"I‘ll be back": The tragic loss and lasting legacy of Pop Smoke

"I‘ll be back."

Those were the final words spoken by rising rap superstar Pop Smoke, according to an eyewitness account. Moments later, his life was tragically cut short at age 20 in a brutal home invasion robbery. When Pop Smoke confidently spoke what would be his last words, he could never have imagined the deadly fate that awaited him upstairs. This remains one of the most chilling details surrounding the loss of an inspiring hip hop talent.

As the rap world mourns his death, questions linger about Pop Smoke‘s net worth and the heights his career could have reached. By closely examining his meteoric rise, earnings potential and impact on music, we can pay tribute to both the life and legacy of Pop Smoke.

Pop Smoke – The Brooklyn Drill trailblazer with a trademark voice

Before exploring the dollars and cents, it‘s important to understand Pop Smoke‘s background and the genre he championed. Born Bashar Barakah Jackson in 1999, he grew up in the Canarsie neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. As a teen in the 2010s, he was part of a local scene pioneering a style of hip hop known as "Brooklyn Drill" – a regional variant of the popular Drill subgenre.

Brooklyn Drill mixed the grimy, menacing soundscape of Drill with quintessentially New York lyricism focused on street life, hustling and overcoming adversity. Pop Smoke stood out immediately for his deep, gravelly vocal tone which added intensity and emotion to his songs. As one collaborator put it, "that voice, you can‘t buy it, it‘s God-given."

After making noise with tracks like "MPR" and "Flexin", Pop Smoke broke out with "Welcome to the Party" in 2019 – a menacing anthem full of Brooklyn attitude. Fans instantly connected with Pop Smoke‘s talent and authenticity as he racked up tens of millions of plays. With co-signs from Travis Scott, Nicki Minaj and more, Pop Smoke became the face of Brooklyn Drill‘s crossover into the mainstream.

Earning power was on the rise with hit singles and a hot album

Pop Smoke clearly had the vocal talent and artistic vision to become a star. But developing a compelling sound alone won‘t make you rich in today‘s music industry – you need assets and sales numbers. Fortunately, Pop Smoke was able to generate an impressive independent income before his 20th birthday.

In just his first year on the scene, Pop Smoke earned millions from a variety of revenue streams:

• Blockbuster singles – "Welcome to the Party" went Platinum with over 1 million units sold. Follow up "Dior" went 4x Platinum with over 4 million sales and 1.7 billion Spotify streams.

• Mixtape/Album – 2019‘s "Meet the Woo" mixtape sold nearly 25,000 copies in its first week and ranked Top 10 on the Billboard Top 200.

• Concert Income – During his rise, Pop Smoke earned up to $15,000 for individual shows. Bigger payoutdays loomed as his popularity grew.

• Merchandise – Pop Smoke moved major merch including hoodies, t-shirts and other items adorned with creative images.

• Endorsements – Fashion brand BoohooMan signed Pop Smoke to an endorsement deal worth a reported $1 million.

Based on these income sources, estimates pegged Pop Smoke‘s net worth at around $2 million by early 2020. While not astronomical, it‘s an incredible sum for an independent 20 year old artist with one breakout year under his belt. But even more impressive was Pop Smoke‘s earning potential if his career continued ascending.

Net worth could have reached $50M-$100M with A-list rap status

In the months leading up to his death, Pop Smoke‘s career showed no signs of slowing down. His singles were dominating airplay on the stations like New York‘s Hot 97 and gaining worldwide streams. He was lining up major festival appearances and tour dates to bring his music on the road.

With a clear trajectory towards stardom, music industry insiders agreed the sky was the limit for Pop Smoke in terms of commercial success and net worth growth. Examining the rapid net worth spikes of other young rappers shows just how far he could have gone:

• Lil Uzi Vert – At age 21, Uzi already had a net worth of over $20 million after several years of success.

• Lil Baby – Hit $5 million net worth by 24 years old following his debut album and singles like "Drip Too Hard".

• NBA Youngboy – Despite legal issues, grew his net worth to over $10 million with hits "Outside Today" and "Valuable Pain" by 22.

• Roddy Ricch – At 23 has already earned over $20 million from his 2019 album "Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial".

Based on these trajectories, Pop Smoke realistically could have built a net worth of $50 to $100 million within 5-10 years at his rate of growth. The traditional revenue streams of touring, merchandise, endorsements and business deals all would have contributed.

Even a more conservative estimate would have put Pop Smoke‘s net worth between $10 to $20 million after another 2-3 years of steady success. Tragically, we‘ll never know exactly how far his talent could have propelled his earning power and career.

How Pop Smoke might have grown his wealth and legacy over time

Here‘s a breakdown of how experts project Pop Smoke could have substantially grown his net worth and cemented his legacy over the long term:

Releasing a Series of Hit Albums

After the strong reception to his first studio album Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon, Pop Smoke likely had a string of successful full length projects ahead. Consistent album sales and streams reaching the Platinum level like his early singles would have generated tens of millions in revenue.

Selling Out Major Tour Dates

Early tour stops were at mid-size 500-1000 capacity venues. With more star power Pop Smoke could have graduated to selling out arenas seating 15,000-20,000 fans as headliner.

Landing High Dollar Brand Endorsements

His initial BoohooMan deal was worth around $1 million. 8-figure endorsement deals with major brands like Nike, Hennessy or Mercedes could have followed.

Investing in Business Ventures

Many rappers leverage their fame into spirits brands, record labels, clothing lines and tech investments generating substantial wealth over time.

Appearing in Films and TV Shows

With his trademark voice and natural charisma, Pop Smoke could have landed coveted acting roles in movies, cable shows and streaming series.

Purchasing Lavish Homes and Assets

Owning real estate is a common way for rappers to display success. Pop Smoke could have joined moguls like Jay-Z and Dr. Dre in living large in mansions and luxury apartments.

Even if Pop Smoke never reached the elite level of rap moguls like Kanye West and Diddy worth hundreds of millions, his star potential was undeniable. He built the foundation to earn generational wealth for his family and community.

Lasting impact: Pop Smoke brought Brooklyn to the masses

Though he only released about a dozen official tracks before his death, Pop Smoke left an indelible mark on hip hop in a short time. As one of the young leaders of Brooklyn Drill, he took the hard-nosed sound of his borough mainstream like few artists before him.

Songs like "Welcome to the Party" and "Dior" amassed hundreds of millions of streams, exposing the rap world to his crew Griselda, 808Melo‘s sinister beats and talents like Fivio Foreign. Pop Smoke made being a rapper from Brooklyn cool again for a new generation. He representedCanarsie to the fullest with raw storytelling reflecting his community.

Even established artists were in awe, as Meek Mill said: "Pop Smoke was 20! He had a whole career there… I don’t even think y’all understand how grounded bro was at 20." The maturity and artistry Pop Smoke displayed well exceeded his years.

While it stings to ponder what more Pop Smoke could have accomplished, his legacy is set. He helped put Brooklyn Drill on the map while leaving behind timeless hits. By channeling the energy of his streets into passionate music, Pop Smoke ensured his story will live on and inspire others. Though gone far too soon, Bashar "Pop Smoke" Jackson‘s memory shines bright.