PnB Rock's tragic death raises concerns about dangers of sharing location to social media
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 22: PnB Rock performs onstage at the STAPLES Center Concert Sponsored By Sprite during BET Experience at Staples Center on June 22, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for BET)
LOS ANGELES - Music fans and fellow artists are in shock after learning that rapper PnB Rock was shot and killed in South Los Angeles.
On Monday afternoon, the Los Angeles Police Department responded to a call of a shooting at a Roscoe's House of Chicken 'N Waffles on Manchester Avenue. LAPD said one person was shot from the restaurant and that person was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The rapper's death was confirmed by his record label, Atlantic Records.
PnB Rock, born Rakim Allen, was dining at the restaurant with his girlfriend at the time of the shooting. TMZ said in a report that the suspect may have targeted PnB Rock in a robbery after he posted a video of himself wearing expensive jewelry on social media.
On Tuesday, LAPD Chief Michel Moore confirmed PnB Rock was likely targeted because of his social media post. Moore said investigators believe the suspect(s) saw the rapper and his girlfriend's whereabouts and tracked them down in Monday's shooting.
Across social media, PnB Rock's death drew comparisons to how Pop Smoke was fatally shot in 2020. At the time of the investigation, LAPD believed that Pop Smoke's social media posts may have helped the suspects track down the rapper's location.
Rapper PnB Rock has reportedly died at the hospital after a shooting broke out at Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles in Los Angeles County.
A Feb. 2020 report from the Los Angeles Times suggested that Pop Smoke, born Bashar Jackson, or a member of his entourage shared a picture of a gift bag tagged with a Hollywood Hills address.
"What we’re not going to do is have victim shaming…they have a right to share their location" community activist Najee Ali said during a news conference Tuesday afternoon. "Being murdered in cold blood was the wrong thing to happen."
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Pop superstar Nicki Minaj was among those making the comparisons on social media.
"After Pop Smoke there’s no way we as rappers or our loved ones are still posting locations to our whereabouts," Minaj wrote on social media.
YouTuber turned professional boxer Jake Paul shared his reaction to social media shortly after the news broke. Paul also linked PnB Rock's death with Pop Smoke in the same sentence, calling the two incidents "senseless murders."
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According to LAPD, the gunman in the Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles shooting hopped on a getaway car and fled the scene. LAPD said officers do not know which direction the car went. As of Monday night, a description of the suspect vehicle has not been released.
On Tuesday, FOX 11 spoke with a security expert who has experience working with celebrities. Louis Perry, the celebrity security, warns the general public – not just the Hollywood stars – needs to be aware of their surroundings and what they wear.
"Don’t wear the jewelry in any place out the doors right now," he said. "There are a lot of crazy people out there and believe me the crazy people are desperate… they don’t target just rappers, they target anybody with money."
PnB Rock's reported death comes just days after entertainment personality DJ Akademiks released an interview with the rapper. In their conversation, the two discussed crime in Los Angeles and how brazen some of the criminals are.
"LA has gotten weird," DJ Akademiks said in his podcast.
"Somebody tried me on Fairfax, like mid-pandemic," PnB Rock said in the recorded interview, alleging he was previously targeted by a robber.
PnB Rock, who is from Philadelphia, said crimes are different in Los Angeles.
"Where I'm from, we like sneaky criminals," PnB Rock said in the interview. "LA is like, they bold. They want to spark a conversation with you first before they get into some s**t."
"LA spooky man," DJ Akademiks said later in the interview.
"I really don't really be outside like that," PnB Rock said, in part, during the interview. "I'm not going to put myself in those situations."