Pop Smoke: Rapper ‘shot dead in house invasion in Hollywood Hills’




Pop Smoke: Rapper 'shot dead in house invasion in Hollywood Hills'
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Rapper Pop Smoke has been shot dead during a “house invasion” in the Hollywood Hills, according to US reports.

Stars including Nicki Minaj and 50 Cent are among those who have paid tribute to the musician on social media.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: Nicki Minaj attends The 2019 Met Gala Celebrating Camp: Notes on Fashion at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
Image:Nicki Minaj has posted a tribute on her Instagram page

“RIP to my man Pop Smoke, No sympathy for winners. God bless him,” 50 Cent posted on Twitter.

Pop Smoke, whose real name was Bashar Jackson, was at the property in Los Angeles when men wearing hoodies broke in at about 4.30am local time (12.30pm in the UK), US entertainment site TMZ reports, citing law enforcement sources.

NBC News also says multiple sources have confirmed his death. The suspects reportedly fled the scene.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, Pop Smoke, 20, was an up-and-coming rapper who released his first single, Welcome To The Party, which was remixed by Minaj, last year.

Both Minaj and 50 Cent’s tributes on Instagram include cryptic references to “jealousy”.

It is not known whether the star knew the gunmen.

After the shooting, the rapper was rushed by ambulance to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in West Hollywood, according to TMZ, but was pronounced dead there.

Captain Steven Lurie, from Los Angeles Police Department’s Hollywood division, said between two and six suspects entered the home, and one of them was wearing a mask, NBC reports.

Less than 24 hours before his death, the rapper had posted pictures and videos showing views of Los Angeles on Instagram.

The property where the incident took place is reportedly owned by Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills star Teddi Mellencamp, daughter of singer-songwriter John Mellencamp, and her husband Edwin Arroyave.

In a message posted on Instagram, Mellencamp said a shooting had taken place at a rental home she owns.

Early this am we were informed by a 3rd party leasing and management company overseeing a rental home we own in Los Angeles that a shooting had taken place at the property. Foremost, we would like to extend our prayers and condolences to the family and loved ones affected by this tragic loss of life. We aren’t aware of any of the details beyond what we’ve been told or seen reported on the news and at this time we would like to refrain from commenting further as we wish for the focus to remain on the law enforcement officers who are diligently doing their jobs.

A post shared by Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave (@teddimellencamp) on 

“Foremost, we would like to extend our prayers and condolences to the family and loved ones affected by this tragic loss of life,” she said.

Earlier this month, the rapper released his second mix-tape, Meet The Woo V2, which debuted at number seven on the Top 200 chart, Billboard tweeted.

His attorney told NBC News he did not have a comment “at this time relating to the events of this morning”. – Sky News