Rakim Hasheem Allen (December 9, 1991 – September 12, 2022), known professionally as PnB Rock, was an American rapper, singer, and songwriter from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[5] He signed with Atlantic Records in 2015 and gained initial recognition for his 2016 single, "Selfish". Becoming his first Billboard Hot 100 entry, it received triple platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and served as the lead single for his commercial mixtape GTTM: Goin Thru the Motions (2017), which entered the Billboard 200. His debut studio album, Catch These Vibes (2017) peaked at number 17 on the chart, while his second album, TrapStar Turnt PopStar (2019) peaked at number four.[6]
PnB Rock | |
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![]() PnB Rock performing in 2016 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Rakim Hasheem Allen[1] |
Also known as |
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Born | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. | December 9, 1991
Died | September 12, 2022 (aged 30) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Genres | |
Occupations |
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Years active | 2014–2022 |
Labels |
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Children | 2[4] |
Website | pnbrockofficial |
Allen also guest performed on the Billboard Hot 100-top 40 singles "Cross Me" by Ed Sheeran, "Changes" by XXXTentacion, "Dangerous" by Meek Mill, and "Everyday We Lit" by YFN Lucci during his lifetime. He was chosen as part of the 2017 XXL Freshman Class.
On September 12, 2022, PnB Rock was shot and killed at Roscoe's House of Chicken 'N Waffles during a robbery in South Los Angeles.
Early life
editRakim Hasheem Allen was born on December 9, 1991,[7][8] in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to a Muslim family.[9] Allen's father was murdered when he was three years old. He was primarily raised by his mother. In his teen years, he lived in Northeast Philadelphia.[10] He grew up listening to artists such as rapper 2Pac and R&B group Jodeci.[11][12]
At age 13, Allen was sent to a youth detention program for committing robberies and fighting in school. When he turned 19, he was sentenced to 33 months in prison for drug possession and other crimes. Allen was homeless for a short period after being released from prison.[13] He never finished high school.[14] Allen later adopted the stage name PnB Rock, which paid homage to Pastorius and Baynton, a street corner near where he grew up in Germantown.[14]
Career
editThis section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (March 2024) |
In June 2014, PnB Rock released his debut mixtape, Real N*gga Bangaz. He wrote the mixtape while he was incarcerated.[12] In 2015, PnB Rock signed a record deal with Atlantic Records, and his first project under the label was the release of his third mixtape RnB3.[15] In June 2016, he released the single "Selfish", which peaked at number 51 on the US Billboard Hot 100.[16] In October 2016, Rolling Stone included him in their list of "10 New Artists You Need to Know".[17]
In January 2017, he released his second retail mixtape album, GTTM: Goin Thru the Motions, through Atlantic Records and Empire Distribution.[18] The album debuted at number 28 on the US Billboard 200 chart.[19] In April 2017, he contributed to the soundtrack of The Fate of the Furious with two singles: "Gang Up" with Young Thug, 2 Chainz, and Wiz Khalifa[20] and "Horses" with Kodak Black and A Boogie wit da Hoodie.[21] In June 2017, PnB Rock was named as one of the ten members of XXL's "2017 Freshman Class" along with A Boogie wit da Hoodie, Playboi Carti, Ugly God, Kyle, Aminé, MadeinTYO, Kamaiyah, Kap G, and XXXTentacion.[22]
His debut album TrapStar Turnt PopStar was released in May 2019.[23] PnB Rock and Chance the Rapper were featured on Ed Sheeran's song "Cross Me" from Sheeran's album No.6 Collaborations Project.[24] In January 2020, PnB Rock released the track "Ordinary" featuring late rapper Pop Smoke. In January 2021, he featured for the late rapper King Von, on a song titled "Rose Gold".[25] In February 2022, PnB Rock released the mixtape SoundCloud Daze which featured various artists including Pasto Flocco, Iayze and Yung Fazo.[26] He independently released "Luv Me Again" in September 2022, which was the last single he released during his lifetime.[27]
Death
editMurder of PnB Rock | |
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Location | South Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Date | September 12, 2022 1:59 p.m. (PST) |
Attack type | Murder by shooting, robbery |
Victim | Rakim Hasheem Allen, a.k.a. PnB Rock, aged 30 |
Perpetrators |
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Accused |
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Verdict | Freddie Trone and Tremont Jones: Guilty on all counts |
Charges | 17-year old juvenile and Freddie Trone: First-degree murder 17-year old, Freddie, and Jones:
Accessory to murder |
On September 12, 2022, Allen was robbed and fatally shot at Roscoe's House of Chicken 'N Waffles near Main Street and Manchester Avenue in South Los Angeles.[28] Three suspects were arrested in connection to the killing: an unnamed 17-year-old juvenile and his father Freddie Trone, plus 32-year-old Shauntel Trone, who was arrested for accessory to murder.[29] Both the juvenile and Freddie Trone were charged with one count of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree robbery, and one count of conspiracy to commit robbery.[30] If convicted of the murder charge, the juvenile faces up to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole. Freddie Trone faces life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, or the death penalty.[31]
In October 2023, new defendants Tremont Jones and Wynisha Evans appeared in court.[32] Authorities believe Jones alerted the alleged killers to Allen's location, not his girlfriend's Instagram post.[32] Prosecutors allege Evans drove Trone from Los Angeles to Las Vegas after the murder.[32] Jones and Evans both pled not guilty.[32]
On August 7, 2024, Freddie Lee Trone was found guilty on all counts of first-degree murder, robbery, and conspiracy. Tremont Jones was also found guilty on all counts of robbery and conspiracy.[33][34]
Discography
editStudio albums
- Catch These Vibes (2017)
- TrapStar Turnt PopStar (2019)
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Philadelphia rapper PnB Rock arrested on drug and gun charges at Bucks County development". The Philadelphia Tribune. January 22, 2019. Archived from the original on June 20, 2020. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
- ^ "PnB Rock and His Lonely Hearts Club Bangers". Noisey.vice.com. January 12, 2017. Archived from the original on February 26, 2017. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
- ^ "PNB Rock Laid to Rest During Muslim Funeral Service in Philadelphia". September 22, 2022.
