Pop Smoke

Bashar Barakah Jackson was born on July 20, 1999, in Brooklyn, New York, and was raised in Canarsie. He was the son of Audrey Jackson and Greg Jackson and had an older brother, Obasi Jackson. As a child, he played African drums in his local church and attended nine different schools.

Jackson played basketball as a point guard and shooting guard and moved to Philadelphia to attend Rocktop Academy. A heart murmur forced him to leave the academy. He later graduated from Brooklyn Democracy Academy.

Pop Smoke began experimenting with rap in 2018 during a visit to a Brooklyn recording studio with Jay Gwuapo. Using a beat from 808Melo's YouTube channel, he recorded "MPR (Panic Part 3 Remix)." He released "Flexin'" in January 2019, followed by the breakout single "Welcome to the Party" in April. The song was produced by 808Melo and later received commercially released remixes featuring Nicki Minaj and Skepta.

Producer Rico Beats introduced Pop Smoke to record executive Steven Victor in April 2019, leading to his contract with Victor Victor Worldwide and Republic Records. His debut mixtape, Meet the Woo, followed in July 2019. He frequently worked with UK drill artists and producers, incorporating their sparse and aggressive production into a Brooklyn drill sound.

Pop Smoke appeared on Travis Scott's Cactus Jack Records compilation album JackBoys in December 2019, contributing to the song "Gatti." The track reached number 69 on the US Billboard Hot 100. His second mixtape, Meet the Woo 2, was released on February 7, 2020, and featured Quavo, A Boogie wit da Hoodie, Fivio Foreign and Lil Tjay. It debuted at number seven on the Billboard 200, giving him his first US top-10 project.

After Pop Smoke's death, 50 Cent served as executive producer of his debut studio album, Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon. The album was released on July 3, 2020, and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. All 19 of its tracks entered the Billboard Hot 100, while "For the Night," featuring Lil Baby and DaBaby, reached number six and "What You Know Bout Love" reached number nine.

"Dior," originally released on Meet the Woo, became Pop Smoke's first posthumous solo hit, reaching number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 33 on the UK Singles Chart. A deluxe edition of Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon was released on what would have been his 21st birthday and added 15 tracks.

His second posthumous studio album, Faith, was released in July 2021 and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. He also appeared posthumously in the film Boogie, playing Monk, and contributed "AP" to the film's soundtrack. Faith made him the first artist whose first two posthumous albums debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.

Pop Smoke was murdered during a home invasion at a rented house in the Hollywood Hills on February 19, 2020. He was 20 years old. His death was caused by a gunshot wound, and he was buried at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn.

The case resulted in guilty pleas in juvenile court from three defendants. Corey Walker pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and two home-invasion robbery charges connected to Jackson's death and received a 29-year prison sentence. A juvenile defendant admitted firing the shot that killed Jackson, and another defendant received a juvenile detention sentence.

Pop Smoke's music helped define Brooklyn drill and was embraced beyond New York. His song "Dior" was used during George Floyd protests in New York City, and murals honoring him were created in Canarsie. His family also announced the Shoot for the Stars foundation, which aimed to support and inspire inner-city youth.