Last summer, Pittsburgh’s African American Heritage Day Parade originated from the Hill District. On that day, African Americans in the city lined up to celebrate the heritage, the positivity, the greatness that is the African American culture and its people in Pittsburgh.
The parade headed down famed Wylie Avenue, with residents cheering the parade’s participants.
But two days ago, along that same path on Wylie, a young African American male, who many said had a promising music career, had his life cut short.
Travon Smart, better known in Pittsburgh as the rapper Jimmy Wopo, was shot while inside a white Mazda CX7 SUV. Another person in the vehicle was also hit by gunfire. Pittsburgh police were alerted to shots fired around 4:22 p.m., June 18, and medics transported both individuals to the hospital. At 5:56 p.m., Wopo was pronounced dead at UPMC Presbyterian. The other victim is in stable condition. He has not been identified.
Wopo was 21 years old.
Police are searching for the suspect or suspects.
“I lost my brother today and it’s the worst feeling in the world. He was destined for greatness and he wanted the best for his friends, family and community,” said Wopo’s manager, Taylor Maglin, on a Facebook post a few hours after the shooting. “We lost a great person today, but just know I will do everything in my power to make his memory live on forever. Love you bro.”
[pullquote]
‘To see this brother making a career for himself at age 21 doing something that he loved to do,
I was one of the people in the city cheering for him.’
– Jasiri X, 1Hood Media
[/pullquote]Wiz Khalifa is perhaps the biggest hip-hop star to come from Pittsburgh. Some called Wopo the next Wiz Khalifa. A popular song entitled “Today’s a Good Day” featured Khalifa, Wopo and another Pittsburgh rapper, Hardo.
Wopo was on the verge of signing a contract with Khalifa’s Taylor Gang Entertainment label which would have placed him in a more prominent position on the national stage. Khalifa responded to Wopo’s death with the words, “Rest up, bro.”
Fellow Pittsburgh rapper Chevy Woods, after hearing of Wopo’s death, tweeted: “Just thinking like d___n lil cuz we ain’t even get to tell the world the big news…”
Wopo’s music was constantly featured on WAMO 100.1 FM’s local music show, “Future Flavors,” with host Nigel McDaniel. “Jimmy Wopo is a hero to a lot of people,” McDaniel told the New Pittsburgh Courier, June 19. “Many come from the same background and the same circumstances as Wopo and he represented hope. So many people wanted to see him prosper. He was a young man with a bright future and a lot of potential gone way too soon. I send prayers and my condolences to his family and friends.”
McDaniel, in an interview with WPXI-TV (Channel 11), called Wopo “a diamond in the rough. He’s something we never really saw come out of Pittsburgh before. You felt his energy.”
Among Wopo’s most popular songs was “Elm Street.” His “Back Against The Wall” mixtape was released this past October.
The news of Wopo’s shooting death reverberated around the city, and on social media. Many of his fans took to Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat to share their condolences. Ryan Reynolds, a Wilkinsburg resident, told the Courier that Wopo “was an inspiration to the kids in the neighborhood. Everyone knew him, his dance, and his music. His music will never go away. He is a real Pittsburgh legend…I had to log off social media for a few hours because it’s been overwhelming, seeing all the pictures/videos of him.”
Keshona Ray, a Homewood resident, told the Courier that “all (Wopo) wanted to do was make it out and it’s devastating that he wasn’t able to do so, but his name and legacy will definitely live forever.”
Jasiri X is the founder and CEO of 1Hood Media. His organization prides itself on mentoring young hip-hop artists to utilize their gifts and talents and making a career. He saw promise in Wopo.
“He was extremely talented and he was somebody that was using his music to paint a more positive and brighter future for himself,” Jasiri X told the New Pittsburgh Courier in an exclusive interview, June 19.
“To see this brother making a career for himself at age 21 doing something that he loved to do, I was one of the people in the city cheering for him.”
Jasiri X, himself a hip-hop artist, said that oftentimes, people who are not from certain communities or circumstances may view a rapper and his lyrics in a negative light. But Jasiri X said rappers don’t create the environments of which they rap about. “When you’re a rapper,” Jasiri X said, “you become the spokesperson. Wopo was the spokesperson for what was happening on the Hill. To me it’s very important to say two things…he was born into an environment that was there before he got there. He was not responsible for the economic disparity (in the Hill District). These decisions (going back to the development of the Civic Arena), were made by others in Pittsburgh.”
Jasiri X continued: “He represents hope for a lot of young artists. When you see somebody from your own community and see him use his talents and gifts, it gives you hope that you can also get out of these conditions.”
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