Pop Smoke’s parents are campaigning against gun violence.
More than ever, gun violence is an ever-relevant topic in America today as the epidemic has been sweeping the nation exponentially each calendar year. It is quite unfortunate that the hip-hop community has lost so many artists this way in the last few years, and Pop Smoke is one such artist whose parents are trying to make a difference with his story.
Aubrey and Greg Jackson, the parents of the late New York rapper partnered with the Entertainers 4 Education Alliance/I WILL GRADUATE program to educate kids on the dangers of gun violence. In a video statement, Pop Smoke’s mother painted the reality of losing her son by outlining things she will never again be able to do with him.
“Because of gun violence, I’ll never see my son run up the front of our steps, taking them two at a time,” Mrs. Jackson says in the video. “He won’t ever take my hands again and dance with me. He won’t come into my room and muscle pose in the mirror. Gun violence destroys families. It must stop.”
The director for Entertainers 4 Education Alliance/I WILL GRADUATE explained how Pop Smoke’s influence even after his death has been instrumental in driving change. “We needed to get our youth’s attention fast and saw Pop Smoke’s polarizing music, life and death as a catalyst for positive change,” said Tonya Lewis Taylor.
“We reached out to his parents who wanted to honor their son’s legacy by participating in the video,” she continued. “We want the youth to considerably weigh the cost of their actions. There is no going back after that trigger is pulled. One moment of anger creates a lifetime of pain and anguish for the loved ones left behind.”
Pop Smoke lost his life to gun violence at the young age of 20 years. The rapper whose posthumous album topped the Billboard charts for multiple weeks in 2020 was gunned down in the Hollywood Hills home where he was staying last February. Investigators believe the fatal shots were fired during a home invasion but they also say the usual signs of a robbery were absent, according to NY Times. Four suspects were later arrested in the case.
While Pop was young, he had grand plans for his promising career. The rapper earned his first Top 10 album in the U.S. in the week that he was killed. Meet The Woo 2 debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard chart and has since been certified Gold by the RIAA. In July 2020, the rapper’s debut album Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon debuted atop the chart.
After his untimely death, the rapper’s estate issued a statement announcing that they would continue to roll out the rapper’s music and other projects that he was working on. Earlier this week, the trailer for the movie “Boogie” which will feature Pop Smoke’s posthumous film debut was released. The film is scheduled to arrive in March.
