Pop Smoke’s Family Breaks Silence One Year After Rapper’s Tragic Death

The family of Pop Smoke is breaking their silence on the one-year anniversary of the rapper’s tragic death.

In separate appearances on the “The Breakfast Club” and “Inside Edition”, Pop Smoke’s parents and brother spoke about the impact of his death, how they are coping and the arrest of suspects in the shooting.

“They’ve done something and there should be some sort of repercussion for what they’ve done,” Audrey Jackson, Pop Smoke’s mother said on “The Breakfast Club.” “But my brain goes to their households that have been disturbed. Mine has been damaged, but their moms and their dads, too, have had some stuff. It’s not about forgiveness, per se, but just kind of understanding the dynamics of what’s going on. Am I ready to go out to tea and to lunch? Not yet. But I really try not to operate out of a place of negativity or anger because it doesn’t serve any purpose.”

Pop Smoke, born Bashar Barakah Jackson, was shot during a robbery at a Hollywood Hills home he was renting on Feb. 19, 2020. Four suspects were arrested for the murder, including two minors. The case is ongoing, with the defendants scheduled to appear in court later this month.

Jackson appeared on the show with Eric Adams, a candidate for mayor of New York, to also promote a new anti-gun PSA she recorded with her husband. “We are losing too many Pop Smokes all over our country,” Adams told “The Breakfast Club” hosts.

In the 60-second PSA, the couple speaks on the impact of gun violence on families.

“Because of gun violence, I’ll never see my son run up the front of our steps, taking them two at a time; 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,” Jackson said in the PSA.

Pop Smoke’s Brother Speaks Out

In a separate interview, Pop Smoke’s older brother, Obasi Jackson, spoke with Inside Edition at length about his favorite memories of his brother, how he’s coping with his death and what type of justice he thinks will be appropriate for his brother.

“At the end of the day, I don’t feel like anyone should lose their life, but at the end of day I also feel like it should be an eye for an eye and people should get what they deserve,” Jackson told Inside Edition. Two of Pop Smoke’s suspected killers are eligible for the death penalty.

Jackson also shared how he’s coping with his brother’s untimely death.

“It’s definitely better than when it first started, but there’s days when it’s like, really overwhelming for me. It feels almost like it was yesterday that I lost my brother,” he told Inside Edition. “It doesn’t even feel like a whole year. It’s crazy to even imagine the fact that a whole year has passed and that he’s not here. And then I’m going to have to continue doing that for the remainder of my life, but we’re here and my family’s strong and we’re getting better.”

(Photo courtesy of Inside Edition)

Pop Smoke’s tragic death rocked hip-hop and the Brooklyn, NY community where he grew up. His posthumously released “Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon” album brought the rapper new fans and notoriety.

He had also started acting and will make an appearance in Eddie Huang’s film, “Boogie,” about a skilled basketball player who has goals of making it to the NBA, which will be released in March.

For Pop Smoke’s mom, the trauma of losing her son endures. She told “The Breakfast Club” that it’s still emotionally difficult to listen to his music.

“It hurts,” said Jackson, who uses Pop Smoke’s lyrics in her work as an educator. “And I’m gonna tell you guys, I don’t [listen] unless I have to. I can’t listen, even in my car. I turn on news. I can’t. Any kind of music. Because that was our connection, that was our thing. … We danced together, we sang together.”

Watch the full Breakfast Club interview with Pop Smoke’s mother Audrey, and her anti-gun violence PSA below: