Pop Smoke
A Brooklyn drill pioneer whose gritty voice and UK-inspired beats defined a raw new sound for New York's streets before his life was cut short.
1999–2020 (age 21)·American rapper·Birthday: July 20·Generation Z
Biography
Bashar Barakah Jackson, known to the world as Pop Smoke, erupted from the Canarsie neighborhood of Brooklyn with a force that reshaped hip-hop. In 2019, his breakout single 'Welcome to the Party' wasn't just a song; it was a seismic event, introducing a darker, more minimalist drill sound borrowed from London and stamped with his unmistakable, gravelly baritone. He moved with a relentless pace, releasing the mixtape 'Meet the Woo' and collaborating with a who's who of rap, crafting anthems that felt both menacing and celebratory. His vision for a debut album, 'Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon,' was tragically left unfinished when he was killed during a home invasion in Los Angeles in February 2020. The posthumous completion and release of that album transformed it into a monumental success, cementing his status as a foundational voice of a movement and a lost leader for a generation.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Pop was born in 1999, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Pop Was Born
The biggest hits of 1999
#1 Movie
Star Wars: Episode I
Best Picture
American Beauty
#1 TV Show
ER
Pop's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1999Born
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2004Started school
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2012Became a teenager
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2015Could drive
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2017Could vote
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2020Turned 21
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
Key Achievements
- His 2019 single 'Welcome to the Party' became the explosive anthem that launched the Brooklyn drill scene into the mainstream.
- His posthumous debut album 'Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon' debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 in 2020.
- The album's single 'Dior' became a platinum-certified hit and a cultural touchstone, frequently used in viral videos and fashion contexts.
- He earned a Billboard Music Award for Top New Artist in 2021, a testament to his posthumous impact.
Did You Know?
He was a childhood friend of fellow Brooklyn rapper Fivio Foreign.
His stage name came from a childhood nickname; 'Pop' for popping off (fighting) and 'Smoke' for his ability to evade police.
He recorded his early hits, including 'Welcome to the Party,' in a makeshift studio in a Brooklyn Airbnb.
He was a fan of the UK drill scene and directly collaborated with UK producer 808Melo, who crafted his signature sound.
“I came in this bitch with a purpose, I'm never nervous.”
