'Hip Hop Homicides': 50 Cent Recalls Meeting Pop Smoke and Talks Rise of Violence in Community (Exclusive)
WE tv’s highly anticipated new series, Hip Hop Homicides, delves deeply into the epidemic of violence in hip hop, and ET is exclusively giving fans their first look at the new investigative series.
From executive producers Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson and Mona Scott-Young, Hip Hop Homicides aims to bring viewers the "big picture" when it comes to the dangers of hip hop, and give a voice to the voiceless. TV personality and producer Van Lathan examines the staggering number of murders in the music community with the hope of providing loved ones and fans with the closure they seek.
In ET's exclusive clip of the show's premiere episode, 50 Cent and Lathan discuss the tragic death of Pop Smoke, who died at the age of 20. The rapper was shot and killed during a home invasion robbery in February 2020. Police later arrested four men, all in their teens, in connection to the crime.
50 Cent, once a mentor to Pop Smoke, recalls his first time meeting the late rapper and how the 47-year-old caught him taking notes during their conversation. "He's a big part of why I'm participating in this," the Power creator revealed.
When Lathan asks the rapper if he believes the hip hop community has gotten more violent, 50 Cent shares that he believes it's "the same energy," but social media has upped the number of people paying attention.
"It looks different. It's [now] going to happen where everyone can take a look at it," he noted, referencing the death of rapper Nipsey Hussle, who died on March 31, 2019 after he was fatally shot outside of his Marathon Clothing store in Los Angeles. "Because of social media, everyone's involved now. Because those kids in middle America are clicking the button to look and are fascinated with these kids because they're living on a side so wild compared to the conservative lives they're living."
From Pop Smoke to XXXTentacion, Hip Hop Homicides takes a closer look at the shocking murders in the hip hop community, dissecting the facts, exploring leads and featuring exclusive one-on-one interviews with those closest to "the fallen" and artists who share valuable insights throughout the season.
The new series premieres on WE tv, Thursday, Nov. 3 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. New episodes will become available on AMC's streaming service, ALLBLK, every Monday, following their premiere.
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