It's been five years since Hip-Hop lost one of its rising stars Pop Smoke.
On February 19, 2020, the "Dior" rapper, born Bashar Jackson, was shot and killed during a robbery gone wrong in Los Angeles. According to the New York Daily News, Jackson was in the shower when four men wearing masks and hoodies stormed into his Airbnb and attacked him in the bathroom upstairs. One of the men shot the rapper in the torso. He fell but got back up and ran downstairs. That's when Jackson was shot two more times. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead. He was only 20.
Pop Smoke had only been rapping for two years before his death. However, he was able to impact the music industry with his powerful voice and innovative flows on hits like "Welcome To The Party" and "Gatti" with Travis Scott. He continued to woo over his fans with his debut mixtape Meet The Woo. He kicked off 2020 by dropping his popular project Meet The Woo 2 featuring Quavo, A Boogie Wit da Hoodie, Fivio Foreign, Lil Tjay, NAV, Gunna and the late PnB Rock. The album arrived just a week before his death.
The New York native's family and team kept Pop Smoke's legacy alive by releasing several posthumous projects. 50 Cent executive produced his debut studio album Shoot for the Stars Aim for the Moon, which dropped a few months after his death via Victor Victor Worldwide and Republic Records. The album features songs like "The Woo" featuring 50 Cent & Roddy Ricch and "For The Night" featuring Lil Baby & DaBaby. His estate also released three EPs and his most recent LP Faith.
Four suspects were eventually arrested and charged with Pop Smoke's death. Corey Walker, the only suspect who was an adult at the time of the shooting, recently accepted a plea deal before he was set to face trial. He pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and home invasion robbery with gun and gang enhancements. The 24-year-old was accused of plotting the robbery that led to the "Dior" rapper's death. He also pleaded guilty to robbing a woman who was inside the home at the time. Walker will be sentenced to 29 years in prison.
Rest in peace, Pop Smoke. Check out some of his best music videos below.