- ^ Grant, Shawn (September 12, 2022). "PnB Rock Shot and Killed in Robbery Attempt at Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles". The Source. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
- ^ "Kelsie Smith". SXSW 2020 Schedule. Archived from the original on August 14, 2020. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
- ^ "PnB Rock — Selfish Review". November 23, 2023.
- ^ "PnB Rock – Profile". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on January 9, 2017. Retrieved January 9, 2017.
- ^ PnB Rock Archived May 25, 2019, at the Wayback Machine, AllMusic
- ^ "PNB Rock's Family is Having a Hard Time Retrieving the Rapper's Body". BET.
- ^ "PnBRock Discusses His Criminal Past, Being Named after Hip-Hop Legend Rakim, & The Philly Curse. He was also related to XXXTENTACION and he shows this in the music video, "MIDDLE CHILD"". Global Grind. April 25, 2016. Archived from the original on September 20, 2019. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
- ^ "The Break Presents: PnB Rock". XXL. August 15, 2015. Archived from the original on January 9, 2017. Retrieved January 9, 2017.
- ^ a b "Bio – PnB Rock". Atlantic Records. Archived from the original on January 10, 2017. Retrieved January 9, 2017.
- ^ "PnB Rock Explains Journey From Homelessness To Hot 100 & Credits Instagram For His Success". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on July 14, 2017. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
- ^ a b "Meet PnB Rock, The Philly Prince Who Will Steal Your Girl". The Fader. Archived from the original on January 9, 2017. Retrieved January 9, 2017.
- ^ "PnB Rock – RnB 3 – Download And Stream". HotNewHipHop. November 3, 2015. Archived from the original on November 30, 2016. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
- ^ "PnB Rock – Chart History: Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on January 6, 2017. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
- ^ "10 New Artists You Need to Know: October 2016". Rolling Stone. October 21, 2016. Archived from the original on January 18, 2017. Retrieved January 17, 2017.
- ^ Turner, David (January 23, 2017). "GTTM: Goin Thru the Motions". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on February 20, 2020. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
- ^ "PnB Rock – Chart history". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 25, 2017. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
- ^ Setaro, Shawn (March 23, 2017). "Young Thug, 2 Chainz, Wiz Khalifa and PnB Rock "Gang Up" on New Track". Pigeons and Planes. Archived from the original on August 13, 2018. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
- ^ Findlay, Mitch (March 30, 2017). "PnB Rock – Horses Feat. Kodak Black & A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on July 8, 2022. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
- ^ "XXL Freshman 2017 Cover Revealed". XXL. June 13, 2017. Archived from the original on August 30, 2017. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
- ^ Espinoza, Joshua (May 3, 2019). "Stream PnB Rock's Two-Disc LP 'TrapStar Turnt PopStar' f/ Quavo, Tory Lanez, Diplo, and More". Complex. Archived from the original on May 12, 2019. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
- ^ Pearce, Sheldon (May 24, 2019). ""Cross Me" [ft. Chance the Rapper and PnB Rock]". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on June 5, 2019. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
- ^ Ruiz, Matthew Ismael (September 12, 2022). "PnB Rock Shot Dead in Los Angeles". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on September 13, 2022. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
- ^ Cummings-Grady, Mackenzie (January 28, 2022). "PnB Rock Taps Underground Talent For Collaborative 'SoundCloud Daze' Mixtape". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on February 5, 2022. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
- ^ "Rapper PnB Rock fatally shot during robbery at Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles". Los Angeles Times. September 12, 2022. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
- ^ "Rapper PnB Rock fatally shot during robbery at Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles". Los Angeles Times. September 12, 2022. Archived from the original on September 12, 2022. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
- ^ "Minor among 2 arrested in slaying of rapper PnB Rock; 3rd suspect sought". September 29, 2022.
- ^ "Three charged in murder and robbery of PnB Rock at Roscoe's restaurant". Los Angeles Times. September 29, 2022.
- ^ "California Code, Penal Code - PEN § 187".
- ^ a b c d PnB Rock Murder: Two New Suspects Charged Rolling Stone, Nancy Dillon October 30, 2023
- ^ Vernon Coleman II, C. (August 7, 2024). "PnB Rock's Accused Killer Found Guilty of Murder - Report". XXL Mag. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
- ^ Dillon, Nancy (August 7, 2024). "PnB Rock Murder Trial Verdict: Jury Finds Two Men Guilty on All Counts". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 7, 2024.