously released track by Pop Smoke that showcases a significant departure from his signature drill sound, revealing a more tender and romantic side to his artistry. The song's meaning revolves around a deep and genuine appreciation for a romantic partner. Lyrically, Pop Smoke details the qualities of his lover, her habits, and her loyalty, painting a picture of a relationship built on mutual care, trust, and affection. He expresses his feelings with a raw vulnerability, admitting how she makes his heart race and gives him chills. The song challenges the stereotypical tough-guy rapper persona by openly celebrating love and emotional connection. It explores themes of devotion, loyalty through hard times ("Through all the trials and tribulations, always had my best"), and the desire to provide for and spoil his partner. The contrast between high-end luxury (Fendi, Rover) and accessible brands (Fashion Nova) suggests an appreciation for his partner's genuine character over superficial status. Ultimately, the song is an ode to a profound love that is both emotionally supportive and passionately intimate, revealing a versatile and sensitive aspect of Pop Smoke that was not always at the forefront of his music.

The song narrates a deep and affectionate love story from the perspective of a man completely smitten with his partner. It opens by painting a picture of their daily domestic life, highlighting her dedication. She is someone who goes jogging and makes him breakfast every morning, and they share intimate moments, like her sending him naked pictures before she leaves for the day. He emphasizes her loyalty and down-to-earth nature; though she could afford luxury brands like Fendi, she's content with Fashion Nova. She's not just any woman; she drives a Rover and has curly hair that he adores. Their connection is so strong that he feels it physically, with his heart beating fast and getting chills from her touch. He sees a future with her, envisioning them at the top together and trusting her completely. The narrative then shifts to express his gratitude for her unwavering support through difficult times—'trials and tribulations'—where she always had his best interests at heart. As a token of his appreciation and love, he offers her a significant amount of money ('55 hunnid') for a cosmetic procedure, a gesture that, in his world, signifies deep care and a desire to spoil her. He describes their relationship as a high-stakes game he's determined to win, using baseball metaphors like 'had to swing' and 'make a play.' He sees her as his 'hidden treasure' and openly admits that he's falling in love. The central theme revolves around his confident answer to her playful question, "What you know 'bout love?" His response is a promise to provide everything she needs and wants, underscoring a dynamic of mutual spoiling, both emotionally and materially. He expresses a raw, unfiltered intimacy ('I'm about to go raw'), suggesting a deep level of comfort and authenticity in their physical and emotional connection. The song is a testament to a love that is both tender and passionate, grounded in loyalty, mutual admiration, and a shared vision of success.

"What You Know Bout Love" was a song that Pop Smoke had worked on early in his career after being signed by Steven Victor. Victor himself was particularly excited about the track because he liked the original sample, which Pop Smoke had discovered on his own on YouTube. The song was produced by IAmTash, who had initially uploaded the beat in 2019, labeling it as a "Playboi Carti-type beat" for marketing purposes. He was unaware of how Pop Smoke obtained it until he saw a snippet of the rapper dancing to it in October 2019, speculating it was found via YouTube. The track was written by Pop Smoke (Bashar Jackson) and IAmTash (Tashim Zene), with writing credits also extended to Ginuwine (Elgin Lumpkin) and Troy Oliver due to the prominent sample of their 2001 hit, "Differences". The song was included on Pop Smoke's posthumous debut studio album, Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon, released on July 3, 2020. It was later released as the album's fifth official single on October 9, 2020. The label felt the song was a potential hit and strategically held it back, waiting for the right moment on the album to release it. Pop Smoke himself referred to the track as being for when he was "in [his] love bag". A music video, directed by Oliver Cannon, was released on December 22, 2020, featuring previously unseen footage of Pop Smoke and clips of fans participating in the viral TikTok dance challenge.

The song's rhythmic and rhyming structure is straightforward and effective, contributing to its catchy, pop-friendly appeal. The rhythm is driven by the mellow, looping instrumental sampled from Ginuwine's "Differences," which sets a smooth, mid-tempo R&B pace. Pop Smoke's lyrical delivery flows in a relaxed, conversational manner that syncs with the beat, eschewing complex rhythmic patterns for a more direct and heartfelt expression. The rhyme scheme is generally simple, often relying on couplets (AABB) and easy, perfect rhymes (e.g., "morning"/"yawning", "over"/"Rover"). This simplicity makes the lyrics easy to follow and sing along to. There is a clear interplay between the lyrical rhythm and the musical rhythm, where Pop Smoke's verses build up to the highly melodic and repetitive chorus, which acts as the song's central hook. This structure, combining a laid-back verse delivery with a strong, singable chorus, is a key element of its crossover success.

"What You Know Bout Love" stands out in Pop Smoke's discography for its departure from gritty drill music towards a softer, R&B-influenced style. The song's foundation is built upon a prominent sample of the instrumental from Ginuwine's 2001 hit "Differences," which infuses the track with a nostalgic, early 2000s R&B feel. Pop Smoke's vocal delivery is notably melodic and gentle, contrasting sharply with his typical aggressive and raspy tone. He employs a conversational and narrative lyrical style, detailing specific, everyday moments of his relationship, which creates a sense of intimacy and authenticity. The structure includes a catchy, repetitive chorus that poses the song's central question, making it highly memorable. The production, handled by IAmTash, is clean and allows the melodic sample and Pop Smoke's vocals to remain at the forefront. This stylistic shift was praised by critics for showcasing his artistic versatility and his potential to cross over into multiple genres.

"What You Know Bout Love" had a significant cultural impact, largely driven by its viral success on the social media platform TikTok. The song became one of the top 10 biggest tracks on TikTok in 2020, with over 12.1 million videos created using the sound, often featuring a specific dance challenge. This online popularity propelled the song onto global music charts. It peaked at number nine on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number four on the UK Singles Chart, becoming one of Pop Smoke's most successful singles. The song received widespread critical acclaim for showcasing Pop Smoke's versatility and his potential as a multi-genre artist, with many reviewers highlighting it as a standout track on his posthumous album, Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon. It has been certified triple platinum in Canada and has received other certifications worldwide. The song's blend of drill bravado with R&B sensitivity resonated with a broad audience and demonstrated the artist's ability to create a love anthem that felt both modern and nostalgic. Its legacy is tied to its role in solidifying Pop Smoke's superstar status after his death and its illustration of the power of TikTok in shaping modern music hits.

The lyrics of "What You Know Bout Love" utilize several metaphors and symbols to convey the depth of the artist's feelings.

• Fashion Brands as a Symbol of Authenticity: The line "Shawty could Fendi out, but she like Fashion Nova" serves as a metaphor for his partner's genuine and down-to-earth character. It contrasts high-fashion luxury with affordable, everyday wear to symbolize that her value lies in her true self, not in materialistic displays.
• Baseball Metaphors for Romantic Pursuit: Pop Smoke uses baseball imagery to describe his commitment to the relationship, such as "Hey batter, batter, hey batter, batter" and "Niggas know I had to swing, I had to make a play." This frames love as an exciting, high-stakes game that he is actively and strategically participating in to win her affection.
• "Hidden Treasure": Calling his lover his "hidden treasure" is a direct metaphor that emphasizes her value and the precious, unique nature of their bond. It suggests she is a rare find that he cherishes deeply.
• Ascension as Relationship Success: The lyric "And I'm going straight to the top, so hope you ain't afraid of heights" symbolizes his ambition for success not just in his career, but within their relationship. He is inviting her to join him on this journey, making their joint success a central theme.

The most significant recurring motif in the song is the central question posed in the chorus: "She said, 'What you know 'bout love?'" This phrase acts as the song's primary hook and thematic anchor. It's a playful challenge from his partner that Pop Smoke spends the entire song answering through his verses. His sung response, "I'll tell you everything / I got what you need," is a recurring declaration of his confidence and commitment. Another recurring lyrical motif is the detailed description of his partner's daily routines and their interactions, such as her jogging, making breakfast, and sending pictures. This repetition of domestic and intimate details reinforces the theme of genuine, lived-in love. The phrase "I think I'm falling in love" also appears as a recurring admission of his deepening feelings, adding to the song's emotional vulnerability.