18-Y-O Confesses to Killing Pop Smoke

Kedean BrownMay 13, 2023

Three years after the fatal shooting of 20-year-old American rapper Pop Smoke, an 18-year-old man has confessed to killing the artiste in February 2020.

Smoke was shot and killed during a home invasion robbery at an Airbnb residence in Hollywood Hills, where he was staying temporarily, on February 19. It was later determined that he suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the torso.

Several months after the shooting in July, five people were taken into custody, one of whom was not charged.

The shooter, whose identity has been withheld as he was 15 at the time of the murder, was charged with first-degree murder and confessed to the crime on Friday in juvenile court. The 18-year-old is expected to remain in custody until he turns 25.

A 20-year-old defendant in the case, who was 17 at the time of the murder, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter earlier this year and faced charges as a juvenile. The remaining defendants, Keandre Rodgers and Corey Walker, who were 18 and 19, were charged with murder and, if convicted, may receive the death penalty.

Smoke, born Bashar Jackson, was an on-the-rise drill rapper from Brooklyn, New York, at the time of his death. Smoke released his debut single, MPR, in 2018. The young rapper was propelled to stardom with the release of his later singles, Welcome to the Party and Dior, in 2019, which were featured on his mixtape Meet the Woo Vol.1.