Fast-rising New York rapper, Pop Smoke was shot dead in an apparent home invasion in Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles.
According to police sources quoted by TMZ, the rapper, real name Bashar Jackson, was at a home in Hollywood Hills at around 4:30 AM when 2 men wearing hoodies and masks broke into a house. The 2 men fired multiple shots, striking and critically wounding Pop Smoke. The men were seen fleeing on foot.
NBC News reports that the captain of the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that he had been shot and was taken to the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead “hours later,”. No suspects have been arrested despite another man being detained. He was released after the cops determined that he was not involved.
His record label released a statement saying, “We are devastated by the unexpected and tragic loss of Pop Smoke, our prayers and thoughts go out to his family, friends and fans, as we mourn this loss together.”
A series of events on social media leading up to the time of the shooting has led to fears that the house was targeted for robbery. The 20-year-old had posted a photo on Instagram hours before the shooting with a friend who was holding stacks of money. He had geotagged himself in the city on his Instagram stories. His friend had also posted photos of the pair outside his house with his visible address number. Jackson himself posted footage of bags with labels including his address. He had been receiving gift bags to celebrate his mixtape hitting number 7 on the Billboard 200 chart on Tuesday.
Various artists have trudged to social media to mourn the untimely death of this young star. Nicki Minaj who had remixed his hit song, “Welcome To The party” said, “The Bible tells us that jealousy is as cruel as the grave. Unbelievable. Rest In Peace, Pop.” Chance The Rapper tweeted, “Rest Up Pop Smoke, you were too young. God Bless and comfort your family. What a crazy trajectory you were on man.” 50 Cent also took to Twitter to morn the rapper saying, “R.I.P to my man Pop Smoke, No sympathy for winners.”
He is the latest in a series of US rappers who have suffered untimely deaths. XXXTentacion was killed at age 20 in 2018 during a robbery, Nipsey Hussle, 33, was shot in Los Angeles in March 2019, Mac Miller, Lil Peep and Juice WRLD, recently died from drug overdoses.