Pop Smoke took one last stroll through his beloved Brooklyn on Thursday when fans took to the streets to honor the young rapper, who was shot and killed in California last month.
Pop, whose birth name was Bashar Barakah Jackson, was killed when four home invaders stormed through a house he was renting in the Hollywood Hills on February 19, shooting him several times and critically injuring him. Pop Smoke was pronounced dead at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in West Hollywood. He was 20 years old.
During his funeral procession, a carriage carrying Jackson’s glass-encased casket was drawn by two white horses. Fans yelled out his signature ad-lib “Woo” as the horses passed by, according to video clips uploaded to social media. In one video, horses passed a large mural of Pop that bears the name, Canarsie, the Brooklyn neighborhood in which he grew up and honed his sound before sharing it with the world.
“Brooklyn was the backdrop for all that Bashar loved. It’s where he was raised, nurtured and educated prior to the world being introduced to his immense talent as the artist Pop Smoke,” his family wrote in a statement, XXL reports.
Trailing the horses and carriage closely, was a purple and gold Lamborghini owned by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson. While Jackson was not driving the car himself, fans began to cry out after recognizing the car, acknowledging the tribute. Jackson was a friend and mentor of the young artist and vowed to ensure that his legacy is never forgotten.
“R.I.P Pop Smoke he told his mom, he wanted to take her to a award show. So I’m gonna make sure his album gets her there,” Jackson wrote in a caption on Instagram.
Last week, the rapper was remembered in a private ceremony attended by his family and close friends. He was reportedly laid to rest at Brooklyn Cemetery following the public procession.
Rest in peace Pop Smoke.