Bobby Shmurda

Ackquille Jean Pollard (born August 4, 1994), known professionally as Bobby Shmurda, is an American rapper and songwriter. Along with Rowdy Rebel, Shmurda is considered a pioneer of Brooklyn drill music. He rose to international fame in 2014 when his single, "Hot Nigga", peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100. Its success led him to sign with Epic Records to release his debut extended play (EP), Shmurda She Wrote (2014).

In December 2014, New York City Police arrested Shmurda and charged him, along with several other members of GS9, with conspiracy to murder, weapons possession, and reckless endangerment. In 2016, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to seven years in prison, which was reduced to five years after receiving credit for the two years he already served awaiting trial. After over six years in prison, Shmurda was released from Clinton Correctional Facility in February 2021. His release was celebrated in the hip-hop community.

Ackquille Jean Pollard was born on August 4, 1994 in Miami, Florida. His mother is Vincentian and his father is Jamaican. He and his mother moved to East Flatbush, Brooklyn from Florida following his father's incarceration. Pollard had run-ins with the law while living in Brooklyn, including fifteen months spent in detention for probation violation and being arrested on gun charges that were later dropped. According to his 2014 indictment, Pollard was the ringleader of a criminal enterprise called "GS9" that regularly entered into disputes with criminal gangs, was responsible for murders and non-fatal shootings, and engaged in drug trafficking along Kings Highway to East Flatbush.

The first song Pollard remixed was Crime Mob's "Knuck If You Buck"; however, he did not receive any attention until 2014, with the release of his song "Hot Nigga". The song uses the instrumental from Lloyd Banks' 2012 song "Jackpot". The song and its accompanying music video went viral shortly after being uploaded to YouTube in the spring of 2014. Shmurda's signature "Shmoney dance", which he performs in the video, soon became an internet meme and was featured in numerous popular Vines from the latter half of 2014; it was also replicated by Beyoncé and Jay-Z during their On the Run Tour and by Canadian rapper Drake while hosting the 2014 ESPY Awards, among other celebrities. Freestyles over the instrumental were made by a number of rappers after its release, including Juicy J, French Montana, Lil' Kim, Gunplay, and T.I. Following the song's viral success, Shmurda was signed to Epic Records, and the song was officially released as his debut single under Epic. The song topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart, and peaked at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, eventually being certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. The music video received over 649 million views on YouTube as of July 2020. The song's official remix—featuring guest vocals from Fabolous, Chris Brown, Jadakiss, Rowdy Rebel, Busta Rhymes, and Yo Gotti—was released on September 4, 2014. A reggae remix of the song was also released in August 2014 that featured Junior Reid, Mavado, Popcaan, and Jah X. Shmurda also became known for his song "Bobby Bitch" which peaked at number 92 on the Billboard Hot 100. His debut EP, Shmurda She Wrote, was released on November 10, 2014.

Shmurda's debut studio album with Epic Records was scheduled for release in 2016 and was going to be produced by Jahlil Beats. It was postponed, however, due to his imprisonment. In February 2017, he freestyled for rapper Meek Mill and claimed that he was still writing music while in prison. The following year, he featured on 6ix9ine's single "Stoopid", phoning in his verses over the prison telephone. The single peaked at number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Shmurda made his first concert performance appearance since being released from prison at Rolling Loud Festival in Miami, Florida on Friday, July 23, 2021.

On September 3, 2021, Shmurda released his first single since his release from jail, "No Time for Sleep (Freestyle)". On March 27, 2022, after years of conflict with Epic Records, his request for release was approved and finalized.

Post his Epic release, Shmurda has called hip-hop "very dangerous" to kids and has tried to distance himself from mainstream hip-hop culture. He has also expressed disinterest in releasing new music.