Pop Smoke Dead, Rapper Shot & Killed In Hollywood Hills Home
Rapper Pop Smoke is dead. According to a TMZ report, he was shot and killed in what appears to be a home invasion in his house in Hollywood Hills.
TMZ initially reported that two masked men in hoodies broke into the house around 4:30 a.m., firing multiple shots and wounding Pop Smoke before fleeing on foot. The outlet has since released updated information from its law enforcement sources.
“Sources familiar with the surveillance video tell TMZ… the video shows at least 4 masked men with hoodies making their way into the house just 10 minutes after people inside the house deadbolted the front doors shut. We’re told they did not turn the house alarm on, which made it easier for the home invaders to get inside,” the report reads.
TMZ’s article is accompanied by footage of first responders attempting to perform life-saving techniques on the rapper, as he’s being wheeled out on a stretcher to an awaiting ambulance. The footage may be upsetting to some viewers.
Pop Smoke was reportedly rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and was pronounced dead. He was rumored to be in a relationship with Jazzy Mulani, though had downplayed any notion of a romantic relationship.
His Debut Mixtape Was Released In 2019
Born Bashar Barakah Jackson on July 20, 1999 in Brooklyn, New York, the up-and-coming rapper burst onto the scene in April 2019 with “Welcome to the Party,” which served as the first single from his debut mixtape, Meet the Woo, released in July of that year. “Welcome to the Party” was well-received and was eventually remixed with appearances by both Nicki Minaj and Skepta in 2019. Pop Smoke’s early success led to collaborations with rappers like Travis Scott, Lil Tjay, and other artists featured on Scott’s Cactus Jack Records label.
His second mixtape, Meet the Woo 2, came out just 12 days before his death. Pop Smoke’s second opus features Quavo, Lil Tjay, and A Boogie wit da Hoodie, among others.
He Ran Into Legal Trouble In January 2020
A month prior to his death, Pop Smoke was arrested at JFK International Airport in New York on a federal charge of interstate transport of a stolen vehicle, according to TMZ. The vehicle in question was a 2019 Rolls-Royce Wraith — a car worth more than $300,000.
Pop Smoke was given permission to use the car for a music video and was supposed to return the car the next day, but that’s not what happened. The owner of the vehicle reported it stolen and Pop Smoke was arrested a short time later.
“Jackson pleaded not guilty during his arraignment in Brooklyn on Friday, said John Marzulli, a spokesman for the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District. He was released on a $250,000 bond,” CNN reported a month ago.
At Pop Smoke’s arraignment, the U.S. Attorney said he was believed to be a member of the “823 G Stone Crips” gang. Pop Smoke was ordered to have no contact with gang members by U.S. Magistrate Judge Ramon Reyes Jr., as a condition of his release on bond.
At one point in 2019, Pop Smoke was forced to wear an ankle bracelet as a result of an unrelated weapons charge — according to The New York Times. Reports indicate the charge was eventually dismissed.
