One of four people charged in connection to rapper Pop Smoke‘s murder in 2020 has been sentenced to 29 years in prison.
Pop Smoke – real name Bashar Jackson – was killed in a rented Hollywood Hills home during a home-invasion robbery in February 2020. He was 20 years old. The group allegedly invaded the rapper’s Airbnb rental in Los Angeles with the aim of stealing his diamond-studded Rolex watch and Cuban link chain. They ended up stealing the watch, which they are alleged to have resold for $2,000 (£1,405).
On Friday (February 21), 24-year-old Corey Walker was sentenced to 29 years in prison at a courtroom in Los Angeles. The sentencing came two weeks after Walker pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and home invasion robbery with gun and gang enhancements at a hearing earlier this month.
Pop Smoke performs at the Soulfrito Music Festival at Barclays Center on August 30, 2019 in New York CREDIT: Arik Mazur/Getty Images
According to a Rolling Stone report, Walker appeared “deeply remorseful” at the sentencing and offered an apology to the family of the late rapper: “Even though the Jackson family isn’t here in court today, I would like to sincerely apologise for my unforgivable actions, although there’s no apology that amounts to the taking of someone’s life. I would also like to take this opportunity to apologise to my family for the pain and embarrassment that they have endured over the last five years, as well as an apology to my community.”
Walker – who initially faced a life sentence before accepting a plea deal that would reduce his charges to voluntary manslaughter for 29 years in prison – has also said he “takes responsibility” for his role in the crimes.
As for the three other people involved in the shooting and break in, a 19-year-old (who was 15 at the time) in 2023 admitted to fatally shooting Pop Smoke. He will remain in a juvenile detention center until he’s 25.
Another pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in April 2023. As he was a 17 at the time of the 2020 shooting, the man also faced juvenile court in Inglewood, and was sentenced to four years and two months in a juvenile facility.
Pop Smoke CREDIT: Johnny Nunez/WireImage
The final person involved in the shooting, Keandre Rodgers – 18 at the time of the incident – was initially charged with murder, though his case is now being reassessed.
Speaking to Rolling Stone following the sentencing on Friday, Deputy District Attorney Hilary Williams said of Walker: “Corey Walker was not an innocent participant in any of this. He was the mastermind ringleader in the planning, driving and provision of weapons to minors. He did surveillance on the home earlier that night and exchanged or traded cars so that the vehicle he drove up in was now a four-door vehicle that could accommodate more individuals that could enter that home and violate the rights of Mr. Jackson and his friends. Mr. Walker knew exactly what he was doing.”
There was an outpouring of tributes from the hip-hop community following Jackson’s death, with Joey Bada$$, Pusha T, 50 Cent, Fivio Foreign and more paying their respects. Jackson’s debut album, ‘Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon’, was released posthumously in 2020. A second posthumous album, ‘Faith’, arrived the following year, featuring appearances from Rick Ross, 21 Savage, Takeoff, Future, Dua Lipa, Pharrell, Kid Cudi, Quavo and more.
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