If you spend any amount of time on TikTok then you may have heard of the rising star Farruko Pop. The Guatemalan 18-year-old singer and influencer amassed quite the following in a short amount of time.
Farruko Pop isn’t his real name as he chose the name as a tribute to his idol – the famous Puerto Rican singer and rapper, Farruko. The singer was born in San Pedro Carchá, with his birth name Jorge Sebastián Pop Chocoj.
He recently shot to fame after an appearance on a Guatemalan talent show – although he did not win, one of the judges recognized the boy’s talent and offered to coach him. After his big break his career took on a life of its own online, particularly on social media and apps like TikTok.
Fans didn’t just like him for his music though, he had plenty of videos that showed what a charismatic and kind person he was. There’s a US fan account for the singer that has over half a million followers, so it’s safe to say Pop was well on his way to becoming a huge star.
What Happened to Farruko Pop?
Unfortunately, Pop’s rise to fame was cut drastically short after the teen’s body was discovered by Guatemalan authorities. Before this he had been missing for several days and people had speculated that he may have run away but sadly this was not the case. What is even more shocking is the nature of the singer’s death – according to an article from LatinTimes.com Farruko Pop was found in a mass grave and that he had been dead for four to five days before he was found. The cause of death was determined to be asphyxiation.
What else do we know?
Pop’s body was found wrapped in sheets, two meters underground, his body apparently had scratch marks as well as other signs of violence. Firearms were also discovered at the scene which certainly suggests his death was not accidental. Frustratingly there isn’t a whole lot more information to go off of right now, Francisco Jiménez, Guatemala’s minister of the interior, has promised justice will be served for the late singer.
Authorities are currently investigating, and inkl.com reports that there are suspects in custody, but so far there hasn’t been any word on a killer or motive. There are theories regarding the teen’s death with many believing it was related to local gangs, although the exact reason for targeting Farruko Pop isn’t yet clear.
Farruko Pop’s legacy
A funeral was held for the young man today while many fans continue to mourn his loss online. Comments on TikTok offer condolences calling him a “great kid” and a “pure soul.” Although his musical career was short lived it seems he was still able to make quite the impact across the world.