2 years later and it still hurts remembering that the legend Nipsey is no longer among us. Nipsey was more than a rapper, he was real, solid, a man that had wisdom and not only wanted to build his community but actually took action in doing just that https://youtu.be/GwG4A_OrTmk (3:23-3:50) He was a friend
Brother
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Father
Soulmate
Business man
and the definition of a street activist.
He was taken from the world when we least expected, but his legacy forever lives on and the marathon will continues. Today, we recap the extraordinary life that was Nipsey Hussle and the jealousy and hate that took his life.
Nipsey’s come was prolific.
Raised on the streets of Slauson Crenshaw https://youtu.be/GwG4A_OrTmk (0:26-0:30) https://youtu.be/yZduQNDuAWY (0:01-0:09) Nipsey came up from humble beginnings
finding his passion for hip hop and manifesting it within the walls of a homemade studio https://youtu.be/yZduQNDuAWY (3:55-4:21).
He was as intelligent as they came, a true young man with a vision not for himself but to better his people and his community https://youtu.be/GwG4A_OrTmk (2:24-2:44) https://youtu.be/GwG4A_OrTmk (0:45-1:16)
Around the age of 8 or 9 Nip had already fell so much in love with hip hop that he already envisioned rapping and blowing up by the time he was pushing 12, but when his expectations didn’t come to fruition, he left his dream behind. During that time of frustration, he would turn to the streets as a means to make it out rather than chasing what began to seem like a farfetched dream https://youtu.be/GVCNREwfGuM (4:16-4:48) After leaving home at the age of 14 and staying with his grandma https://youtu.be/Owc3oFyfaDs (1:35-1:45) his environment and surroundings was deeper rooted in the gang culture. With his passion for music still lingering https://youtu.be/CJNmfh7HIAQ (2:02-2:29) but with no amount of cash to purchase equipment https://youtu.be/GVCNREwfGuM (4:53-5:24) he turned to the streets as a means to elevate his hustle and boss up. Being young and already surrounded by violence, Nip joined the notorious gang, The Rolling 60’s Crips https://youtu.be/Owc3oFyfaDs (0:16-0:41) with big dreams on his mind to make it out and change his community https://youtu.be/Owc3oFyfaDs (1:48-2:48)
Unfortunately, the temptations and money in the lifestyle began to eat away at his dream of having a music career. Nip would begin questioning if rapping was still a move he should make https://youtu.be/GVCNREwfGuM (5:24-5:42). Luckily Nip never let his passion die and once he banked up enough money, he made the right choice to purchase enough equipment alongside his brother, Samiel Asghedom aka Blacc Sam https://youtu.be/GVCNREwfGuM (24:00-25:40).
That was the birth of the street savy rapper that was as real as they come. Raw, real, authentic. Neighborhood Nip was born, and he set out to change the game. But even with the passion, his street life kept him as a target under the law and it nearly sidetracked his entire career and break his spirit https://youtu.be/GVCNREwfGuM (26:35-27:28). Nip would go through a rough time giving all his positivity to be better and see it crumbling, but he had respect in the hood and people around him reached out to lift him back up when they realized he was serious about the music https://youtu.be/GVCNREwfGuM (28:47-29:41). It was these situations that showed that Nip was ahead of his time and would be an activist in the streets. Even though the cops would often target him, he still looked from their perspective and understood that they too were going through the learning process of understanding a place with violence and gang banging now producing persons who were trying to bring change and go legit https://youtu.be/GVCNREwfGuM (30:21-30:35) https://youtu.be/GVCNREwfGuM (30:43-31:07)
Nipsey would personify the grind he learned in the streets to the music world and shot up into recognition in the music world in 2008 https://youtu.be/GVCNREwfGuM (7:03-7:06). From there he just kept the music coming, dropping mixtapes like The Marathon and The Marathon Continues (TMC), which later became a slogan of inspiration even after he passed.
It was with his 2013 mixtape “Crenshaw” that his name grew even bigger. Nip proved that indie artists could thrive and do even better than those with a label behind them. He would roll his mixtape out for $100 per CD under his #Proud2Pay campaign https://youtu.be/C-0r83kgADk (4:46-5:50) and his music and character was so influential, Hov himself spent 10K in CD’s to support and every tour stop Nip would run out of CD’s to sell because dudes would spend even 20 bands on the project. It was a success that made Nip up to $100,000 in a day and was unprecedented in the indie world in that time where streaming was beginning to take over https://youtu.be/C-0r83kgADk (3:30-4:41)
Nip was building a legacy and an empire that was impacting and changing the streets themselves to be better. From the success of Crenshaw, he would go on to make huge moves.
