Pop Smoke’s killer apologizes, sentenced to 29 years in prison

The final man to be convicted in the 2020 killing of rapper Pop Smoke is expressing remorse for his role in the shooting death, for which he was sentenced to 29 years on Friday in Los Angeles.

“Even though the Jackson family isn’t here in court today, I would like to sincerely apologize for my unforgivable actions, although there’s no apology that amounts to the taking of someone’s life,” Corey Walker, 24, said, according to a Rolling Stone report. “I would also like to take this opportunity to apologize to my family for the pain and embarrassment that they have endured over the last five years, as well as an apology to my community.”

Walker received the sentence after previously accepting a plea deal Feb. 5 in which he pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and two counts of robbery, per the Associated Press.

On Friday in court, Walker thanked his defense team for helping him “avoid a much more harsh punishment.” (Initially charged with murder, Walker was facing a sentence of life without the possibility of parole.) According to Rolling Stone, he also told the court on Friday, “Today I take responsibility for my dreadful partake in these crimes, and as I begin my road to rehabilitation, I assure you that I will steer clear from negative behavior.”

Born Bashar Barakah Jackson, Pop Smoke was killed while he was staying in a rented home in the Hollywood Hills in February 2020. Per the Los Angeles Times, the rapper was on a four-day trip to the California city when his rental home was broken into after he posted an image on Instagram of a gift bag he received that inadvertently revealed its address. He was in the shower when the men entered his bedroom, pistol-whipped him, and shot him in the back three times, according to testimony shared by the outlet. The men also reportedly stole Pop Smoke’s Rolex watch, which they later sold for $2,000.

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Walker was the only adult charged with the crime, and was accused of leading the group to the rented mansion. Three other individuals were juveniles at the time of the crime, and reached separate deals.

The rapper, who was widely credited with bringing the Brooklyn drill sound to the mainstream, rose to prominence following the release of his 2019 single “Welcome to the Party.” He released two mixtapes — 2019’s Meet the Woo and 2020’s Meet the Woo 2 — and his debut album, Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon, was released in July 2020 posthumously.

An Entertainment Weekly request for comment from Pop Smoke’s representatives was not immediately returned Friday.