In short
Audrey “My Smoke” Jackson and her son “Brother Smoke” discuss Pop Smoke’s legacy and their Shoot for the Stars Foundation, plus the Black Smoke fashion line and upcoming Pop Smoke events.
Guest backgrounds
Audrey Jackson is Pop Smoke’s mother. Brother Smoke is Pop Smoke’s brother. They describe Pop Smoke’s rise from New York, his early collaborations (including Travis Scott), and his community involvement.
Key claims
They say the foundation began in 2021 (paperwork before the death; formalized April 2021). They argue some industry figures didn’t amplify the foundation as much as expected, referring to “blocking” as lack of access/support. They emphasize loyalty, therapy/mental health check-ins after loss, and using arts-based “Tell the Vision” curriculum.
Notable examples
They cite helping kids with arts (dance/acting/music), laptop/classroom goals, and a story about a young man learning to rap without cussing. They describe the Pop Smoke Gala at the Brooklyn Museum and Black Smoke Collection (started 2023), selecting designers via sketch/pattern requirements and expanding with fashion-week style shows in Spain/Portugal/Barcelona.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VODealing with Loss and Grief
5:00 to 6:10
Hear personal reflections on coping with the loss of Pop Smoke.
“So my friend Ivan, he always calls me and asks me, yo, mental check just to see how you're doing today.”
Checking In on Mental Health
6:10 to 8:10
Discuss the importance of mental health checks within the community.
“That's why I wanted you on the show, because I'm like, how do you feel?”
The Foundation and Its Mission
8:10 to 11:15
Learn about the foundation established in Pop Smoke’s name and its goals.
“You know, we got some of the people from 092 that come through on Pop Smoke Day, you know what I'm saying?”
Challenges Facing the Foundation
11:15 to 13:03
Understand the obstacles faced in promoting the foundation’s mission.
“Like, he started the paperwork before it happened, and then we formalized it by April of 2021.”
The Legacy of Pop Smoke
13:03 to 14:01
Discuss Pop Smoke's impact on the music industry and his lasting legacy.
“They're not making it as big as it needed to be.”
Favorite Pop Smoke Records
14:27 to 15:03
Discussion about favorite songs of Pop Smoke and their significance.
“Rob Markman, You know what I want to know, Mama Smoke?”
Life Lessons from Pop Smoke's Upbringing
16:04 to 17:48
Guests share insights on Pop Smoke's childhood and early life.
“I need some jokes to make me seem funny.”
The Impact of Pop Smoke's Music
17:49 to 23:20
Discussion on the influence and reach of Pop Smoke's music.
“How hard can it be getting naked at 50 with a new guy?”
The Goals of the Shoot For The Stars Foundation
23:21 to 25:33
Exploring the aims and initiatives of the foundation established in Pop Smoke's memory.
“I'm just surprised What does it serve him to be with us?”
Pop Smoke's Musical Collaborations
25:34 to 28:00
Discussion about who Pop Smoke would have worked with if he were alive today.
“Rob Markman, Listen, honestly shoot for the Stars Foundation, man.”
Show all 16 chapters
The Unique Legacy of Pop Smoke
28:00 to 29:05
Discussion on Pop Smoke's values and the impact of his music.
“Because, you know, it's just about morals and principles.”
Writing Down Inspiration
29:05 to 29:50
Sharing stories about the importance of taking notes and remembering valuable lessons.
“He was like, no, I'm writing down what he was saying.”
Funding the Shoot For The Stars Foundation
29:50 to 31:10
Discussion on the need for sponsorship and community support for the foundation's initiatives.
“So that's your money that gives me that second worker.”
The Black Smoke Fashion Collection
31:10 to 32:10
Introduction and details about the Black Smoke fashion line and its events.
“Rob Markman, Shoot for the Stars Foundation.”
Showcasing Designers and Fashion Initiatives
32:10 to 34:03
Exploring the process of selecting and showcasing young designers through fashion shows.
“We've done that, like I said, for three years in each year.”
Creating Opportunities for Young Designers
34:03 to 40:09
Discussion on the opportunities provided to young designers and the expansion of the Pop's Place initiative.
“Y 'all definitely can help y 'all design anything y 'all need.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00This is an iHeart Podcast. Guaranteed human.
0:04Tony Yayo:Amazon presents Jamal versus the Shih Tzu. Descending from the gray wolf, Shih Tzus live by their own untamed primal code of not giving a single Shih Tzu. But Jamal shopped on Amazon and bought dog treats, chew toys, and 32 ounces of carpet cleaner. Hey, Jamal, you've been promoted to Pack Leader. Save the everyday with Amazon. For smokers everywhere, 420 is basically a holiday, and Headshop.com is celebrating with their biggest sale of the year. Right now, the 420 sale is live with up to 50 % off hardware across the site. That means huge savings on vaporizers, bongs, dab rigs, pipes, and the gear you actually want.
0:55If you've been waiting for the right time to upgrade your setup, this is it. Go to headshop.com now and shop the 420 Holiday Sale to save up to 50 % while it lasts. Chicago talks a lot. Hold on, let me step over here. People are talking too much. We debate about food, deep dish, tavern style, who's got the best beef. We yell across rooms, across blocks, across generations. Yes, nice earrings, Grammy. And now we're doing it on our phones too. Video calls from the L train, group chats that never shut up. Neighbors texting you the score before your TV catches up. Get a load of this guy. Ketchup. On a dog.
1:34Yeah, we've got thoughts. Because nothing here gets built without conversation. Nothing moves without connection. So if you think you know AT &T, it might be time to rethink that. Because their network has improved, like, a lot. Which means Chicagoans can keep speaking their mind with the top-rated fiber internet in the city. Chicago won't stop talking. Our improved network backs it up. AT &T, connecting changes everything. AT &T Fiber, limited availability in select areas. Top rated and fastest internet. AT &T Fiber, based on analysis by Oocalypt's speech test intelligence data 2H 2025. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy.
2:10Not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Jim Gaffigan to Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guests, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an acapella band with their between songs banter. Who's the worst singer in the group? The worst? Yeah. Me. Is there anything to the idea that because you're from Harvard, you only got in because your parents made a huge donation? To the group? The Yardbirds, right? That's the name? The Harvard Yardbirds. They're open. Do you have a name suggestion? We're open. Since you guys are middle-aged, One Erection.
2:53Listen to Humor Me with Robert Smigel and friends on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Humor me. I need some jokes to make me seem funny. The story I told myself can then shape my behavior, and that can lead me to sabotage the possibility of connection. This Mental Health Awareness Month, tune into the podcast Deeply Well with Debbie Brown. If you've been searching for a soft place to land while doing the work to become whole, this podcast is for you. To hear more, listen to Deeply Well with Debbie Brown from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
3:38Tony Yayo:Brooklyn is in the building today. Yes. Brooklyn is in the building. You got it. You got it today. There's no problem. He didn't get stabbed. Go ahead. Shut the s*** up. Okay. Brooklyn!
4:05Tony Yayo:Yeah, this is the Talk of New York. And this is the Boy Uncle Murder World. And it's the Real Report. Tell them who y 'all are. You got to tell them who y 'all are. Y 'all got to... We going to do this different now. Uh-oh. Uh-oh. Okay, so I just got to introduce myself. Yeah, introduce yourself. Well, I am Audrey Jackson, a.k.a. My Smoke. Okay. My son is Pop Smoke. Rest in peace, Pop Smoke. Rest in peace, Pop Smoke. Come on, man. You already know who it is. It's Bossy from the Flossy. It's the Triple Three. Free your mind. Move to the side. Ain't got time for the lies, man. Definitely. Make some noise.
4:34Tony Yayo:Come on. Make some noise. Brooklyn is in the building today. Brooklyn is in the building today. Yes. Brooklyn is in the building today. You got it. You got it today. It's no problem. him. He had a grievous with Queens. What's up with that? It's just our friendly plan. I'm with you. Brooklyn is here today, right? Brooklyn is here today. I don't have a problem with that. Rest in peace, Pop Smoke. You're already. You're already. So the first question I want to ask you. So my friend Ivan, he always calls me and asks me, yo, mental check just to see how you're doing today. You dealt with a big loss.
5:09Tony Yayo:We know him as Pop Smoke, but that's your son and that's your brother. How y 'all feeling? What's going on? talk about the foundation let's just get into it yeah i've been i've been um thinking about that and just kind of being in that place because you know um the 19th of last month was six years yes and so that day was rough for me and it was the first time that you know because normally we have um things going on and then we go online from 10 o 'clock to 12 and then we do something else in the evening but I didn't have anything to do that morning and so it hit me and it was it was hard and so I realized I've been just kind of been on automatic got you from they came to the house put me on a plane and took me to Cali and they brought me back I have been on automatic and really that was the first day that I've not been occupied with something else and that really it it took a toll it's a good talk but I'm here I'm here and how you feel brother cause sometimes I see you crashing out on the internet I was just about to ask you if you see me going viral black folks listen black folks let's keep it real we never get therapy I think no for real listen losing people I lost a lot I lost you know my dad I lost you know I lost like a lot of friends and family and stuff like that losing people sometimes we never think about therapy like when we was kids nobody said yo go out there maybe talk to somebody I seen you on the net crashing out.
6:40Tony Yayo:That's why I wanted you on the show, because I'm like, how do you feel? People checking on y 'all to see how are y 'all mentally. That's it. It's a big loss. Rob Markman I think that's it right there. You feel me? I think people need to check in and see how Mondem is doing. Now there's some people, shout out to... Rob Markman Do that. Rob Markman She's like, who's that? Rob Markman She keep it real. Rob Markman Moose, we'll keep it real. Rob Markman Who checks in? Who checks in? Who checks in? We not going to need that. We not going to need that. We not going to need that. If you don't want to name them bro, you ain't got the name.
7:14So who's supposed to check in?
7:16Tony Yayo:I think everybody's supposed to check in like how we're checking in now in due time. I agree. Like Dro told me about y 'all foundation and I'm like, yo, I need them on the show when it's time to get the podcast. We got our man J.O. here doing some nice paintings for you. You want to show the first one? Because we can't... Show the first one. Let's show them the first one. This is for you. This is for you, Mama Smoke. Oh, you've been working behind the scenes. I did this a while ago. Oh, okay. And it's so crazy. Make sure you get it on camera. Let's get that on camera. When I heard the name of the foundation, I said...
7:52Tony Yayo:You're letting the secret out. You're letting the secret out. Super stuff. That's beautiful. That's for you. That is beautiful. Thank you. That's awesome. That's our gift to you. Show that to the camera, brother. so let the camera see it too shout out to my man J.O. he's one of the best out here y 'all make sure y 'all follow him on Instagram and everything thank you my brother shout out to Mama Smoke Brother Smoke so we're gonna put that in Pop's place yeah whatever y 'all wanna do that's for y 'all whatever you wanna do alright and whatever you need towards the foundation like more paintings or whatever he's willing to work with y 'all y 'all take his phone y 'all met her I was mentioning to you we go tackling with the young people yes absolutely they're the future absolutely that's beautiful whatever you need That's dope, man.
8:35That's dope. Rob Markman, get the right thing. Rob Markman, get the right thing. Yeah. Yeah. Teddy, Ish, Stacks. You know, we got some of the people from 092 that come through on Pop Smoke Day, you know what I'm saying? That show love. Some people from the church, you know. But the people that y 'all would think should be tapping and not tapping in. You know, academics, already had an interview with Fabio, already ran down on him on the internet. Damn, you ran down on Fabio? But why though? It's like you out, and this is what I'm saying, this is my greatest.
9:12Tony Yayo:But you don't feel like that's stressing, mom. No, I'm just asking. I got answers, bro. I'm not afraid, bro. Listen, feel me? I'm not afraid. Well, lahi. All praises. Listen, at the end of the day, when you say you love, like for instance, if I were to die right now, my friends don't come support my mom or my family ever, ever, that's an issue. I'm not saying you got business and you flying out and you got stuff to take. Everybody got to get their money, bro. I would never want to see a black man not getting no money. I feel you on that. But if you talking about, yo, I'm ride or die, yo, we the woo, shoot for the star, I got to tag it on me.
9:51That's it. Got you. So you see, as the firstborn, he has expectations and he also feels an obligation to cover his mother. That's right. I, on the other hand, if you show up, you're supposed to be there. You don't show up, you're not supposed to be there. Right? It shows you who you are. Those were people who knew him, were a part of his world, on the ride for whatever it is they were going to get from being there with him. Not mad at you. Don't abuse me. Don't use me. Right? If you're not dealing with me, you're not dealing with me. But don't come through when you need a favor. Mm-hmm. Right?
10:33Because it's about being real. So I am not as upset as he is. Yeah, he's upset. Yeah, he is. Because, you know, it's his brother. it right to be. No, I understand. It's a different place. It's a different place. It's a different place. And so, because he knows of them and he understands that if they are who they said they were, then they should cover us a little differently. Got you. But, the fact that you're not covering says you are not what you say you are. Forget us. My mom. Yeah. I'm my own person. I'm going to take care of me. You feel me? Definitely. My mom. What are they supposed to do for me though?
11:07What are they supposed to do for you? What are they supposed to do for you? What you're doing, the foundation and things of that sort. That's why we're here. They show in love. Yeah, that's why we really want to talk about the foundation. How long did you have the foundation? We started in 2021. Like, he started the paperwork before it happened, and then we formalized it by April of 2021. And so that's when we started kind of doing things, you know, for the community. Okay, gotcha. So 2021, yeah. And you're saying you ain't getting no support from, like, the rappers and no other type of... But in all fairness to them, they were being blocked.
11:40Like everyone that I've met that I've had the opportunity to meet, every last one said finally. So it's like they were looking for me but couldn't get to me. Got you. Right. Because I think there was an intentional... When you say block, who do you think was blocking them though? Uh-oh, we're going too deep.
12:01Tony Yayo:When I looked at Pop Smoke, what made him important was because it's like every couple of years New York get this big star. And he was the big star. Rob Markman, Facts. You know what I mean? He had the confidence. He had the look. The ladies loved him. You know what I'm saying? He was in shape. He came home. He was doing his thing. Every song he put out was like a guaranteed hit. It was a smoker. Rob Markman, Facts. Yeah, it was a smoker. So it was different for me. He had the city turned up. He was one of them. He had records with Travis Scott early in his career. He started doing movies. You know what I'm saying?
12:34Tony Yayo:50 loved him. Everybody loved him. My first time meeting was a Tycoon weekend in Jersey. And that was like my first time meeting him and seeing him. And he was just blowing up, blowing up, blowing up. You know what I'm saying? He was doing his thing. So it was just different when we lost him. It was a different kind of loss. So in my mind, I'm like, let me get them on the show because you see what they're doing with Nipsey in the marathon. I feel like y 'all should get that push and that same promotion on our platform. 100%. Okay. So who's blocking this? They're not making it as big as it needed to be.
13:08Like who's blocking the sound? I don't think it's more - It's doing what it needs to do. You know, people say the industry, that's just like sometimes the world, it be certain people behind. You see how you're doing your due diligence right now, you're bringing us on the show? That's a step forward. There's people who already got the muscle, who got the stature that you fellas got, who don't do that. That's blocking in my eyes. It's not to say, oh don't go over there, but it's what's over there. You understand? Got you. Now we quiet. Why we quiet? But y 'all love pop. You feel me? It's about this.
13:41It's about the intention of your heart, the character of who you are. You feel me? That's what I'm referring to when we say blot. Got you. Okay, I got you. I just wanted to get a better understanding. Yeah. We Panama, right? Yeah. And Jameela. What part of Panama? I don't know. Everybody from... What's that? He said, I'm Panama. Come on, come on, come on, come on. Everybody from Pologne. There we go.
14:03Tony Yayo:There we go. Rob Markman, Everybody from Killahood. Rob Markman, Just happy y 'all from Penderbottom. Rob Markman, I can tell you feel that. Rob Markman, Kingston under the clock. Rob Markman, This is your episode, even though I set it up. Rob Markman, Thank you, Dro. I appreciate you, Dro. Rob Markman, Brooklyn, but I set it up. Rob Markman, The Manion's in the building, baby. Rob Markman, Definitely. Rob Markman, You know what I mean? Rob Markman, Definitely. So, you know, just, we definitely wanted to have y 'all on the show. Rob Markman, You know what I want to know, Mama Smoke? Rob Markman, Yes sir.
14:31Rob Markman, What was your favorite Pop Smoke record?
14:34Tony Yayo:That's a good one.
15:03and shop the 420 Holiday Sale to save up to 50 % while it lasts. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy. Not quite. On Humor Me with Robert Smigel and friends, me and hilarious guests from Jim Gaffigan to Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guests, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel, help an acapella band with their between songs banter. The worst singer in the group. The worst? Yeah. Me. Is there anything to the idea that because you're from Harvard, you only got in because your parents made a huge donation? To the group? To the group.
15:44The Yardbirds, right? That's the name? The Harvard Yardbirds. They're open to change. Do you have a name suggestion? We're open. Since you guys are middle-aged. One Erection. Listen to Humor Me with Robert Smigel and friends on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. You were me. I need some jokes to make me seem funny. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm CJ Toledano, and our podcast Point Game is about defying the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luka and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game.
16:22His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows without Luka and Austin Reed, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reed. He has to guard Julius Randle. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on a night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history, too.
16:52Tony Yayo:Steve Nash would get that thing. That man, hell get the flying. He running up the court, licking his fingers while he got the ball. But like, after you go through a training camp with that Isaiah, you figure it out real quick. Get your ass up and down the court and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Deanna Maria Riva, actress, mother, lover, and a Gen X woman walking through life one hot flash and hormonal crying jag at a time. You ladies know what I mean. I'll bet you a perimenopausal chin here you do.
17:23So let's talk about it. Join me on my new podcast, How Hard Can It Be with Diana Maria Riva, where I call on my Gen X squads from Ohio to Hollywood as we navigate midlife's most fantastic BS. All of a sudden I had hanginess happening on my own. I was like, what the hell is that? I was married when I had her, so I didn't even consider how empty that nest was going to be. Mood swings, night sweats, fupas, sex drive. Wait, what sex? Dating at 45. How hard can it be getting naked at 50 with a new guy? That one's kind of hard, no? Well, that's lighting. They say we can't polish a turd, but we're sure going to try.
18:00So let's get blunt with laughs, tears, or tears of laughter and dive into it unfiltered and unbothered and ask, how hard can it be? I cannot believe I'm about to say this out loud in public. Listen to How Hard Can It Be with Diana Maria Riva as part of My Cultura Podcast Network, available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Why is everyone obsessed with romance right now? Like everyone. Your coworker who quote unquote doesn't read is reading romance. Your mom, BookTok, the entire internet. I'm Sanjana Basker. I'm Tyler McCall. And this is Radio 831, a romance podcast.
18:42The books, the tropes, the adaptations, the drama, the discourse. and what all of it says about how we actually love, yearn, and obsess. We're going to Wuthering Heights, which, for the record, is not a romance novel. And yet it has haunted the romance genre for 200 years. We're getting into dark romance, age gaps, certain Russian hockey players, and sentient objects in love, which is a thing. That's the kind of conversation we're having every episode. Listen to the Radio 831 podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
19:22I tend not to listen because it's still hard for me. I've pulled out certain ones to do like when we did our first fashion show for the fashion line. I pulled out Demeter because that's the one that woke me up in the night. That's I woke up but it was on the TV and it's just everything just kind of you know rolled down from there. I think I like Shake the Room Okay I like Shake the Room Okay That's the one with the video from when he was in Paris, right? That's the one I think? Yeah Yeah, he was just I like the story behind that Okay You know, took over somebody's restaurant And was just wiling out And they loved him And I like Shake the Room I just like the concept of You know, we're gonna shake the room Gotcha We get in here, we're gonna shake the room What was he like growing up as a kid?
20:08Tony Yayo:As well as you? They were regular children they went to church they went to school i like to say that we went to a performing arts church so there were you know there were programs that were done where they got to um dance and sing and drum and you know use learn how to use all these things that you guys are using in here that was just a part of what they did yeah that's part of what they did um they were regular kids regular kids. I tried to expose them to as many things as I could. Right. It's let me throw it all against the wall and see what sticks. You know, we they did. What did y 'all do?
20:47They did. They've done the basketball. They did baseball. They did tennis because, you know, the city had the free tennis. I'd stopped short of the golf. I think they were going to be like, I'm mine. We were going to Brooklyn Chiefs, too. They booked and she's football. You know, I was a football mom. Okay. Right. So I just tried to, you know, Keep them busy. Yeah, keep them busy and have them covered by as many people as possible. Got you, got you. How do you feel when he first started doing the music thing? I didn't really know what was going on. I mean, I think he came home like, he came home and told me the story about the studio, right?
21:24He came home and he shared with me when he had a piece with David O. David O, right? But there wasn't a whole lot of, not with me anyway, conversation about what was going on. Okay. You know? But my philosophy is you give them the room to be, and when they become, you know, you hang in there with them. Definitely. Right? So when I found out, it was like, wow. And the truth is, the bigness of it, I did not know until he was gone. Wow. Wow. That, you know, somebody can come to my house, say, pack your clothes, put me on a plane, walk me through the airport. I ain't got to go through nothing. That's a thing.
22:13That's a thing. But I think it also speaks to the humility of him as a person. Right? I think there was Pop Smoke and then there was Char. Right? And I think he was intentional about keeping us, or at least me, because I know Obasi always wants to step away. At least keeping me safe. And I think it was a thing for him, making sure I was good. Like his brother is his brother, man to man, they can take care of each other, take care of things. But as his mother, I think he needed to make sure nothing would touch me. And I think so the less I knew, the better off I was. And so that's how he kind of kept it.
22:53So the one, two moments that he was really proud of, like he felt like, wow, those got shared. But as a rule, he was just doing what he did. Got you. Is Steven Victor Reaching out to you guys? No, Steven used to be on our board the first Year he was on the board The person who was really stood by us Is Shiv The person who was really stood by us is Shiv Shiv has been with us Shiv is still with us We had our first, what I call Shareholders, stakeholders meeting With his staff, board members And Shiv showed up Shiv got off a plane from Cali Went home, showered, shaved And came through So you know, you take I heard someone say you go with the goers I know he gets upset That everybody who should come should come But I'm going with the folk that show up I ain't got time Why?
Read the full transcript
23:47I'm just surprised What does it serve him to be with us? He made a lot of money And he was no longer there So that opportunity is no longer there That's what but that's kind of corny.
24:00Tony Yayo:I'm big on loyalty, so for me, it's just, I don't want to call him out or nothing. No, we calling him out. That's kind of corny on him. I mean, well, that's your opinion. That's kind of, yeah, it's my opinion, corny. All I'm saying is I just want to see if he reach y 'all out. Now, what's the goal of the foundation? What's the goal right now? Just that, you know, y 'all like to serve or pop, let me call them what y 'all like to call them, right? His whole intention was to give back to the community, right? Give back to kids. You hear the different stories. He took off the sneakers and gave a little boy.
24:28But his whole, he wanted to buy a whole set of laptops for, you know, a classroom. His whole intention is to give back to different people. That's why even when he was up and coming in the industry, he would bring people with him. And even Steven said to me, you know, he told him, you can't be bringing people in like this. They're going to steal your stuff. And he was like, nah. You know, so people who got their, you know, got their come ups because he was like, I can share this. definitely and it didn't it didn't block him right my understanding there are times that people who needed just like that first down payment on the car he did that and then they were on their own these are the things I'm probably look he came to do what he did and he did it and so for those who want to participate they can those who don't want to participate don't block that's all I'm asking that's all I'm asking just don't block and if you're blocking you know we can look at that
25:25Tony Yayo:Rob Markman, We might put you on blast. Rob Markman, We definitely gonna put you on blast if you ain't doing the right thing. Cause brother Smoke ain't fitting a lot of you dudes. Rob Markman, Listen, honestly shoot for the Stars Foundation, man. We just here trying to tell the vision, making that vision come to life for real. I've been with my mom throughout this journey. There's times where we butt heads, but I love it. That's my mom. I'm never gonna leave her side. Rob Markman, We've been in the community six years now. I've seen kids, some of the kids from around the way grow. They've had aspirations.
25:57We've helped them. We was in the back in the rec center over there in Bayview one year. How many years ago? No, no, it was when we first started. We had our summer program in Bayview. Yeah, so we was helping kids. We was giving them the arts, you know what I'm saying, dance and acting. I was doing a little film with them, stuff like that, you know what I'm saying, and music. I was helping kids who wanted to rap and sing. I was just like, oh, let's learn how to song write. I'm going to bring my laptop because I went to school for audio engineering and stuff like that. So I was like, yeah, we gonna do that.
26:23And that's what it's all about, bro. It's just about giving back. Because I know when Pop was here, that's what everybody in the hood would have... They would give you a story about how he came through and he was just showing love. Got you. You feel me? So that's what we here for. Got you. Got you. Definitely. Give back to those who, you know what I'm saying, who are there for you.
26:41Tony Yayo:Definitely. Word. Who you think Pop would have been feeling right now, music that's out there right now? Who you think he would have probably like embraced? He like... Who you think Pop would have embraced, man? Rob Markman I mean, he was doing records with Travis Scott and big records. Rob Markman Yeah. Are we talking about he's watching down from heaven, like who he would be jacking? Or if he was here, who would he be? Rob Markman If he was here, who would he be jacking? Rob Markman Oh see, then I'd be a different story because I feel like there would be a different energy. You feel what I'm saying?
