Obasi Jackson, popular as the elder brother of Pop Smoke is a budding American singer, songwriter, and rapper who has spent a huge part of his teenage life in Brooklyn. Following his brother’s death in 2020, he has been placed in the spotlight.
While his late brother, seems to be the popular one, Obasi has decided to step out of his shadows and live up to his talent. He has described himself as a free artist who is ready to express himself according to the vibes around him. Prior to his music career, he was a sports enthusiast and even played football doing his high school days.
Here are 10 Elusive Facts About Obasi Jackson
1. He is Not a Nigerian
Now Known as Obasi J, his birth name is Obasi Jackson. He was born on the 14th of August 1994 to a Panamanian father, Greg Jackson, and a Jamaican mother, Audrey Jackson. He was raised alongside his brother Baraka Jackson who is recognized as Pop Smoke in Brooklyn.
Obasi has been often referred to as a Nigerian because of his first name which is associated with the Igbos of the Western part of Nigeria and means ‘in honor of the supreme God’.Nonetheless, the 30-year-old is an American citizen and has never been to Nigeria.
As regards his education, he attended a high school known for film and music. Other records of his academic pursuit are elusive to the media.
2. Obasi Jackson’s Family is Music Inclined
Obasi’s singing talents can be traced to his roots even though we can’t place who started the whole vibe. He revealed in an interview that he could sing as a child just like his mother and brother. But he was shy to display his talent because he was chubby and lacked confidence. Additionally, he made it known that he wrote his first song when he was just 10 years old.
Similarly, Pop Smoke was a singer and rapper before his unfortunate death. Obasi’s younger brother was born on July 20, 1999, and began his musical career in 2018 when he was 19 years old. He was signed by the record label named Victor Victor and his musical career recorded streams of success before the unfortunate happened.
His song became even more popular during the George Floyd protest in New York City to symbolize resistance. Research has it that, Pop’s album was officially the longest reigning album at number one on Billboards Rap Album Chart over Eminems.
3. A Look at the Tragic Death of His Brother
Obasi lost his younger brother in 2020 at the age of 20. Widely known as Pop Smoke by his fans, The budding rapper was already making great input in the industry when death tragically snatched him away from his family and fans.
Pop Smoke was murdered in his house in Hollywood, California in a home invasion by unknown gunmen. Although a number of suspects have been apprehended for the unfortunate, the killer seems to still remain in the dark. According to the reports, he was shot twice in the head. To mourn with the family were high-profile celebrities like Nicki Minaj, 50 Cent, and Kehlani who expressed their condolences through social media.
4. He Had a Memorable Childhood With His Brother
Growing up, Obasi was very close to his younger brother who was 5 years younger than him. Both of them engaged in several games as kids including fake wrestling and race and somewhat shared a bond as siblings. However, when Pop Smoke won a basketball scholarship to Rocktop Academy, Pennsylvania, the brothers grew apart and so did the relationship between them. He also made it known that they had different focuses at that time.
Nonetheless, the Obasi reflected on their childhood days while speaking about his brother’s demise. He made it known that Pop would be greatly missed.
5. Obasi Jackson is Exploring a Different Genre in Music
View this post on Instagram
Although Obasi and his younger brother share the same passion for music, the brothers explore different genres. While Pop Smoke was known as a rapper, Obasi’s emotions see him thrive as an R&B and Singer. He describes himself as a free artist who is just moving according to the vibes he gets.
Obasi told his fans not to expect another Pop Smoke because they are two different people with different philosophies and approaches. What makes him outstanding is his unique style of music which is well blended into different genres. The 30-year-old is already making waves as an R&B and soul singer. His two albums are:
- Emotion Kid (2018)
- Memories (2021)
6. His Younger Brother Was Associated with a Lot of Crimes
Obasi’s younger brother Pop Smoke was linked to a lot of crimes during his teenage years. He was once arrested for attempting to ship a Rolls Royce worth about $375, 000 which he allegedly borrowed for his music video. As a result of this, he was given restraining orders not to travel outside the USA after his release on bail of $250,000.
Similarly, before his death, he exposed himself and others to a lot of dangers through his carefree driving nature. Also, he was allegedly a member of a gang.
7. Is He in a Relationship
There are many things about Obasi which are not known following his life of privacy one of it is his love life. The singer is yet to disclose his significant other. Nonetheless, he was previously in a relationship with a lady who is yet to be identified. He disclosed that he lived with his girlfriend for a few years before their relationship hit the rock.
Details on the cause of their breakup have remained elusive to the media even though it has been linked to irreconcilable differences.
Read Also: Jlo and Ben Affleck- The Truth About Their Relationship, See Their Dating History
8. Obasi’s Musical Career isn’t Targeted Towards Fame
While most celebrities go into show biz for the notoriety and affluence, others are simply living out their talents. Obasi revealed that his musical career is not targeted towards fame and influence but for the fun of it. According to him, he just wants to tour around the world and lift dispirited fans through his music.
He also made it clear that he is ready to embrace fame at any time it comes through but it’s definitely not a priority for him.
9. He is Passionate about Sports
Obasi disclosed in an interview that music isn’t the only thing he enjoys. Growing up he was a lover of sport and was a good football player. According to him, he played the tight and defensive end when he was in high school and thought he would pursue a career in sport but then, his coach allegedly had favorites which made the sports just a hobby to him.
However, he also disclosed that if he didn’t have a career in music then he would have opted to be a sports commentator.
10. How Rich is Obasi Jackson?
Obasi’s musical career is what makes up for his finances. At the time of this writing, he has been linked to at least 2 albums that recorded great success.
