The fatal events in the early morning of February 19 marked the end of rapper Pop Smoke’s life. The 20-year-old rapper, whose legal name is Bashar Barakah Jackson, suffered gunshot wounds during a home invasion. Officials pronounced the rapper dead after being escorted to a hospital. According to the Los Angeles Times, police detained several people at the scene, but later released them. Authorities have yet to identify or find the four suspects who fled the scene.
While the investigation is still in its early stages, his death amassed a lot of speculation. According to the Los Angeles Times, investigators are aware the rapper may have inadvertently posted a photo to social media with his home address disclosed within it. Officials also tied the rapper to the Crips Street Gang, leading detectives to believe the assailants to be gang members.
On the flip side, many say his death is just another example of a young rapper with potential to be stripped of his life due to fame. “It’s a sad part about our culture, especially the hip-hop culture and African American culture,” Taj Gibson, an NBA player who befriended the rapper prior to his death, told Bleacher Report. “The more success you get, the more kind of a target you become. The smallest things can turn into a bad atmosphere for you. That’s one thing we fail to realize. I’m just lost for words right now.”
Many artists took to Twitter to mourn his death. The following are some of the heartfelt messages.
The rapper’s career took off after his single, “Welcome To The Party” released last July, attracting the attention of many, including Nicki Minaj, who remixed the song. He collaborated with many other popular rappers such as Travis Scott and co-signed with French Montana. Pop Smoke released his second album, “Meet The Woo,” just two weeks ago. He was anticipated to go on tour next month and even perform at the Rolling Loud Festival in Miami in May, according to the LA Times.
Here is a playlist including some of the rappers top hits:
