Today marks the first anniversary of the death of rapper Pop Smoke. Many fans and celebrities have taken to social media to share their favorite moments of Pop. Today Pop’s mother, Audrey Jackson, appeared on The Breakfast Club, speaking about her son’s legacy and New York City mayoral candidate Eric Adams. Audrey spoke about how surreal it was to be on the show. “These moments… they’re bittersweet,” she said. “Here at ‘The Breakfast Club,’ you guys, he would listen to you all every day. He sat in the kitchen at the table, played you all. This should have been his moment.” During the interview, she talked about continuing his “Shoot for the Stars Foundation,” which has plans to expand by helping young people easily gain more access to technology and learn how to use it in various mediums.
Audrey was asked if she listens to his music, and she explained that it hurts hearing his music, and she doesn’t listen to it unless she has to. In the interview, Eric spoke about Audrey and her husband participating in a recent PSA about gun violence. “We did a video together, and I spoke with Audrey and her husband, Pop Smoke’s dad, and I walked away from there just saying this story must be told,” Eric said. “Sometimes, when we look at those who are in the record industry, we do not know the depth of the families who are involved. Audrey is an amazing educator, her husband is in the financial industry, an industry that is challenging for a Black man to navigate, and he’s extremely successful. And brother Pop Smoke had an amazing foundation that we saw in his creativity.”
In addition, Audrey spoke about the topic of forgiveness when it came to the men responsible for Pop’s death. “They’ve done something, and there should be some sort of repercussion for what they’ve done,” she said. “But my brain goes to their households that have been disturbed. Mine has been damaged, but their moms and their dads, too, have had some stuff. It’s not about forgiveness, per se, but just kind of understanding the dynamics of what’s going on. Am I ready to go out to tea and to lunch? Not yet. But I really try not to operate out of a place of negativity or anger because it doesn’t serve any purpose.” Let’s continue to keep Pop Smoke’s family and fans in our prayers.
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