Popular rapper Pop Smoke was murdered during a home invasion on February 19th. Pop Smoke, whose real name is Bashar Barakah Jackson, was shot in his home in the Hollywood Hills at 4:29 am and later pronounced dead at the hospital. He was only 20 years old.

“I can’t believe another rapper is gone so young. It’s so crazy how many of these celebrities’ lives are being lost,” said junior Selena Dahdouh. 

 “When I heard the news, I couldn’t believe it,” said junior Shivam Sharma. “It feels like another rapper that we love dies every day.”

Some of Pop Smoke’s many accomplishments include his hit single, “Welcome to the Party,” which peaked at number nine on Billboard’s Hot 100, and his album, Meet the Woo Vol. 2, which peaked at number 7. He also just came out with a single on Travis Scott’s new album, JACKBOYS, called “GATTI.”

Pop Smoke is just one of the many tragic deaths of rappers in the past few years. Rapper Nipsey Hussle was shot and murdered outside his own Marathon clothing store in Los Angeles on March 31, 2019. Known as a “West Coast Hero,” he was only 33 year olds. 

Other influential rappers that have died recently include Juice WRLD, Nipsey Hussle, Mac Miller, and XXXTentacion.