27:10Rob Markman I ain't jacking none of these dudes because he had that type of energy sometimes too. Rob Markman Yeah, so it's just like it depends. Like if he was here and then people would be moving a certain way, then you know, I don't know, he probably still messing with the Mondem, but I don't know, stuff died out, the drill died out. I think maybe Cash Cobain he probably would have vibed with. Okay. You know what I'm saying? You know, Lola, you know what I'm saying? She from Brooklyn too, right? Yes, definitely. I can't really tell. I really don't. He's a very diverse dude.
27:35Tony Yayo:But after doing records with Travis Scott, who else he did features with? Fabio, Lil TJ. He didn't do too many features. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Like, it would have, it's just. Oh, Quavo? Yeah, like, you probably would have kept those same, you know what I'm saying? Probably would have did something like in the Caribbean aspect, maybe Shenzia and all of them people. But you never know. I don't know. I don't know. Because he was so diverse. It was hard to say. What's your favorite Pop Smoke record? Oh, Hawkeem. Hawkeem. Hawkeem. Early. That's right. That's right. Come on, man. Early. I don't know.
28:11There's something about that energy. Oh, and Brother Man. Because, you know, it's just about morals and principles. That's what I'm saying. He's so different than all of these artists. He stood for something. No, he stood for something. When you listen to some people's music nowadays, and y 'all know this coming back from a place where music actually had soul. Substance. Substance.
28:27Tony Yayo:Yeah, definitely. Don't stand on nothing, bro. Of course. I mean, he has songs for the club. He has songs for the women. He has songs for the streets. So that's why 50 embraced him so much, because you put him and 50 next to each other, it looked like brothers. When he asked the question, our question is no. No? He had something out there, but I asked him who his mama is. It's me. And it wasn't you and me. You got the same last name, too. Yeah. That's crazy. That's crazy. So, you know, they dropped us off. I remember we was in the office and 50 was saying Pop was on his phone and he thought he was texting.
29:04He was like, where's going?
29:05Tony Yayo:He was like, no, I'm writing down what he was saying. Taking down notes. Unfortunately, he got that from his mother. Oh. If you're talking to me, I'm writing. So, I don't have it. I walk with, you know, like a pad and a pen because I need to, you know. So when I heard that story, I thought it was funny. Wow. He was paying attention. He was paying attention. When you want to remember what people are saying because it's valuable and you want to remember how they said it, right, and you want to be able to go back to it to refresh your memory, then you write it down unless you've got those kind of memory that you can, you know, record everything.
29:39But, you know, if something is valuable to you, you want to take note in the moment. what do you need us to do for the foundation everybody not just the whole culture what do you need well when we have events for people to um show up this we've intentionally last year i started to focus on sponsorship right um because what happens is because i'm pop smoke's mom no one thinks you need money to get the work done right but if my money pays for one worker imagine what I could do if I had two workers. Right. So that's your money that gives me that second worker. Right. So the foundation piece is, again, Obasi said, tell the vision.
30:18The curriculum that we have of the community is called tell the vision. And we work with young people about critical thinking and, you know, just through the arts. Right. To discover self and to be able to just kind of move from self and see how to see who you are in the world. Some of those young people that we had in the beginning I remember one young man said he didn't realize he could write rap without cussing that was deep for me because there's a so then what he learned was if you rap you just put a whole lot of curse words and that's a song as opposed to using words that describe what you're feeling and thinking now that's content right old school what what his brother says that is standing on something because if you're just cussing you're just cussing and you know put a little rhythm behind it and it's a song or you express yourself and people really get something from what you're doing so again sponsorship come on out when we do things um when we holler for you to kind of come out and you know do something for us just be you know just be present just be we won't abuse you but you know we would like the industry guys the rappers put some money up money always helps there you go steven victor you made a lot of money help out i mean push a t get your man to help out.
31:33Tony Yayo:Rob Markman, Yeah. Come on. Rob Markman, Let's go man. Let's be real man. Rob Markman, Shoot for the Stars Foundation. Y 'all make sure to support and show love. Show love when you're not here, when somebody's not here, and when somebody is here. Show love. Rest in peace Pop Smoke. Rob Markman, And we got Black Smoke Collection. One of these rappers could come in and then bring in some new audience. We got the fashion line. They could come, we could do a - Rob Markman, Yeah I heard y 'all had the fashion. Can y 'all talk about the fashion show? Rob Markman, You could be a model real quick and - Rob Markman, Whatever you need from us.
32:01Tony Yayo:We got you. I heard about that. You can talk about the fashion show. So Black Smoke, it is our fashion line. And this is we started in 2023. And so we have the Pop Smoke Gala at the Brooklyn Museum. OK. So we do that. We've done that, like I said, for three years in each year. What we do is we put out a call for designers. We put out the call for designers and we interview them and then we go through them. Our designers must be able to sketch, right? You must be able to make your pattern, put it to muslin, and make your sample. Now, if you can't do the patterns, we have people. At this point now, we have a creative director who can help out with that.
32:47But we really are looking for designers, right? It's no offense to those who can, you know, purchase some blanks and make it look good. That's one thing. But I am looking to be a fashion house. Not playing.
