Today’s article is all about Pop Smoke’s net worth, biography, and his hidden lifestyle including images.
Pop Smoke was one of the youngest American musicians who came to fame at a very early age by his extraordinary performance. He was mostly known as a rapper. He was a singer and songwriter as well. His real name was Bashar Barakah Jackson and he was professionally known as Pop Smoke.
Many people consider him as the face of Brooklyn drill ( a regional subgenre of drill music). Pop Smoke became famous after the release of his breakout single song ‘Welcome to the Party’ featuring Nicki Minaj and another single ‘Dior’. These two songs are from his debut mixtape ‘Meet the Woo’ which was released in 2019. This youngster was murdered at an very early age and the reason behind his murder is still under investigation.
Pop Smoke Personal Info
Birth Name: Basher Barakah Jackson
Net worth: $2 Million
Born: July 20, 1999
Died: February 19, 2020
Genres: Hip hop, Brooklyn drill
Occupation: Rapper, songwriter
Years active: 2018-2020
Cause of death: Murder (gunshot wounds to torso)
Resting place: Green Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New Work
Pop Smoke Net Worth
Pop Smoke was a very successful performer. He earned a lot of fame and money at a very early age. Reports say that his net worth was 2 million dollars. His albums, performances, and YouTube channel helped him to earn this money.
Pop Smoke’s Early Life and Family
Pop Smoke was born on 20 July, 1999 in Canarsie, Brooklyn, New York City, United States. His zodiac sign was Leo. He spent his childhood in Canarsie. He belonged to an upper-middle-class Christian family and African-American ethnicity. The name of his father is Greg Jackson, a Panamanian man who is a businessman. The name of his mother is Audrey Jackson, a Jamaican woman who is a housewife. He was the younger of two brothers and his elder brother’s name is Obasi. His family used to call him ‘Shar’.
Smoke was once suspended from school because of bringing a gun to school when he was in class eight. After that, he was accused of possessing a weapon and had to spend two years on house arrest. Then he began to play basketball as a point and shooting guard. He moved to North Philadelphia to get himself admitted into Rocktop Academy after getting a scholarship. But later, it was discovered by a medical test that he had a heart murmur and he had to give up playing basketball. He completed his primary education from nine different school in Brooklyn, New York and he did not continue his studies after high school.
Physical Appearance of Pop Smoke
Pop Smoke was the idol of many youngsters of the present time as he maintained a great personality. He was from the Black-American ethnicity. He had a dark chocolate skin colour and curled hair. He was an absolute handsome and smart looking fellow. He used to maintain a super strong physique with an attractive dashing personality. His height was 5 feet 10 inches. He had a muscular slim body structure and his weight was around 70 KG. His hair and eye colour was black. He always used to put on fashionable clothes that made him more smart looking.
Professional Life of Pop Smoke
It is known after an interview of Pop Smoke that his grandmother used to call him ‘Poppa’ and his childhood friends used to call him Smocco. The name ‘Pop Smoke’ is the combination of these two names. In 2018, he visited a Brooklyn recording studio with his friend rapper Jay Gwuapo and there he got the opportunity to start his career as a rapper by accident.
Actually, it was Jay Gwuapo who was assigned to record the music and was also paid for the work. But after reaching there, he suddenly fell asleep as he was highly drugged. Then Pop Smoke attempted rapping for the first time. But basically, he began his musical career in late 2018 with his debut single MPR ( Panic Part 3 Remix ). He used to work jointly with UK drill artists and producers. They engaged more minimal and aggressive instrumentation than the drill artists from Chicago.
Smoke befriended Rico Beats ( an American record executive, record producer, and songwriter). Then Rico Beats introduced him to
Steven Victor who is the owner of Victor Victor Worldwide ( a subsidiary of Universal Music Group).
Then Pop Smoke signed a contract with Victor Victor Worldwide and Republic Records in April 2019. Pop Smoke became famous after the release of his breakout single now-classic song ‘Welcome to the Party’ featuring Nicki Minaj. It is the first song from his debut mixtape ‘Meet the Woo’ which was released during the summer of 2019 and this would gain him mainstream success.
