As New York drill was becoming a fixture on playlists and radio stations, one of the genre’s brightest stars prematurely passed away. Pop Smoke was just beginning his journey toward being a star when he was shot to death during a home invasion. Although the impact of his loss is still being felt, there are also those picking up the torch to carry on his legacy as frontrunner of the drill scene’s takeover, including fellow Brooklynite Fivio Foreign, who’s becoming a star in his own right.
During a recent check-in with Hot97 Fivio Foreign spoke about Pop Smoke’s legacy and his own place within it, revealing that the two were working together as recently as the day before Pop Smoke’s death. “The day before he passed, we did a song together,” he said. “It’s gonna be on my tape. It’s fire.” He also called his late friend a legend in the making, saying, “He made it to legend status. He’s a legend in my eyes. He did a lot in a short period of time.” The tape containing what may well be the final recording of Pop Smoke’s life is releasing later this month.
Among those helping to keep Pop Smoke’s memory are Travis Scott, who shared a snippet of an unreleased collaboration shortly after Smoke’s death, Lil Tjay, who paid homage with “Forever Pop,” Joey Badass, who wrote his own song about Pop, and 50 Cent, who promised to finish Pop’s debut album and promised it would release very soon.
Watch Fivio Foreign’s full interview with Hot97 above.