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Today we honor Bashar Barakah Jackson, aka Pop Smoke, deceased rapper and Brooklyn native. He was shot and killed on February 19, 2020, at 20 years old. His breakout hit \u201cWelcome To The Party\u201d spread rapidly through New York City, becoming one of hip-hop\u2019s 2019 songs of the summer according to the New York Times. He followed up this success with hits like \u201cDior\u201d and \u201cGATTI;\u201d he was on top of the New York rap game and gaining worldwide popularity, garnering the attention of industry leaders like 50 Cent, Travis Scott, and Quavo. He made himself known through his entrancing voice and his love for supporting other up and coming NYC rappers. The positive impact he had on the Brooklyn music scene and community far outweighs rumors that were brought up after his death.<\/span><\/p>\n Pop Smoke created a special brand, describing himself and those he associated with as \u201cWoo,\u201d which he explained was a label for Black men who carried themselves with dignity and moved like kings. Pop Smoke took \u201cWoo\u201d from the hood and turned it into a global phenomenon, effectively starting a new narrative for young Black men and cementing himself as a role model. In an interview with Complex, Pop Smoke explained, \u201cWoo means flossy. That\u2019s the definition of Woo. You\u2019re flossing, wearing designer sh*t, buying all this jewelry, feeding your family, helping these kids get better educations. It ain\u2019t no gang \u2026 There\u2019s people everywhere that\u2019s Woo. You got Woo doctors, Woo teachers, Woo technicians, Woo engineers. We\u2019re everywhere.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Now, amid Black Lives Matter protests, his legacy lives on as protesters unite in the streets of New York City, singing the lyrics of \u201cDior,\u201d and it has been regarded as the \u201cNYC protest anthem.\u201d With so much influence and infinite potential, we recognize that his life was taken away far too soon. His posthumous album, \u201cForever Woo\u201d is scheduled to release July 3. The Living Legends Foundation would like to take this moment to say R.I.P. to Pop Smoke. <\/span><\/p>\n Legends are defined by their work and how it impacts the culture. We remember Pop Smoke so others don\u2019t forget. #livinglegendsfoundation30 #blackmusicmonth #culturecreator #rootedinblackmusic<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Today we honor Bashar Barakah Jackson, aka Pop Smoke, deceased rapper and Brooklyn native. He was shot and killed on February 19, 2020, at 20 years old. His breakout hit […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":25035,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"nf_dc_page":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[65],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25034","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment"],"yoast_head":"\n