Bashar Barakah Jackson (July 20, 1999 – February 19, 2020), known professionally as Pop Smoke, was an American rapper. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York City, he rose to fame with the release of his 2019 singles "Welcome to the Party" and "Dior". He frequently collaborated with UK drill artists and producers, who employed more minimal and aggressive instrumentation than American drill artists from Chicago, reintroducing the sound as Brooklyn drill.

Following his rise to fame, record producer Rico Beats introduced Pop Smoke to Steven Victor in April 2019. Victor would later have Pop Smoke sign a recording contract with Victor Victor Worldwide and Republic Records. He released his debut mixtape Meet the Woo in July 2019. His second mixtape, Meet the Woo 2, was released on February 7, 2020, and debuted at number seven on the Billboard 200, becoming the rapper's first top-10 project in the United States.

Twelve days after the mixtape's release, Pop Smoke was murdered during a home invasion in Los Angeles. Fellow New York rapper 50 Cent served as executive producer for his posthumous debut studio album, Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon (2020), which debuted atop the Billboard 200; all 19 of its tracks entered the Billboard Hot 100. The album also spawned the singles "For the Night" (featuring DaBaby and Lil Baby) and "What You Know Bout Love". The following year, Republic released Pop Smoke's second studio album, Faith (2021).

Early life

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Bashar Barakah Jackson was born on July 20, 1999, in Brooklyn, New York City, to a Jamaican mother, Audrey Jackson, and a Panamanian father, Greg Jackson.[1] He had an older brother named Obasi.[2] Jackson attended nine different schools while growing up in Canarsie, Brooklyn. He played the African drums in his local church as a child.[3]

Jackson was expelled from eighth grade for bringing a gun to school. He spent two years under house arrest after being charged with possessing a weapon.[4] Jackson started playing basketball as a point and shooting guard. He relocated to Philadelphia to enroll in Rocktop Academy. He was later forced to leave after being diagnosed with a heart murmur, and Jackson eventually turned to street life.[5]