Up-and-coming Brooklyn rapper Pop Smoke, who grew to fame with his single “Welcome to the Party,” was shot and killed on Wednesday in Hollywood, California. He was 20 years old.
According to TMZ, two men who wore hoodies broke into his California home, located in Hollywood Hills. It happened at around 4:30 a.m., with multiple shots fired and the men fleeing the scene.
Additional news reports say Los Angeles police received a call from someone on the East Coast who told them that several suspects had broken into their friend’s home.
Police found Pop Smoke with gunshot wounds when they arrived on the property. He was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in West Hollywood, where he was pronounced dead.
The Los Angeles Times reports that between two to six suspects fled the scene. There were also people who were detained inside the home, but police determined they had nothing to do with the shooting and were released.
Police also confirmed there was a party or a get-together at the Hollywood Hills home before the shooting. But a motive hasn’t been determined, and the suspects are still at large.
Pop Smoke only released two projects before his death. “Meet the Woo” in 2019 and “Meet the Woo 2,” which dropped on Feb. 7 of this year. That project grabbed the No. 7 spot on Billboard’s Top 200 list.
He also worked with Travis Scott, the British rapper Skepta and Nicki Minaj, who acknowledged the late rapper’s death on Wednesday in an Instagram post.
“The Bible tells us that jealousy is as cruel as the grave. Unbelievable. Rest In Peace, Pop,” she wrote.
Others from the rap community posted messages about Pop Smoke’s death as well, like Quavo, Tyga, Swae Lee, Chance The Rapper and 50 Cent, who posted a photo and video of him on Instagram.
“No such thing as success with out jealousy, treachery comes from those who are close. R.i.P,” wrote 50 on Wednesday. “He was really boutta take over 2020…. Rest easy pop🙏🏻.”
Pop Smoke’s real name was Bashar Barakah Jackson, and he’s from Brooklyn’s Canarsie section. He was also a part of the borough’s growing drill scene.
