Jimmy Wopo, a rising star in the hip-hop music world who was about to sign a contract that would have taken him out of Pittsburgh, was shot Monday in the city’s Hill District neighborhood that he often rapped about.
Wopo and another man were ambushed at 4:22 p.m. as they sat in a sport-utility vehicle in the 2400 block of Wylie Avenue; he was pronounced dead at 5:56 p.m. at UPMC Presbyterian.
A law enforcement source said Wopo was in the driver’s seat of the 2007 Mazda CX7. Bullet holes could clearly be seen in the driver’s side window. The law enforcement source, who was not authorized to comment on the incident and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Wopo was shot in the head.
Wopo’s death also was confirmed by his manager, Taylor Maglin, who told the Post-Gazette, “Jimmy has passed away, and we ask that you keep his family in your prayers during this tough time.”
Mr. Maglin had posted a call for prayers for the 21-year-old musician on Facebook, followed two hours later with a pledge to keep Wopo’s memory alive forever.
Pittsburgh police were investigating the shootings and had released no information on suspects or a motive. Wopo’s passenger was listed in stable condition.
Jimmy Wopo was the stage name for Travon Smart, who started rapping when he was 14 at the Bedford Hope Center studio in the Hill District.
Since then, Wopo had become one of the most sought-after young talents in hip-hop, and was recently considered for XXL Magazine’s annual Freshman list recognizing the genre’s up-and-comers.
Wopo made a style of hip-hop music called trap rap, which combines bass-heavy beats with raw and unfiltered lyrics. Some artists use it as a way to share their lived experiences with their fans. Wopo was no different.
Wopo found himself following in the footsteps of Pittsburgh rappers Wiz Khalifa and Mac Miller, who both amassed large followings outside of Pittsburgh. But Wopo, unlike Miller and Khalifa, had remained in the city. “I’m really in the heart of Pittsburgh — where the savage at,” he told the Post-Gazette’s Scott Mervis in 2016 when two of his videos surpassed 1 million views each.
Play Video
Play
Mute
Current Time 0:00
/
Duration Time 0:00
Loaded: 0%
0:00
Progress: 0%
0:00
Progress: 0%
Stream TypeLIVE
Remaining Time -0:00
Playback Rate
1
- Chapters
Chapters
- descriptions off, selected
Descriptions
- subtitles off, selected
Subtitles
- captions settings, opens captions settings dialog
- captions off, selected
Captions
Audio Track
Fullscreen
Share
This is a modal window.
Caption Settings Dialog
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
TextColorWhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentBackgroundColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentTransparentWindowColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyTransparentSemi-TransparentOpaque
Font Size50%75%100%125%150%175%200%300%400%
Text Edge StyleNoneRaisedDepressedUniformDropshadow
Font FamilyProportional Sans-SerifMonospace Sans-SerifProportional SerifMonospace SerifCasualScriptSmall Caps
DefaultsDone
Close
Share Video: Share via:
Start From:
Direct Link:
Embed Code:
Restart
Wopo was on the cusp of the big time… and of getting out.
Wopo called his attorney, Owen Seman, just 15 minutes before the shooting, to discuss a contract he was about to sign with Taylor Gang Entertainment, the label founded by Wiz Khalifa….
