Jimmy Wopo was a rising star in Pittsburgh’s Hip-hop scene before he was gunned down in his hometown on Monday. We are now learning that the Pennsylvania native was only one month away from the biggest opportunity of his young career. Wopo was set to tour with Rae Sremmurd and his Taylor Gang labelmate Wiz Khalifa this summer as part of the Dazed & Blazed tour.
“Just know he got his Taylor Gang Ent./Atlantic Records contract yesterday morning and was confirmed for the Wiz (Khalifa)/Rae Sremmurd tour all summer,” Taylor Gang Entertainment President Will Dzombak told Pittsburgh news outlet WTAE. “Yesterday was supposed to be a happy day.”
The 27 city tour was scheduled to begin in Detroit on July 21 and conclude August 30 in Phoenix.
The 21-year-old Wopo, born Travon Smart, was shot by what police believe to be rival gang members. Local police officials are expecting retaliation on behalf of the rapper based on intelligence picked up in the Pittsburgh area. One source told WTAE that Ross Park Mall in Pittsburgh is an expected target area due to the regularity that gang members are often found there.
Wopo was one of two known rappers who was shot and killed on Monday. South Florida rapper XXXTentacion was gunned down in Broward County Florida the same afternoon. The “Look at Me” rapper was pronounced dead just after 5:40 p.m. EST on Monday.
Fellow Pittsburgh native and Taylor Gang rapper Wiz Khalifa sent his condolences to Wopo on Instagram after learning of his passing. “Rest up Bro” the “We Dem Boyz” rapper posted under an image of Wopo.
The “King of the Burg” rapper’s death comes one month after the release of his visual for the single “Devil Face.” Wopo also dropped some bars over Kodak Black’s ‘Patty Cake’ which as of now has just under a million views on YouTube.
