Pop Smoke’s death was a tragedy that shook the hip-hop community. The rapper was slain on the brink of superstardom, just as his name was making its way into household status. Still, Pop Smoke’s family and management are forging onwards with the late New York MC’s first posthumous album now scheduled for release.

We knew it was coming, but Steven Victor, Pop Smoke‘s manager, shared the official details on his Instagram. Victor shared what could be the artwork– or could simply be a promotional image– alongside a release date: June 12th. The manager didn’t leave more information in his caption than the release date, so stay tuned. In the interim, the rapper has already popped up posthumously on several records recently, including a verse on Nav’s new album Good Intentions and Lil Tjay’s State of Emergency EP.

50 Cent recently shared a few details about Pop Smoke‘s album as well, as he filled the role of executive producer. The OG confirmed they were adding a select few features, naming Roddy Ricch among them– so we’ll have to see if that one came together.

Check out Steven Victor’s new IG post below, and keep your eyes peeled for more details on the album.

Pop Smoke‘s family and manager, Steven Victor, made a joint statement on Wednesday announcing that they’ll be releasing new music from the late artist throughout the next year. It’s been almost three months since the world lost such a promising young talent, after a fatal shooting resulted in the 21-year-old’s untimely death. While fans have been mourning his loss in the months following his passing, they were treated to a few posthumous releases, including the single, “How We Move,” featuring Dave East. There is also currently a whole posthumous album in the works with the help of 50 Cent and Steven Victor, the owner of Victor Victor label who helped launch Pop’s career. On Wednesday, Steven shared an official statement from himself and Pop’s family on Instagram, giving an update on all future Pop Smoke releases.

“Bashar ‘Pop Smoke’ Jackson – so genuine, bright, loving, and so full of promise,” the message reads. “A rare soul, wise beyond his years whose smile, voice, mere presence would brighten the room. He was all the things one could hope for in an artist, friend, leader, and partner. Pop’s passing leaves us all broken hearted with a wound that will never heal.”

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“The public show of support and grief, by everyone touched by Pop during his lifetime, has provided some semblance of comfort during these difficult times for his family, friends, and colleagues,” the statement continues. “Throughout the next year we will be sharing new music, as we continue to build Pop’s legacy. In conjunction with his estate we will be making formal announcements on his foundation and music projects.”

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“We love him so much and miss him so dearly,” the message, signed by “Victor Victor Worldwide & The Jackson Family,” concludes. Pop had just released his second mixtape, Meet The Woo 2, less than two weeks before he tragically passed. According to 50 Cent, the album should be arriving sometime later this month. There is also a Pop Smoke documentary in the works from Steven Victor himself.

Complex is celebrating the surge of Brooklyn Drill this week, publishing features about Smoove’L, Fivio Foreign, Sheff G, and others this morning. Looking back on how the sub-genre has transformed over the course of two years would be impossible without mentioning the rise of Pop Smoke. Today, the late rapper’s final editorial interview has been made available.

Pop Smoke was celebrated as one of the high points in New York rap over the last half-decade. The streets were booming with his music and his energy could be felt strongly at every show he performed. In his final sit-down interview with Complex, the late 20-year-old spoke about how he identified within the drill sub-genre, and whether or not he was banned from putting on shows in his city.

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The rapper defined his “Woo” phrase, the gap between London and Brooklyn drill, his own place in the music industry, and much more.

Pop Smoke was killed earlier this year after several masked men broke into his rental home in Los Angeles. While his cause of death has been confirmed, the motive behind the shooting has not yet been ruled. It was initially classified as a home invasion but, according to investigative sources on the case, it’s more probable that this was organized.

Rest in peace, Poppy. Read his final editorial interview here.

Moments after Pop Smoke was shot in a Hollywood Hills home back in February, a call was made to 911, but according to the audio, the distressed caller was little help amid the pandemonium that had ensued. As we sadly know, Pop was killed on February 19th, 2020 at the age of 20, after he was gunned down by an unknown shooter. Now, TMZ has obtained the audio of the 911 call made to report the sudden shooting, and the recording (which you can listen to here) reveals…well, not much.

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The call begins with the 911 dispatcher repeatedly trying to get the caller’s attention, saying “Hello?” over and over while only distressed voices can be heard in the background on the other end. Eventually, someone desperately answers the phone, clearly shaken by what was going on. The dispatcher tries to find out if the gunmen were still on the scene, but the caller interrupts him by saying, “I can’t talk to you anymore.” The dispatcher is able to keep him on the line by telling him, “Listen to me. I’m gonna tell you how to help this person.” The caller doesn’t give him the opportunity, though, and the dispatcher just insists that the ambulance are “on their way.”

TMZ also has footage of EMTs bringing Pop to the ambulance on a stretcher, where they attempted to resuscitate him. Investigators have yet to determine any suspects in the case, which they believe was a “targeted murder,” as they’ve struggled to find any “neutral witnesses.” 

Fivio Foreign is one of the trailblazing new rappers out of Brooklyn that you definitely need to know right now. Fresh off releasing the remix to his breakout single “Big Drip” featuring Lil Baby and Quavo, Fivio decided to take a quick visit to HOT 97 to give Paul Rosenberg the rundown on new music arriving soon, how he found out about the death of fellow drill emcee Pop Smoke and a clarification behind his business dealings with Mase.

