After the death of rising rapper Pop Smoke, his peers in the hip-hop community and others shared messages about his passing. Now, Smoke’s family has offered an official statement following the shooting that took the rapper’s life.
In the statement, they thank supporters for their king gestures and ask for “respect and responsible reporting”:
“The family of Bashar ‘Pop Smoke’ Jackson would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone for your support. Every prayer, call, and act of kindness is deeply appreciated as we mourn the loss of our son, brother and friend.
Brooklyn knew him as Bashar. He was educated and nurtured in Brooklyn and his rise to fame all developed from the place he proudly represented. Within the last year, his extraordinary giftedness was revealed to the world, introducing Pop Smoke.
Unfortunately, there are no public details available regarding the murder of our loved one. We ask for respect and responsible reporting during this critical time. Inaccurate reports only add unnecessary pain to a grieving family.”
Smoke’s family have reportedly involved themselves in the investigation of the shooting. A report from last week said they are “at a loss trying to understand what happened,” and “nothing makes sense to them,” and that they have even taken it upon themselves to question friends and witnesses about what happened.
