The hip hop world was thrown into mourning today after news broke that the rising rap star Pop Smoke was shot dead at a house in Hollywood Hills.
According to TMZ, men wearing hoodies entered the house at about 4:30 a.m. and fired multiple shots at the rapper before fleeing on foot.
Pop Smoke was later pronounced dead at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in West Hollywood.
Police have not yet named suspects or confirmed the motive behind the shooting but multiple reports described it as a robbery.
How old was Pop Smoke?
Pop Smoke was 20 years old at the time of his death.
Who was Pop Smoke?
Rapper Pop Smoke, whose real name was Bashar Barakah Jackson, was raised in the Canarsie neighborhood of Brooklyn. He was born to a Panamanian father and a Jamaican mother.
He rose to fame after releasing his hit single Welcome to the Party in April 2019. He also released his debut mix-tape Meet the Woo in July 2019. The mix-tape included his single Welcome to the Party.
He released a second mixtape, Meet the Woo 2, in February 2020, only two weeks before his shooting death. The mix-tape, which debuted at number 7 on the Billboard 200, features Migos rapper Quavo, A Boogie wit da Hoodie, and Lil TJay.
He is also known for songs such as Shake the Room, Armed n Dangerous, She Got a Thing, and War, all from his second mix-tape Meet the Woo 2.
He was signed to Victor Victor Worldwide and Republic Records under Universal Music Group.
Pop Smoke had brushes with the law. He was arrested in January for transporting a black 2019 Rolls-Royce worth about $375,000 across state lines. He allegedly tried to steal the vehicle after borrowing it to shoot a music video. He pleaded not guilty to the charge and was released on a $250,000 bail.
How much was the rapper’s net worth in 2020?
Pop Smoke’s exact net worth at the time of his death was uncertain. Various sources quote figures ranging from $480,000 to $700,000.
However, Pop Smoke’s career was just starting at the time of his death and his first two mix-tapes were great successes. He was in high demand for performances at shows.
The Welcome to the Party rapper was set to start his Meet the Woo Tour next month and was scheduled to perform at the Rolling Loud music festival in Miami in May.
He was billed to perform at Wireless Festival in London on Friday, July 3, alongside stars such as Lil Tjay, Young Thug, and A$AP Rocky.
He also had ongoing collaborations with popular fashion brands, such as A$AP Bari’s Vlone and Virgil Abloh’s Off-White.