"Pop, Lock & Drop It" is the only single by rapper Huey, released on September 19, 2006, from his debut album Notebook Paper. In early March 2007, "Pop, Lock, & Drop It" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 98, then later peaked at number six, becoming his first and only hit.[4]

"Pop, Lock & Drop It"
Single by Huey
from the album Notebook Paper
B-side"Nobody Loves the Hood" (featuring Trey Songz)
ReleasedSeptember 19, 2006
Recorded2006
GenreCrunk
Length4:21
Label
Songwriter(s)
  • Lawrence Franks Jr.
  • Dandre Smith, Calvin Miller Productions [1]
  • [2]
Producer(s)D. Smith, C. Miller [3]
Music video
"Pop, Lock & Drop It" on YouTube

The song was a success on the 106 & Park countdown. Although it did not peak at number one, it stayed on the countdown for 51+ days. On March 8, 2007, rapper Bow Wow announced that he would be featured on the remix of the single, along with R&B singer T-Pain. The remix began receiving airplay in May of the same year. Another remix features Romeo.

Although "Pop, Lock & Drop It" is a song about a dance move, it is debated whether it refers to the process of firing a handgun. In physics, the 6th, 7th, and 8th derivatives of position are facetiously named pop, lock, and drop respectively. This video was featured on MTV Jams in mid-February 2007.

Background edit

Huey's older brother referred him to producer Angela Richardson, who was creating a rap group. Huey's songs "Oh" and "Pop, Lock & Drop It" became local favorites among DJs and promoters. He was featured on a series of mixtapes, one of which, Unsigned Hype, sold out of its run of 8,000 copies and was noticed by producer TJ Chapman, who introduced the rapper to Vice President of A&R at Jive Records, Mickey "MeMpHiTz" Wright, in 2006.[5] "Pop, Lock & Drop It", a heavy club track, was further popularised by its signature squatting dance move.[6]

Critical reception edit

In 2017, Danny Schwartz of HotNewHipHop named the song one the biggest one-hit wonders of 2006, describing it as "a horny, high-octane crunk slapper that begins with a foreboding moment of musical uncertainty before plowing ahead with Huey's raunchy chants an irresistible call to hit the dance floor".[7]

Commercial performance edit

"Pop, Lock & Drop It" peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2007, charting for 23 weeks. The track climbed to number two on the Billboard Hot Rap Songs chart, where it stayed for over six months (27 weeks).[8]

Formats and track listing edit

US CD (promo)[9]
  1. "Pop, Lock & Drop It" (main version) – 4:23
  2. "Pop, Lock & Drop It" (instrumental) – 4:17
US CD remix (promo)[10]
  1. "Pop, Lock & Drop It" (remix) (main version) (featuring Bow Wow and T-Pain) – 4:30
  2. "Pop, Lock & Drop It" (remix) (instrumental) – 4:30
  3. "Pop, Lock & Drop It (remix) (acappella) (featuring Bow Wow and T-Pain) – 4:30
US digital download[11]
  1. "Pop, Lock & Drop It" – 4:23
US digital download (remix)[12]
  1. "Pop, Lock & Drop It" (featuring Bow Wow and T-Pain) – 4:30

Charts and certifications edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Calvin Miller | Credits". AllMusic.
  2. ^ CD liner notes: Now That's What I Call Music! 25, EMI 2007
  3. ^ Limbong, Andrew (26 June 2020). "Huey, the Rapper Behind 'Pop, Lock & Drop It,' Killed in St. Louis Shooting". NPR.
  4. ^ Katie Hasty, "Mims Puts The 'Hot' In The Hot 100 At No. 1", Billboard.com, March 1, 2007.
  5. ^ Wilson, MacKenzie. "Huey Biography". allmusic. Retrieved December 17, 2010.
  6. ^ Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (June 26, 2020). "US rapper Huey, known for hit Pop, Lock & Drop It, killed in shooting aged 32". The Guardian. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  7. ^ Schwartz, Danny (June 25, 2017). "6 One-Hit Wonders From 2006". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  8. ^ Woods, Aleia (June 26, 2020). "Huey Shot And Killed At 32: Report". XXL. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  9. ^ "Huey - Pop, Lock & Drop It (CD)". discogs. Retrieved June 23, 2015.
  10. ^ "Huey Featuring Bow Wow and T-Pain - Pop, Lock & Drop It (Remix) (CD)". discogs. Retrieved June 23, 2015.
  11. ^ "Pop, Lock & Drop It - Single by Huey". iTunes (US). Apple. Retrieved June 23, 2015.
  12. ^ "Pop, Lock & Drop It (Remix Version) - Single by Huey Featuring Bow Wow & T-Pain". iTunes (US). Apple. Retrieved June 23, 2015.
  13. ^ Huey feat. Bow Wow & T-Pain — Pop, Lock & Drop It (Remix). TopHit. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
  14. ^ "Huey – Pop, Lock & Drop It". Top 40 Singles.
  15. ^ "Huey Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 23, 2015.
  16. ^ "Notebook Paper - Huey | Awards". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved June 23, 2015.
  17. ^ "Huey Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 23, 2015.
  18. ^ "Huey Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 23, 2015.
  19. ^ "Huey Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved June 23, 2015.
  20. ^ "American single certifications – Huey – Pop, Lock & Drop It". Recording Industry Association of America.
  21. ^ "Top Selling Singles of 2007". Recorded Music NZ. Archived from the original on May 11, 2015. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
  22. ^ "2007 Year End Charts: Hot 100 Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved June 23, 2015.
  23. ^ "2007 Year End Charts: R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved June 23, 2015.
  24. ^ "2007 Year End Charts: Rap Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved June 23, 2015.
  25. ^ "Rhythmic Songs – Year-End 2007". Billboard. Retrieved December 1, 2019.