Photo: Pop Smoke
Brooklyn, New York’s iconic breakthrough rapper and songwriter Pop Smoke was shot 4 years ago today. The flagrant emcee, born Bashar Barakah Jackson, was one of the prolific and notable rap figures on the rise and succumbed to gunshot injuries inflicted by four suspects.
At the time of his death, Smoke was just 20 years of age and had already released some of the most influential N.Y. drill records of our times. His brief discography included massive breakout records “Dior”, “Welcome To The Party” & its two major remixes by Nicki Minaj and legendary British emcee Skepta and two massive grime mixtapes – “Meet The Woo” and “Meet The Woo 2”.
Smoke’s sophomore mixtape featured further guest verses by PnB Rock, Atlanta’s marquee rapper Gunna, A Boogie With Da Hoodie, Fivio Foreign, Nav and more. After his death, two posthumous studio albums were released – “Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon” and “Faith”.
In April 2023, a defendant in Pop Smoke’s infamous murder pleaded guilty in juvenile court admitting “he entered a Hollywood Hills mansion as a teenager in February 2020 intending to rob the rapper, who was shot to death in a struggle with his assailants, ” a report by Los Angeles Times confirms.
As per the publication, “three others are charged in Jackson’s death: two juvenile defendants, 15 and 17 at the time of the homicide, and Corey Walker, who was 19” at the time of Smoke’s death.
Rest in Peace, Bashar Barakah Jackson.
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Stream Pop Smoke’s debut studio album ‘Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon’ via Spotify.