 
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After explaining his disbelief when people first started blowing up his phone the day Pop Smoke died, Fivio put the loss into perspective by saying it was the first death he’s truly felt since his mom passed away in his arms from a stroke a few years ago. Fivio then went on to explain that the situation with Mase started after he dropped “Blixky Inna Box” with Jay Dee and Dee Savv, saying, “[Mase] was hip to the sound, to the Brooklyn drill sound.” After Mase showed interest in signing all three guys, Fivio then confirmed that it was strictly a “production deal” on his end, further adding, “He don’t own none of my publishing.” This of course contradicts heavily with 50 Cent’s claim last month that alluded to Fivio being stuck in an unfair publishing deal with Mase. Mase later denied that story himself, and it looks like Fivio just gave us a better understanding of the situation overall.

Watch Fivio Foreign’s full interview with Paul Rosenberg for HOT 97 below, which breaks down a few more things regarding his business with Mase and the new seven-figure publishing deal he just signed with Sony/ATV:

Brooklynites gathered together to celebrate the life of the late Pop Smoke during a funeral procession in Brooklyn on Thursday afternoon, two weeks after he was tragically murdered in Los Angeles. Though his family and loved ones held their own private memorial last weekend to say goodbye, folks were able to honour Pop's memory by taking to the streets of his native neighbourhood of Canarsie, beginning their march on 82nd Street and Flatlands. Family, friends, and fans of the late rapper could be seen gathered under a mural of his likeness on 82nd as a horse-drawn carriage rode by with the words "POP SMOKE" engraved on the glass walls, in the signature style of Off White designer, Virgil Abloh.

Recent celebrity deaths, like those of Kobe Bryant and Pop Smoke, have raised questions regarding how TMZ repeatedly manages to get hold of confidential information in these sorts of circumstances. Well, prepare to be baffled again because the tabloid site has now obtained Pop Smoke’s death certificate somehow. 

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The document reveals that doctors performed a thoracotomy on the left side of the late Brooklyn rapper’s chest in an attempt to save him from a gunshot wounds in his torso. TMZ speculates that his chest was opened in order to remove bullets, but the document also states that the time between the shooting and his death was “rapid.” Pop Smoke, born Bashar Barakah Jackson, was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center at 5:12 AM on February 19 after being shot by home invaders in the Hollywood Hills. It remains unknown whether the assailants intended to kill Pop Smoke before breaking in or whether his shooting was a byproduct of the home invasion. Police are still investigating. 

On Sunday (Mar. 1), 50 Cent revealed his plan to executive produce Pop Smoke’s posthumous album. It appears 50 got his hands on the late Brooklyn rapper’s unreleased songs, which inspired him to polish them off and share them with the world. 50 has been openly mourning the loss of Pop Smoke, who was a friend and fellow NYC artist with a ferocious voice and drive. 50’s passion for the cause definitely makes him well-fitted to put the finishing touches on what may be considered as Pop Smoke‘s first official debut album. The head of Pop’s label, Steven Victor, has confirmed that 50 has been handed over the reins for this role. 

The TV mogul has already started holding casting calls for the project on his IG page, where he handles most of his affairs. After first announcing that he was on the hunt for a Roddy Ricch feature, “The Box” hitmaker responded that he is ready to report for duty. 50 then sent out his next request for Drake to appear as a guest, simultaneously taking a little jab at him. “See i got @roddyricch on deck, this shit gonna be stupid ?‍♂️ @champagnepapi where you at n****, don’t start acting light skinned on us.” Despite this playful call-out, Drake would probably be honored to contribute to the Pop Smoke album, as he has expressed great respect for him in the past. 

Waka Flocka Flame is really tired of hearing rappers talk about how hip hop is dangerous following the tragic murder of Pop Smoke and the circumstances surrounding his death. Since the news broke that the late rapper was killed during what was initially thought to be a home invasion robbery, fellow rappers have spoken out about the allegedly harmful culture that surrounds hip hop. Blueface issued a warning to aspiring rappers hoping to make it big in L.A., while Jim Jones compared the experiences of a rapper to the perils of a soldier. Amidst all of this emphasis on the dangers of the rap game following Pop’s passing, Waka Flocka felt he needed to speak out against the messages these rappers and others have been sending about hip hop. He addressed these misconceptions in an Instagram post last week, and on Wednesday, he took a step further by sharing a video captioned, “PSf*ckingA,” in which he reiterates his earlier point.

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“I’ve got to say this real quick, I’ll probably—and I’m gonna delete this sh*t,” Waka begins, “but please stop saying rap is dangerous. Y’all n*ggas is falling into the trap. Cause if hip hop is dangerous, they gon’ stop booking shows around each state, stop making hip hop popular. The f*ck are y’all doing, bro?”

“Hip hop ain’t dangerous, bro,” he continued. “This sh*t making more money outta any genre in the world. Hip hop is beautiful, bro. To be a gangbanging rapper is f*cking dangerous, to be a drug-dealing rapper is dangerous. Anything that’s negative is dangerous, idiotics. F*ck is y’all talking about, bro? Stop saying hip hop is dangerous, it ain’t dangerous. Y’all folks really about to cut y’all f*ckin’ hustle out. Fool-ass n*ggas, man. Y’all need to stop saying that sh*t on God, bro.” What do you think about Waka’s words?