33:05Tony Yayo:It's a fashion house. I'm glad you said that. I got something else for y 'all. Derucci. And he can help y 'all with something else. And this is also the black smoke. Yes. This is right here, right? Yes. This is this fly jacket. Mama smoke got on right there. That's part of the line right there, man. Come around. Should I stand up and show people that black smoke jacket? Black smoke jacket. Out now. Fashion show. We got to catch the next one. Mama Smoke popping with that jacket. We're a part of Fashion Week. Yeah. All right. We had our own show of Fashion Week. Okay. I like that. Jacket fire. Get yours.
33:39Tony Yayo:DiRucci. We got DiRucci. He's designing clothes now. Okay. He's the guy off to the stars. 50 Cent's. Dirk. Little Baby. DaBaby. He's done jackets for everybody, Styles P, Jadakiss. Make sure y 'all get his number. You want to be gifted? Yeah, of course y 'all being gifted. Come on. Of course y 'all being gifted. Oh, I like it from here. Yeah. Of course y 'all being gifted. Man. That's right. Get my boy out, man. And definitely we need... Y 'all definitely can help y 'all design anything y 'all need.
34:13If that's not mine, I'm not talking to you.
34:16Tony Yayo:Come on, man. Come on, Derucci. Rob Markman, thank you DiRucci Levers. There we go DiRucci! Levers to the stars! Thank you so much! Rob Markman, appreciate you, budo! Rob Markman, and remember, I set this up. Rob Markman, well, well, well, yeah. Rob Markman, just appreciate you. Rob Markman, I'm a panist guy at the front. Rob Markman, when you come on this show, look. It's cool you doing fashion, shout out to Black Smoke. Rob Markman, what? Rob Markman, now that's just another connection for you guys. Whatever y 'all need. Rob Markman, definitely, man. Definitely. So what does the legacy mean to you?
34:43Tony Yayo:Having your brother's legacy out there. What does it mean to you? What does it mean to me to have my brother's legacy out there? It just means that... What do you want to do with your brother's legacy? I just want people to remember him forever. You know what I'm saying? Whether it be streaming the music. Whether it be supporting the foundation. Whether it be buying and supporting Black Smoke Collection. Whether it be being on the show with Tony Ayo and Uncle Murda. Thank you. You know what I'm saying? Thank you, man. We want it. You know what I'm saying? That's all that... You know what I'm saying?
35:10I mean, it's black people supporting black people and people supporting people at the end of the day. You know what I'm saying? We've been having the gala every year since what, 2023? Yeah. Every year since 2023. July 20th, we got pot smoke day. And a little bit before that is the gala. No. No. So he is a child born on a Tuesday. So the gala is going to be the third week of the July on the Tuesday. regardless of when his birth date is in that week the gala will be on the tuesday and so um the world has the met gala right on manhattan has to make gala brooklyn has brooklyn brooklyn let's go let's go right brooklyn has the pops full gala and we've been fortunate to be able to hold it at the brooklyn museum right you know so we've been doing it there um we do the fashions Like I said, we invite the young people to submit their designs.
36:05We interview them and then we choose eight to do the show. And from the show, I try to keep it to four that I like. Right. Right. And so the four pieces that I like, we then have them do that full process of the sketch, all the parts. Right. And then submit that. And then we pay them for the design. And then we use those pieces as the mainstay for the line and then add pieces to go along with that. And so we've had an amazing group of designers that, and I say I was fortunate that the first set of four that we had stayed with me through the whole process. So I didn't have to figure it out by myself.
36:50They stayed, they volunteered their time to not only make their garment, but to make the accessory pieces that go with their garment. And so that's kind of like the pattern that we've kept. And so this year and each year we have the previous year's designers participate in something else. So we've been fortunate to go to Spain. we were invited to Valencia and we technically we were the we we had our own fashion week in Valencia sponsored by yours truly and so so we've done that and so those designers got to come with us right and then the following year because now we've started something right so we've got to go back so we're in Valencia the first year and then in the second year we were in Barcelona and we worked with a university a fashion university there BAU and so we had it in their space and we had workshops with their young people conducted by me.
37:48It was just a wonderful opportunity and they want to not just do the fashions because they do kind of the fantasy fashion but they wanted us to work with their young people who they feel like they need a little bit more grounding and when they after they graduate with the fantasy fashion how do you make that a business how do you go into the world and make this thing that you've been studying for four years make money for you right so we've done so we've done uh valencia barcelona we've been invited to portugal we did portugal things just drop things drop right things just drop we did seto ball and um what they did with that show was that they gave us our own night so you know they had the other all the designers but we had a pop smoke night and so that was all us, all our designs.
38:36They provided the models, of course. We had an opportunity to go to Equatorial Guinea, but that kind of fell through because just sponsorship for them, and they had to move it, and then when they moved it, it didn't work with our schedule. But we've been blessed. There have really been things that just drop in my lap, and I've had the ability to run with it, to say yes and go. So it's been an opportunity not just for us, but I really also want to take the young designers who showed up and made their designs and take them with me. So this year when we go back to Spain, the young people whose design we used for this year's line, you know, one or two of them will get to go with us.
