Jimmy Pop’s biography, net worth, fact, career, awards and life story

James Moyer Franks (born August 27, 1972), better known by his stage name Jimmy Pop (originally Jimmy Pop Ali), is an American rapper, musician, singer and composer. He is best known as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, primary songwriter, and one of the founding members of the comedic pop-rock band Bloodhound Gang.

Early life

Pop was born in Trappe, Pennsylvania, the son of Alice Ann (born Moyer) and Richard Lee Franks. He is of German and American Indian heritage, with Jewish ancestry. He was raised Lutheran, but ceased practicing as soon as his parents approved his request to do so.

He graduated from Perkiomen Valley High School in 1990 and commenced studies in mass communication and history at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he met future Bloodhound Gang bassist Evil Jared Hasselhoff.

Music career

Bang Chamber 8

Pop (then still going by his real name) played in a Depeche Mode cover band called Bang Chamber 8 with Mike Bowe (later known as Daddy Long Legs). Pop played guitar, while Bowe played bass and sang. In 1990, Bang Chamber 8 released a cassette of four original songs: “Wouldn’t It Be Nice”, “Birthday Boy”, “Ice Cubes” and “War Chimes”. These songs had nothing in common, lyrically or musically, with the Bloodhound Gang. “War Chimes” was written about Operation Desert Storm and featured a guitar solo from Pop at the end, who also provided the lead vocals. The synth line from “Birthday Boy” would be reused on a Bloodhound Gang track, “I’m the Least You Could Do”, in 2005.

Bang Chamber 8 split in 1991. In 1992, Pop and Daddy started a hip-hop group called the Bloodhound Gang which later became more of an alternative rock band. Daddy Long Legs left the Bloodhound Gang to start Wolfpac in 1997.

Bloodhound Gang

Side projects

Pop collaborated with Bam Margera, Brandon DiCamillo, and Jess Margera as The DiCamillo Sisters to record a Christmas single titled “But Why’s It So Cold?” along with an accompanying video. Pop collaborated with dance artist Tomcraft for a song called “Broadsword Calling Danny Boy” in 2006. The song is featured on Tomcraft’s official MySpace. In 2007, Pop collaborated with German group Scooter for a song titled “The Shit That Killed Elvis”, which was featured on their album The Ultimate Aural Orgasm. Bam Margera can also be heard in the song’s intro. The song reached number 2 in the German Hip Hop chart and remained there for two weeks. In 2010, Pop collaborated with German group Die Atzen for an English version of the song “Disco Pogo” which was featured on the Jersey Shore soundtrack.

Acting career

Pop made an appearance in the CKY series of films, during a shopping cart race scene and slap fight in CKY 4. He also appeared in an episode of Viva La Bam titled “Limo vs Lambo”, in which Pop borrowed Bam Margera’s Lamborghini without telling him, causing Margera to accuse his close friends (specifically Ryan Dunn) of doing the deed. Pop also appeared for a total of about five seconds in the “State of Bam” episode of Viva La Bam. He also appeared in the Viva La Bam episode in which a scavenger hunt took place (which ended in the arrests of himself, Margera, Evil Jared Hasselhoff, and others). He also appeared on the Viva La Bam episode “Rockstars”, in which Don Vito and Phil Margera attempt to become rock stars, leading Jimmy Pop to French kiss Don Vito onstage.

Pop can be seen twice in the final episode of Bam’s Unholy Union. Pop can first be seen greeting Margera, and is later seen speaking with Dave England. Pop has appeared on The Dudesons, being one of the people throwing darts during the human dart board stunt with Jarppi Leppälä. Pop appeared with fellow Bloodhound Gang member Evil Jared Hasselhoff in the film Minghags: The Movie, directed by Bam Margera. They are credited in the film as “The Bloodhound Gang”. The trailer for the movie was shown at most venues on one of the band’s UK tour and featured Pop and Evil Jared as part of an ambulance crew. Pop also appears in Bam Margera’s movie called Where The#$&% Is Santa?. He appears in the music video for the Oleander song “Boys Don’t Cry”.

Music videos