We've seen many of our favorite artists
be taken away from us too soon, especially in the last few years. And no other job has quite the same threats as hip hop murder is the cause of 50% of deaths in the industry. Here is an exclusive look into
the murders of three young rappers and the men that killed them. Pop Smoke Pop Smoke was a major up and comer in 2019. His debut album Meet the Woo grabbed him the attention
of hip hop stars and producers. When Nicki Minaj remixed
"Welcome to the Party", all eyes were on Pop Smoke, and he didn't disappoint. In less than a year, he released several singles and collaborated
with many artists in the industry. Pop's musical talent was undeniable; everybody, from Quavo to Travis Scott
to Gunna, wanted to work with him. When he released his second album, Meet the Woo 2, he was looking at a bright future
with all the fame and money he could want. Unfortunately, Pop wouldn't get to see that future. On Wednesday, February 19, 2020, it was announced that Pop Smoke
had been killed in his home early that morning. The news was surprising to everyone, and it has taken months for the story to unfold. Here's what we know. The day before the murder took place, Pop Smoke made a post on Instagram. The photo showed off gift bags that he had gotten, and in one image, his address is clearly visible the whole thing. So now people know where he lives. A few hours later, he posts a photo of him and a friend
in a car in his own driveway, posing with loads of cash. And now people know just
what he has inside the house. That evening a few friends
were over at the house, but Pop Smoke wasn't the
only one in the home that night. Around 4 in the morning, someone in the house deadbolted the front
doors shut but did not turn the alarm on. Ten minutes later, four men found their way into the home, looking for the cash, chains, and whatever else the rapper
had shown off on social media. Even though there were other people in the home,
the intruders ran into Pop Smoke alone. They fired multiple shots, hitting the rapper several times. Someone at the house called 911, and he was rushed to Cedars-Sinai
Medical Center in Hollywood. He was pronounced dead shortly after arriving. Meanwhile, the four men had escaped from the home. Officers had arrived at the house and
were interrogating those that had been inside. No one knew anything,
and all of them were cleared as suspects. The real suspects wouldn't be caught until July 9, when it was announced that five men
had been arrested in connection to the rapper's murder. Corey Walker, aged 19, and Keandre Rodgers, aged 18, were both charged with murder during a robbery, which could put them up for the death
penalty if they get convicted. Two unnamed minors, aged 17 and 15, have also been charged with murder
and robbery in a juvenile court. Another man, 21-year-old Jaquan Murphy, caught an attempted murder charge. Bail for each of the adult offenders
was set at one million dollars. People took the loss of Pop Smoke hard, with fans and artists tweeting their thoughts
for his family, who said in response: "Every prayer, call, and act of kindness is deeply appreciated as we mourn the loss
of our son, brother, and friend." Lil Snupe Lil Snupe never really got the chance
to become a household name, but he was on his way. At age 18, he was already showing talent in the studio
and had caught the eye of rapper Meek Mill. In 2013, he snuck past security and tapped
on the window of Meek Mills' tour bus. When he opened it, Snupe handed him a mixtape
and hoped for the best. He got a call back in less than half an hour, and before he knew it, Meek was signing him to his
Dream Chasers label, and he was on the rise to stardom. That was cut short just a few months later, on June 20, 2013. That day, Lil Snupe was in a small town
called Winnfield, Louisiana, at the home of 36-year-old Tony Holden. The rapper was probably living in the state, but no one knows what he was doing
in this small town at this man's house. The two guys passed the time playing video games,
and things got competitive. They started placing bets,
and at around 4AM, things went south. Tony, a convicted felon, pulled out a loaded gun and fired at Snupe, hitting him twice before fleeing
the apartment and going on the run. Lil Snupe died of his wounds
there in the apartment. Tony, meanwhile, was hiding out. But four days after the murder, police announced that he was their primary suspect and that there was a warrant out for his arrest. He was also to be considered armed and dangerous. Two days later, Tony turned himself in to the authorities. He was then booked into the city jail, facing charges of illegal possession
of a firearm by a convicted felon, armed robbery, and first-degree murder. Bond was set at two million dollars, which he couldn't post. A massive surprise came a couple of weeks later. On July 8, when it was released that another suspect
had been arrested in connection to the murder. 21-year-old Edrick Stewart
was charged with manslaughter. Turns out, the autopsy showed that the bullets used to kill Snupe weren't the ones that fit inside Tony's gun. Instead, those bullets came from the gun of Edrick Stewart, who had also apparently been there that night. Even with this proof, the charges against him were dropped, except for a minor weapons charge. Tony, who turned out not to be the murderer, only turned himself in because
he was out on bail at the time and didn't want to mess with that. He ended up getting 10 years
for the felon with a firearm charge, and the real killer walked free. Snupe's mother also believes that
cops tampered with evidence and didn't take the case seriously. LA Capone Chicago native LA Capone
was another rising star in the hip hop world. Influenced by the Chicago streets, his membership with the Black Disciples
gang, and the local drill scene, he was rapping alongside the likes of Chief Keef, Lil Durk, and RondoNumbaNine. On September 26, 2013, the just-turned-17 Capone was walking with a friend
out of a recording session at a nearby studio. They turned down an alley looking for their ride
when someone started shooting out of nowhere. The friend said that he heard four shots
and then Capone was on the ground. He was hit in his lower back and right thigh. The friend called 911, and Capone was rushed to the hospital. His mother arrived shortly and was told
by nurses that he was alert and talking. Unfortunately, he had lost too much blood
and was pronounced dead at 8:30PM, just two hours after the shooting. The news of his death was made public
by fellow rapper and good friend Lil Durk, who first tweeted "Get well bro" followed up with a "rip lil bro"
a short time later. Nothing much happened for a while as investigators tried to figure out
who shot LA Capone and why. On August 24, 2014, it was announced that three people had been charged
with murder connected to the alley shooting. They had given statements about
their involvement in the situation during police interrogation. Sakhee Hardy-Johnson, aged 17, and Michael Mays, 21, admitted intentionally getting a gun
before heading to the studio where Capone was recording. They also confessed to using a car "that would run interference in the event
that police officers arrived on scene." The third man charged, Meiko Buchanan, was the driver of the tail car
meant to protect the lead car. He admitted to watching the murder take place. After their statements, the judge set bond at $500,000 for Mays, $350,000 for Hardy-Johnson, and $1,000,000 for Buchanan. In the end, Buchanan received a guilty verdict of
two counts of murder and 45 years in prison. Michael Mays was also found guilty
and received 24 years. Sakhee Hardy-Johnson was sentenced
to a full 60 years for his role in the murder.