It was one of the most popular singles all over the world. The song gained more attention after making the two remixes : one featuring Trinidadian rapper Nicki Minaj and one with British rapper Skepta. He released multiple singles like ‘War’ with Lil Tjay and ‘100k on a Coupe’ with Calboy from October to December 2019.
In 2020, he released another mixtape that is titled ‘Meet the Woo 2 ‘with features from Quavo, A Boogie wit da Hoodie, Fivio Foreign and Lily Tjay. It became one of the most populars worldwide breaking many records in American music industry. The mixtape picked at number seven on the US Billboard 200, helping him to earn his first top-10 hit in the United States.
‘Dior’ is one of the most popular songs of Pop Smoke that was released by Victor Victor Worldwide and Republic Records on February 11, 2020 as the third and final single from his debut mixtape ‘Meet the Woo’ (2019) Later it was added as a bonus track on his second mixtape ‘Meet the Woo 2’ ( 2020) featuring American rapper Gunna. Finally the original version of ‘Dior’ was included as a bonus track in Pop Smoke’s posthumous debut studio album ‘Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon’. Eventually it appeared once again on the deluxe edition of the album ‘Faith’
Pop Smoke also performed as an antagonist character in a film named Boogie. This film was shot in 2020 and was released after his death in 2021. He worked in a documentary film also named TBA and this documentary was also released in 2021.
Pop Smoke’s Posthumous Albums
‘Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon’ is the first posthumous debut studio album by Pop Smoke that was released on July 3, 2020 by Victor Victor Worldwide and Republic Records. It is a drill, trap and R&B record. This album includes singles like:
- Make it Run ( 12 June, 2020)
- The Woo ( 10 July, 2020)
- Mood Swings ( 21 August , 2020)
- For the Night ( 3 October, 2020)
- What You Know Bout Love ( 9 October, 2020)
- Hello ( 9 February, 2021)
‘Faith’ is the second posthumous album of Pop Smoke that was released on July 16, 2021 by Victor Victor Worldwide and Republic Records. This album received mixed reviews from his fans and critics. Some say that this album is unfinished where some call it a cash grab. ‘Mr Jones’ was released as the lead single featuring Future ( American Rapper) on the same date as the album. This song achieved a lot fame after its release. It reached number 71 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 70 on the Billboard Global 200.
‘Demeanor’ was the second single of the album ‘Faith’ that was released on July 20, 2021 featuring English singer Dua Lipa. It peaked number 86 ob the US Billboard Hot 100 and also number 14 on the UK Singles Chart. Then ‘Woo baby’ featuring American singer Chris Brown was released as the third single of ‘Faith’ on July 22, 2021. This song achieved top 64 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and top 4 on the Billboard Airplay Rhythmic Chart.
Pop Smoke’s Awards and Nominations
Pop Smoke was an extraordinary artist. He got nominated and won a number of awards for his amazing performance in different categories. But it is a matter of sorrow that all the nominations and awards that he got were after his death. He could not feel that absolute happiness of getting these rewards.
He got the nomination of Best New Artist in 20th BET Awards on 28 June, 2020. Later He got the nomination of Push Best New Artist in MTV Video Music Awards on 30 August, 2020. His work ‘The Woo’ ( featuring 50 Cent and Roddy Ricch) was also nominated for Song of Summer in this award function.
Finally, on 27 October, 2020, he won his first award of Best New Hip-Hop Artist in BET Hip- Hop Awards. Then in 2021, he got nominations in Grammy Awards in many categories like Top Artist, Top New Artist, Top Male Artist, Top Billboard 200 Artist, Top Hot 100 Artist and his single song ‘Dior’ was nominated for Best Rap Performance in Grammy Awards in the same year. He won the Top New Artist category in this program.
He got nominations in so many categories again in Billboard Music Awards in 2021. He was nominated in the categories like Top Streaming Songs Artist, Top Rap Artist and Top Rap Male Artist. His works Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon was nominated for both Top Billboard 200 Album and Top Rap Album. It is wonderful that he won all the categories except the first one. All his achievements prove that he was a brilliant artist.
Pop Smoke’s mom received all his posthumous billboard awards on behalf of her son. She joined the programme along with her other son, Obasi. She became very emotional while receiving those awards and gave a heart-touching speech.
