Pop Smoke’s Legacy Lives on in Canarsie

The bass hit before the parade came into view. Then came the motorcycles, classic cars, marching bands, dancers and community organizations, all moving through the streets of Canarsie to the unmistakable sound of Pop Smoke. Every few blocks, the music grew louder. People along the sidewalks yelled the lyrics back and celebrated the Woo moniker as the procession made its way toward Canarsie Park.

Pop Smoke Day was first held in 2020, months after the rapper’s death at 20 years old. Organized by the Shoot for the Stars Foundation, the event, held this year on Monday, July 20, reflects the vision Bashar “Pop Smoke” Jackson spoke about before his: creating opportunities for young people while giving back to the neighborhood that shaped him.

That mission carried through every corner of the park.

Basketball courts stayed packed throughout the afternoon as tournament games unfolded beneath a soundtrack of Pop Smoke’s biggest hits, with every basket and momentum-shifting play met with cheers and music blasting through the speakers. Nearby, children lined up for activities as performers took to the stage and local vendors served plates of jerk chicken, rasta pasta, rice and peas, fresh lemonades, and natural shaved ice topped with condensed milk.

The day’s Caribbean influence was impossible to miss. Much like Pop Smoke himself—the son of a Jamaican mother and Panamanian father—the celebration embraced the cultures that have long helped define Canarsie. Organizers, performers, and community leaders reflected that heritage, while music, food and neighborhood traditions blended into a celebration that felt as much about community as it did remembrance.

Some of the most joyful moments arrived away from the stage. During a hopscotch competition, adults who had grown up playing the game stepped in to teach younger participants, turning a simple neighborhood pastime into a bridge between generations. Across the park, children danced to songs they already knew by heart, while others waited for their turn on the basketball court or posed proudly with newly won prizes.

Throughout the afternoon,  Pop’s mother, Audrey Jackson, returned to a message that reached beyond her son’s music. She spoke about remembering Pop Smoke not simply for the success, but for the determination that carried him there. Again and again, she encouraged young people to believe in themselves, overcome difficult circumstances, and continue pushing forward, describing that perseverance as the legacy she hopes her son leaves behind.

Pop Smoke’s rise was remarkably brief, but his influence stretched far beyond drill music. For many in Canarsie, he remains a symbol of what is possible for young people growing up in the neighborhood. Rather than dwelling on loss, Pop Smoke Day has evolved into a celebration of resilience, opportunity and collective pride.

As the afternoon stretched on, the music never stopped. Children chased basketballs across the courts, dance circles formed whenever another Pop Smoke track came on, families filled picnic tables with Caribbean food, and the parade’s energy lingered long after its final float had passed. For a neighborhood that still claims him as one of its own, the day wasn’t defined by mourning. It was defined by movement—by remembering a young artist who believed in himself, and by encouraging the next generation to do the same.

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