The New York Times - Louder: The Last Days of Pop Smoke

June 26, 2020

By Caryn Ganz

Pop Music Editor

The Brooklyn rapper Pop Smoke was the most impressive hip-hop newcomer of last year. On Feb. 19, he was shot and killed in a still unsolved Los Angeles home invasion at 20. In the last few months of his life, his career had kicked into high gear: He made it to Paris for Fashion Week, and shot a video with Virgil Abloh; he put in long hours at the studio working on his debut; and he had a lengthy sit-down with 50 Cent, who offered him advice based on his own past: “What you see when you talk to me is what happens when you get rich,” 50 Cent told Jon Caramanica for a comprehensive look at the rapper’s last days. “What happened to Pop is what happens when you die trying.”

Pop Smoke’s debut is out next Friday. This Friday’s releases include Haim’s “Women in Music Pt. III,” which Lindsay Zoladz named a Critic’s Pick, and the disco-heavy “What’s Your Pleasure?” by Jessie Ware, who Lindsay found a charming interview subject over Zoom recently. (After she hit a snag in the music biz, Ware discovered she has a gift for podcasting; she and her mother are a hilarious pair on the cooking show “Table Manners.”)

And Alan Scherstuhl spoke with Jon Batiste and attended protest events led by the jazz pianist and “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” musical director to see how he has been taking a lead and using his platform to fight inequality by inviting thousands to join him in the streets. “I believe long after no one knows who I am, the name Jon Batiste will be spoken with admiration,” Colbert told us. “I’m grateful to know him.”

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The Last Days of Pop Smoke

The Brooklyn rapper was on the verge of an international breakthrough when he was killed in February. Here is the story of his whirlwind final months, told by those who knew him best.

By Jon Caramanica

FEATURES

How Jessie Ware Cooked Her Way Into a Musical Fantasy

The British pop singer and songwriter was feeling stalled. A food podcast with her mother showcased her charming personality — and unlocked her creativity.

By Lindsay Zoladz

Jazz Is Built for Protests. Jon Batiste Is Taking It to the Streets.

The pianist and “Late Show” bandleader has been bringing musical wake-up calls to events across New York.

By Alan Scherstuhl

THE CRITICS & POPCAST

critic’s pick

Haim Steps Into a New Groove on ‘Women in Music Pt. III’

On the band’s third album, the sisters in Haim add what was missing from previous releases — tension and texture — to make their sharpest and most adventurous songs yet.

By Lindsay Zoladz

the playlist

Beyoncé’s Surprise Juneteenth Anthem, and 11 More New Songs

Hear tracks by Prince, the Chicks, Sun Ra Arkestra and others.

By Jon Pareles, Jon Caramanica and Giovanni Russonello

Lil Baby Is Warming Up to the Spotlight

His protest song “The Bigger Picture” marks a high point in his evolution from reluctant up-and-comer to one of hip-hop’s reliable superstars.

Continue reading the main story

13 Essential Songs From the Lesbian Label Olivia Records

The record company was formed in 1973 with the goals of telling queer women’s stories and putting profits in the pockets of gay artists working outside the mainstream music industry.

By Chloé Lula

my ten

Wynton Marsalis Finds Solace in the Optimism of the Blues

Marsalis, the artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center, puts his late father, Ellis Marsalis Jr., as well as Frederick Douglass and young musicians on his list of what’s important.

By Kathryn Shattuck

NEWS

Krista Schlueter for The New York Times

Why Obsessive K-Pop Fans Are Turning Toward Political Activism

After claiming some credit for the fizzling of President Trump’s rally in Oklahoma, the online armies of Korean pop music listeners are feeling prepared and empowered.

By Joe Coscarelli

Matt Dunham/Associated Press

James Brown’s Will: Is It Inching Toward Closure After 14 Years?

A decision by the Supreme Court of South Carolina has raised expectations that the many legal fights over the singer’s estate may soon be drawing to a close.

By Steve Knopper

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The struggling mall brand plans to introduce Yeezy Gap in stores and online in the first half of 2021.

By Sapna Maheshwari

The Dixie Chicks Change Their Name, Dropping the ‘Dixie’

The platinum-selling country trio will be known as the Chicks, the latest example of sweeping cultural changes brought on by nationwide protests spotlighting racial inequality.

By Ben Sisario