Today (July 16), Pop Smoke’s second posthumous album, Faith, arrived. Throughout the day, debates have been launched about the project as some people praised the album while others weren’t convinced that Pop would approve of how it was constructed. As Hip Hop fans discuss the record down to the very last bar, the slain rapper’s mother, Audrey Jackson, and brother, Obasi Jackson, sat down with Angie Martinez to speak about Pop Smoke’s legacy.
It was nothing but positive energy from the jump as Angie and the Jacksons fondly remembered Pop’s last interview with the radio host. His mother said she “loved” the exchange while Obasi shared stories about first hearing his brother’s voice go through a change. “There was no puberty,” he joked.
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“With the new album it’s easier to hear his voice,” said Pop’s mother. “I don’t know if it’s because time has passed or he does sound different on this. His sound, his style, it’s different.” She admitted that he hasn’t listed to Shoot For the Stars, Aim For the Moon yet because “it’s a part of the immediate loss.” Jackson recalled Pop Smoke “coming home and trying some of the songs on me.”
Elsewhere, Obasi shared that if there is any Pop Smoke wisdom that young artists should glean from, it’s the importance of learning the business. Obasi revealed that Pop was always on his computer studying the ins and outs of the business, and while he was focused on making money and building a career, Pop was “smart about it.”
“He made sure that when he got here, he had things in place, LLC, whatever. You wanna do fashion, you want to do restaurants, you wanna do all that stuff,” said Obasi. “He had a business mind.”
Watch the insightful interview with Audrey and Obasi Jackson below.