Renovating basketball courts for the kids throughout the city https://youtu.be/qgX2BLHRCqI
Opening his The Marathon store that pushed his brand, clothing line, and music as well as provide jobs for African Americans and past individuals with a record in the community.
Nip went as far as partnering with business moguls to invest in and develop the inner city coworking space, ‘Vector 90” that houses professional offices for entrepreneurs and a level that is dedicated to providing and training youths to get into STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) career paths https://youtu.be/scked_CF-NE (2:23-4:32) https://youtu.be/61FYxvrj4jk Nipsey was on his way to exacting the change he envisioned since his youth and had the backing of huge names and influencers like Basketball superstar and activist Lebron James
With the release of his classic debut album, “Victory Lap” in 2018 that brought the Crenshaw rapper his much-deserved Grammy nomination for best rap album.
Nipsey was doing it, he was solidifying the hood and inspiring the youth and even gang bangers to do better, that they were more than what the system painted them to be. He was a legend and he was only getting started. Unfortunately, the world would go into shock on March 31st 2019 with the news that Nipsey Hussle was targeted and may have lost his life. I remember for the first moments I was just like everyone else, panicking, wishing it were one of the many faux stories that float around the internet. But soon the truth no one was ready for or wanted to accept became true, Nip had passed. Right in front of The Marathon store he opened to empower his city someone took his life and disrespected all the hard work and grind and heart he’s put out to build the hood and encourage growth. The shooter? Turns out it was a past homie of Nip. His name was Eric Holder, a failed rapper Fly Mac aka Shitty Cuz and fraudulent friend.
Fans were even more outraged learning that Eric was in the same gang as Nip and even rumored to be under nips label earlier on. So what caused the falling out and his hateful actions towards Nip? It’s speculated by the streets and those that knew him that along the time he was with Nip, he was locked up and snitched. Nip maybe due to their past friendship didn’t do him harm but simple told him he’s done and to never come back https://youtu.be/9JPLmyN6cWI (0:40-1:37) https://youtu.be/6SlYJ9sb97w (34:49-35:40)
The tapes would soon release and seem to cosign what was being said because Eric not only walked up and targeted Nip, he turned back, hit him up again and still kicked him in the head before leaving. It seems more than just a random hit but something personal. The surveillance video released shows the gruesome actions that brought Nip’s end https://youtu.be/k92h-e7mcSI and the aftermath of ambulance trying to save his life https://youtu.be/ydKVBfUa1Yk (0:52-1:06) https://youtu.be/2n-moD7qkVI (0:00-0:33) https://youtu.be/y1oTM7jvtcQ
The world broke down. This was a man that was respected on all fronts, from different gangs and hoods. The day of his passing, he actually was scheduled the following day to meet with the LA Chief of Police, Michel Moore, LA Police Commissioner, Steve Soboroff and Roc Nation to talk about ways he could help stop gang violence and help them help the kids.
Eric Holder was apprehended a few days later, as was his supposedly girlfriend who was the driver and claimed she had no idea what he was about to do https://youtu.be/jDi4KY_yRvg (0:22-0:56) Holder would be charged with murder, 2 counts of attempted murder and 1 count of a firearm by felon https://youtu.be/VGTP31CpboY (0:06-0:14)
The world was in pieces mourning the loss of one of the realest. Cries and condolences flooded both online and in videos https://youtu.be/PO3ovxaG5vs https://youtu.be/thnrybeho0w (0:18-0:27) https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.50869/title.hip-hop-shattered-by-nipsey-hussles-shooting-death
His soulmate and ride or die, Lauren London held him down as he did her. Even though her heart was breaking, she memorialized their devotion and what Nip meant to the world with love through her grief
Nip was such a prominent figure, even former president Barack Obama himself wrote a letter to Nip’s family. That in itself speaks volume of just how special and respected Nip was.
His funeral would be packed as if the entire world came to wish the legend goodbye. It shows the impact his actions had and the movements that he built over his years walking among us.
Nip overcame the streets and all the losses he endured in it to create something no one thought was possible https://youtu.be/GVCNREwfGuM (1:20:21-1:21:16)was breaking barriers and was on his way to achieve so much more in this world, but he never got the chance to view his legacy himself. But his legacy will be realized through each of us, for he showed us that no matter where you’re from or what your past, we’re capable of anything we put our minds to. He taught of unity and breaking the stigma and mentality that so many fall victim to https://youtu.be/XEgPVv_9_W8 (22:35-23:50)There won’t ever be another Nipsey, but there will be many inspired by him. Long Live Ermias Joseph Asghedom, The Prolific Neighborhood Nipsey. The Marathon Continues https://youtu.be/LKtajrJUggU (0:00-1:04) https://youtu.be/NNEpJGVWYfY (4:41-5:26)
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Chad is a professional journalist specializing in Hip-Hop culture and writing music reviews.