39:19Again, for the exposure. And we hope to develop the relationship with the university so even that level of exchange can be in place. So really being intentional about working with young people and giving them an opportunity, which is what Char did. He really tried to give back in a way that gave people a start, somewhere to go. If you've got it and you want to do something with it, here's an opportunity. Now, you don't do anything with that. It's not on me per se, but I'm making that moment for you so you can see if you can do something with it. And so I try to keep that in my mind as I develop, as we go along.
39:57I'm trying to do all the things that he said to me he wanted to do, all the things I understood he wanted to do. So Pop's Place becomes that second thing. Now, Pop's Place is a little bit bigger than he intended because he wanted just kind of a little restaurant that you can come through. Maybe one table for you to sit down if you want to sit down. But we're going to have a really nice space that we're going to do a soft open at the end of March while we're doing pop-up shows to then start the clothing line moving, getting the word out there. Because I think what we've done so far is that we've made a presence.
40:29Folks know we're out here. So now it's tough to find out who our customers are. Right? So we try to have an opportunity where we give folks some food, some good time.
40:37Tony Yayo:Appreciate you. Word. Appreciate y 'all having it here. Make some noise for the Shoot for the Stars Foundation. Mama Smoke. Brother Smoke. Y 'all know what it is. Like, share, subscribe. It's The Real Report. The Jacksonville. Rest in peace to Pop Smoke. We came bearing gifts. Shoot for the Stars Foundation. Y 'all make sure y 'all check them out. It's the real rapport with Tony Ayo. He did that while we was live on set as your boy Uncle Murdo. Yeah, it's the real rapport. Live on set, we got Miss Jackson in the building. Brother Smoke in the building. We outside. It's the real rapport.
41:11Good luck surviving the offseason, football fans.
41:15Tony Yayo:At first I was afraid. I was petrified. Football's over. It's like a part of me just died inside. 200 days till football's back But tonight I won't just cry Cause I've got a ways to play And that's the place with hard rock bet I will survive Offered by the Seminole Tribe of Florida Must be 21 plus and physically present in Florida To wager terms and conditions apply If you or someone you know has a gambling problem Please call 1-833-PLAYWISE For smokers everywhere 420 is basically a holiday And Headshop.com is celebrating With their biggest sale of the year Right now the 420 sale is live with up to 50 % off hardware across the site.
41:54That means huge savings on vaporizers, bongs, dab rigs, pipes, and the gear you actually want. If you've been waiting for the right time to upgrade your setup, this is it. Go to headshop.com now and shop the 420 Holiday Sale to save up to 50 % while it lasts. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy. Not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Jim Gaffigan to Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman, help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an acapella band with their between songs banter. Who's the worst singer in the group?
42:33The worst? Yeah. Me. Is there anything to the idea that because you're from Harvard, you only got in because your parents made a huge donation? To the group? The Yardbirds, right? That's the name? The Harvard Yardbirds. They're open to change. Do you have a name suggestion? We're open. since you guys are middle-aged. One erection. Listen to Humor Me with Robert Smigel and friends on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Humor me. I need some jokes to make me seem funny. This season on Dear Chelsea with me, Chelsea Handler, we have some fantastic guests like Amelia Clark.
43:16When, like, young people come up to me and they want to be an actor or whatever, My first thing is always, can you think of anything else that you can do? I'd rather be disappointed in. Do that. David Oyelowo. I love this podcast, whether it's therapy or relationships or religion or sex or addiction, or you just go straight for the guts. Dennis Leary. Gaten Matarazzo from Stranger Things. Tiana Mongeau. Camilla Marone. Carrie Kenny Silver. And more. Listen to these episodes of Dear Chelsea on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you're watching the latest season of The Real Housewives of Atlanta, you already know there's a lot to break down.
44:02Marcia accusing Kelly of sleeping with a married man. They holding K. Michelle back from fighting Drew. Pinky has financial issues. On the podcast, Reality with the King, I, Carlos King, recap the biggest moments from your favorite reality shows, including the Real Housewives franchise, the drama, the alliances, and the tea everybody's talking about. To hear this and more, listen to Reality with the King on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Why are we all so obsessed with romance? On the Radio 831 podcast, join us, Sanjana Basker and Tyler McCall, as we unpack all the trending tropes, buzzy adaptations, book talk drama, and celebrity love stories with hot takes and sharp guests.
44:49Each episode digs into what these stories reveal about desire, fantasy, identity, and how we love now. Listen to the Radio 831 podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.
From the publisher
On this episode of The Real Report, Tony Yayo and Uncle Murda sit down with Ms. Jackson and Obasi, the mother and brother of the late Pop Smoke, for an emotional and powerful conversation about preserving his legacy. They discuss the work being done through the Pop Smoke Foundation, how the organization continues to support youth and the Brooklyn community, and the mission behind events like the annual Pop Smoke Gala. The family also talks about expanding Pop Smoke’s legacy through the Black Smoke fashion collection, keeping his vision alive through culture, fashion, and community initiatives. During the conversation they reflect on Pop Smoke’s impact on New York, share memories of his rise, and even reveal their favorite Pop Smoke songs, while honoring the life and influence of one of Brooklyn’s most important modern artists.
Shoutouts to J.O Jerusalem & Darruci Leather for sharing their gifts with the family.
Check them out: @jo.jerusalem @darrucileather
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
