Rap world mourns Pop Smoke: ‘The streets don’t love you when you make it’
Pop Smoke, a rising New York rapper, was found with fatal gunshot wounds at a home in the Hollywood Hills early Wednesday, authorities said.
Tributes from the hip-hop community are pouring in for Pop Smoke, a rising New York rapper who was shot and killed Wednesday at age 20.
Chance the Rapper, Nicki Minaj, 50 Cent, Juicy J and more artists took to Instagram and Twitter to honor their own and lament a culture that puts targets on the backs of promising young creatives.
Pop Smoke, real name Bashar Barakah Jackson, was on the rise in the rap community before he was killed Wednesday in a Hollywood Hills home invasion.
The rapper’s death came days after his sophomore mixtape, “Meet the Woo, Vol. 2,” hit No. 7 on the Billboard 200 chart. His debut mixtape, “Meet the Woo,” launched last year and has 280 million streams globally.
“No such thing as success without jealousy,” tweeted 50 Cent. “Treachery comes from those who are close. R.i.P.”
Many expressed their shock at Pop Smoke’s sudden death and offered condolences to his loved ones.
“Rest Up Pop Smoke, you were too young,” Chance the Rapper wrote. “God Bless and comfort to your family. What a crazy trajectory you were on man.”
“The Bible tells us that jealousy is as cruel as the grave,” Minaj said on Instagram. “Unbelievable. Rest In Peace, Pop.”
See more reactions to the up-and-comer’s death below.
Times staff writer Christi Carras contributed to this report.
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