July 28

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Shoot for the Stars Foundation and Canarsie Celebrate Pop Smoke’s Birthday

July 28, 2025


Canarsie celebrated the late Bashar Barakah Jackson’s (aka Pop Smoke) birthday on Sunday, July 20th, with a parade and a festival at Canarsie Park.

Audrey Jackson, Pop Smoke’s mother and founder of Shoot for the Stars Foundation (SFTS), followed the mobile DJ Don-P playing Pop Smoke’s music, dancers from Wynter’s Dance Empire and representatives from the Canarsie Merchants Association in a parade along Seaview Avenue that ended at the park where New York Alliance Groove City Percussion played for everyone attending the celebration.

Pop Smoke, who would have been 26 years old, was a beloved Canarsie resident and a talented rap artist that was taken from the world too soon (2020). He started building a legacy before his passing, and his mission was “to provide opportunities, inspiration and tools for success for those who felt unseen by traditional paths.” “Momma” Jackson, as she is often referred to, founded SFTS to continue to make his dreams a reality.

Tell the Vision (a Pop Smoke song title) is a program for middle and high school students that SFTS established to provide an environment where they can creatively express themselves and learn to be active members in their own lives and communities. Jackson’s goal is to offer the program to schools.

The foundation hosts many events throughout the year that the community has become familiar with, such as Pop Smoke’s birthday parade and festival. The number of merchants, organizations and associations that have become involved in the celebration has increased; however, Jackson wants more. She wants the parade to be bigger. “I want the parade to look more like a parade — floats, merchants with their banners,” Jackson said. She would also like to see other games such as tennis, tag football and volleyball during the festival.

Black Smoke is a fashion brand that Jackson founded. Designers collaborate with Jackson (and family) to create a collection of fashion that encapsulates Pop Smoke’s spirit and legacy. Black Smoke held fashion shows, launching the line, in Spain and Portugal, and her goal is to share the collection with Brooklyn.

She explained that there are so many ways to get involved with SFTS and/or Black Smoke. Volunteer and donation information about the Tell the Vision Program and other events can be found online at www.ShootForTheStars.org. For more information on Black Smoke, visit www.BlackSmokeCollection.com.

“Shoot for the stars, aim for the moon!” — Pop Smoke

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