Nipsey Hussle

Nipsey Hussle was an American rapper and businessman who mined the dark past of his South Central Los Angeles upbringing in order to bring about positive change to his community, release one of the most acclaimed hip-hop records of the 21st century, and be an advocate against inner city gun violence, all of which made his shooting death at the age of 33 so much more sad and senseless. Born Ermias Joseph Asghedom on August 15, 1985 in Los Angeles, CA, Hussle was raised in the Crenshaw neighborhood of South Central Los Angeles. His mother was African-American, while his father was from the East African state of Eritrea. Hussle was the eldest of three children, and was raised alongside his brother Samiel and his sister Samantha. From a young age, Hussle lived a rough and tumble existence: at age 14, he left home and dropped out of school to join up with the local Rollin 60's Neighborhood Crips, a sub-group of the larger Crips gang who were native to the Crenshaw area. It was during this time that a friend gave him the nickname Nipsey Hussle, a play on words involving the comedian Nipsey Russell, which he would come to use as his stage name. After years of getting into trouble with the law, his father intervened. At age 19, Hussle accompanied his father and brother on a three-month trip to his father's homeland of Eritrea. During this trip, Hussle realized that his life had taken some wrong turns, and he vowed that he would return to his neighborhood to become a community activist, while also pursuing a career as a rapper. In 2005, he released his first mixtape, "Slauson Boy Volume 1" (2005), named after the street he grew up on. It was a moderate hit in his neighborhood, helping Hussle to build a regional fanbase. In 2007, he signed a distribution deal with Cinematic Music Group, and a record deal with Epic Records. Hussle's first release under this new deal was the mixtape "Bullets Ain't Got No Name" (2008), which he followed up with a sequel, "Bullets Ain't Got No Name, Vol II" (2008), just a few months later. The following year he guested on tracks by Drake ("Killer") and Snoop Dogg ("Upside Down), and released the final installment in his mixtape trilogy, "Bullets Ain't Got No Name, Vol. III" (2009). Meanwhile, Hussle was working on his debut album, to be titled "South Central State of Mind," but Epic Records was in flux. By 2010, the label was facing major financial issues, and Hussle decided to walk away from his contract, and shelve the album. From now on, he would release his music through his own record label, All Money In, while still keeping his distribution deal with Cinematic Music Group. Now a free agent, Hussle was featured in XXL Magazine's prestigious "Annual Freshman Top Ten" list, where he was named "Most Determined." His next two mixtapes, "The Marathon" (2010), and "The Marathon Continues" (2011), only brought him more notoriety, and began a tight artistic collaboration with fellow South Central rapper YG, which would continue for the rest of Hussle's career. He next collaborated with Rick Ross on the single "Proud of That" (2012), and featured on the Maybach Music Group single "Fountain of Youth," which appeared on the label's compilation "Self Made Vol. 2" (2012). For his next mixtape, "Crenshaw" (2013), Hussle devised an ambitious plan: in addition to releasing the album for free online and through streaming platforms, he sold an ultra-limited run of 1,000 physical copies of the album for $100 each. In an age where physical media was seen as a mostly extinct medium, it was a bold move, to say the least. Surprisingly, it paid off: not only did all 1,000 sell out in less than 24 hours, the move attracted a lot of attention when Jay-Z, impressed by Hussle's brio, personally bought 100 copies. In essence, "Crenshaw" made Hussle $100,000 in a single day. In 2014, Hussle signed a new distribution deal with Atlantic Records, and announced that his debut album, "Victory Lap," would be out by the end of the year. While this would prove to be wishful thinking, Hussle kept his mixtape game strong, releasing "Mailbox Money" (2014), "Slauson Boy 2" (2016), and "Famous Lies and Unpopular Truths" (2016), over the next two years, while also lending a guest verse to his friend YG's hit anti-Trump anthem "FDT" (you can probably figure out what it stands for). Meanwhile, Hussle was becoming just as well known for his community activism than he was for his music: in 2017, he opened a store for his fashion brand, Marathon Clothing, in the Crenshaw commercial district, hoping to bring new jobs and a cash flow to the area. He also invested large sums of money in after-school programs and scholarships, while speaking out against gun violence. Finally, after years of delays, Hussle's debut album, "Victory Lap" (2018), was released. It garnered high praise from critics, who noted Hussle's dexterous, laid back flow and striking storytelling abilities, and how well they paired up with the album's polished up G-funk sound. "Victory Lap" debuted at number four on the Billboard 200, and would go on to be nominated for Best Rap Album at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards. In early March, Hussle helped broker a meeting between himself, Jay-Z's Roc Nation management company, and LAPD officials to look for solutions in preventing gun violence in South Central Los Angeles. The meeting was set to take place on April 1st, but sadly, just one day before, on March 31st, Hussle was shot six times, five in the torso and one in the head, in the parking lot of the Marathon Clothing store. He and two others were transported to the local hospital, but Hussle succumbed to his wounds at 3:55pm. He was 33 years old, and left behind a partner of six years, actress Lauren London, along with their daughter, his step-daughter, and another daughter from a previous relationship. In the wake of his untimely death, celebrities ranging from Rhianna to Kendrick Lamar publicly paid tribute to Hussle, noting his artistic talents and community activism. YG dedicated his set at that year's Coachella festival to his fallen friend. Hussle's memorial service was held on April 11 at the Staples Center. During the ceremony, a letter of condolence from former president Barack Obama was read, which summed up why Hussle meant so much to so many: "While most folks look at the Crenshaw neighborhood and where he grew up and see only gangs, bullets, and despair, Nipsey saw potential."