Rapper Pop Smoke, 20, Killed in Home Invasion Robbery
2/19/2020
Pop Smoke has died at age 20, his label Republic Records confirmed Wednesday (Feb. 19) on Instagram. The rapper was reportedly killed during a home invasion robbery in the Hollywood Hills on Wednesday morning.
According to TMZ, the Brooklyn-bred MC, born Bashar Barakah Jackson, was at the home around 4:30 a.m. when two unidentified men wearing hoodies and masks broke in and fired multiple shots that critically wounded Jackson. A spokesperson for the LAPD confirmed the details of the report to Billboard but did not name the alleged victim, citing privacy rules.
The site reports that Jackson was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in West Hollywood, where he was pronounced dead. At press time, the suspects had reportedly not been captured or identified.
Smoke released two mixtapes, 2019's Meet the Woo and its 2020 sequel, Meet the Woo 2, and was best known for his 2019 single "Welcome to the Party" with Nicki Minaj and Skepta, as well as this year's "Christopher Walking," "Dior" and a remix of H.E.R.'s "Slide" that also featured A Boogie Wit da Hoodie and Chris Brown.
He earned his first Hot 100 entry with the song "Gatti" from Travis Scott's Jackboys album.