She said,”Thank you to the fans for honoring the life and spirit of my son, so much that he continues to manifest as if he were still here in the flesh. He created music for the kid who has to sleep four in a room, the kid who has to figure out how to get to school each day so he can graduate and make his mom proud. He did this so that 14 year olds would not have to kill to prove they are somebody. That is the irony in this, so thank you to the Billboard Awards leadership for honoring my young warrior. Bashar Barakah Jackson, we call your name.”
Relationships of Pop Smoke
It is a little known fact that Pop Smoke was in a relationship with Jakeilah Ortiz. She has a son and she claims that Pop was the father of her son. She attended the funeral of Pop along with her son. Later it is proved by a paternity test that the boy is Pop’s son. Ortiz posted a photo on Facebook that her son sitting on Pop’s grave stone with this caption :
”Body too ill with a Heart so big just like yah Dad. Happy Father’s Day” to all the fathers that’s no longer with us”.
Ortiz had to face a lot of troubles after posting this photo. Many fans of Pop Smoke accused her that she was lying. But later, more photos of the boy and Pop have emerged and people have noted that the boy resembles Pop Smoke.
It is reported that Pop Smoke was dating model Alyssa Danielle aka Yummy Yellow before his death. He never wanted to reveal his relationship with this woman. But after his death, Yummy Yellow confirmed her relationship with Pop Smoke. She posted a tribute to him on Instagram after his death and gave many details and confirmation about their relationships. She also stated that Pop Smoke did not want to date her but eventually he gave in. She also mentioned the Valentine’s Day gift in the tribute which Pop gave her. Their relationship continued till January, 2020. Alyssa has an eighth years old daughter and her name is Aaliyah. It is confirmed that Aaliyah is not biologically connected to Pop Smoke. She is from a past relationship with her mother.
Pop Smoke’s Legal Issues
Pop Smoke had legal issues from a very early age. He was once suspended from school because of bringing a gun to school when he was in class eight. After that, he was accused of possessing a weapon and had to spend two years on house arrest.
It was reported by a man that Pop Smoke had stolen his Rolls – Royace Wraith. According to the report, Pop had borrowed the car in California for a music video shoot on condition. The condition was that Pop would return it to the owner the next day. But he did not do so. So the owner took a legal step against him. He was arrested by Federal authorities at John F Kennedy International Airport while returning from Paris Fashion Week on 17 January, 2020. The authorities investigated the case and eventually they managed to recover it from Pop’s mother’s house.
After arresting him, the authority asked him about other issues like a non-fatal shooting in Brooklyn in June 2019 and other street gangs. But he did not reveal anything. Pop was charged with grand theft and he accepted the terms that he would stay away from gang members of Crips and submit his drug tests to the US pretrial services as punishment. He had to refuse some of his performances like the ‘BK Drip Concert’ at Kings Theatre in Flatbush because of these legal terms. He had to do so because the gang members would be present in the audience.
Pop Smoke’s Death
Pop Smoke was murdered at a very young age on 19 February, 2020 at around 4:30 am in his rented house in Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, California. He was only 20 years old then. The report says that five intruders entered his house forcefully with a handgun while Pop was taking a shower. They found him and shot him with that gun. No other man was wounded then. So it is clear that the only target of the murderers was Pop Smoke.
Police reached the place after six minutes after that incident and found Pop with several gunshot wounds on his body. He was rushed to Sinai Medical Center immediately and doctors gave him treatments. But he was announced dead after a few hours. At first police suspected that the murder of Pop Smoke was gang-related as he was connected to a gang called ‘Crips’. But later it was discovered that the intruders went to Pop’s house to rob and accidentally murdered him. It is reported that the intruders stole a number of expensive goods from Pop’s house like his Rolex that they sold at 2000 dollars.
But this is not the ultimate report yet. The case is still under investigation. Five men were accused of Pop’s murder. Among them, three were adults, and two were minors. The five accused are Jaquan Murphy, Keandre D. Rodgers, Corey Walker and two unnamed juveniles. One of the three adults were accused of murder and the two were accused of attempted murder. The two minors could not be tried as adults. They would have been kept in Juvenile Court under Grascon’s Policy.
Pop Smoke was buried in Green – Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York City. His family, friends and fans gathered in his hometown of Canarsie to show their respects.