20 year old rapper Pop Smoke was fatally shot Wednesday morning in a home invasion in Hollywood Hills, California. The up and coming rapper whose real name is Bashar Jackson was enjoying the success of his recent mixtape, “Meet the Woo 2,” which was released last week. The young rapper’s unexpected death sparked responses from various artists, from Nicki Minaj to Chance the rapper, offering condolences on social media.
According to CNN, law enforcement received a call early Wednesday morning where an anonymous source reported the home invasion. The source also said the suspects were armed with handguns. When officers arrived on scene, they found an individual who was shot. The victim, later identified as Pop Smoke, was transported to a local Medical Center where he was pronounced dead hours later.
While several suspects were detained and released, no arrests have been made. Also, police have yet to find a motive. Fans speculate whether Pop Smoke’s social media posts, where his address was visible, inadvertently made him a target. The rapper posted a video on Facebook Tuesday night of himself opening gift bags that displayed his address, leading some to speculate whether the killer scoped out his location.
Authorities have not confirmed if the rapper’s social media posts are linked to the home invasion. Nonetheless, some speculate that his posts made him vulnerable. Others caution against using his social media posts to victim blame. One user tweeted, “Y’all victim blaming Pop Smoke because he…..posted his address?? These must be the same folks who think black men deserve to be shot/killed for wearing hoodies after dark…or women are asking to be raped because they dress provocatively.”
Regardless of how Pop Smoke’s location was revealed, he is not to blame for his death. Unfortunately, another talented individual lost their life too soon. At such a young age, the artist’s music impacted modern rap culture. Pop Smoke caught the world’s attention with his hit song, “Welcome to the Party.” According to Complex, he greatly contributed to New York’s drill scene because “you could not go to a club, basketball game, or social gathering without Pop Smoke being played.” Ultimately, the tragic end to the 20 year-old’s promising life and career has shocked fans and entertainers alike who turned to social media to express their grief and general unrest about another young rapper lost to violence.