Airmiess Joseph Asghedom (August 15, 1985 – March 31, 2019), known professionally as Nipsey Hussle (often stylized as Nipsey Hu$$le), was an American rapper, entrepreneur, and activist. Emerging from the West Coast hip hop scene in the mid-2000s, Hussle independently released his debut

mixtape A mixtape (alternatively mix-tape, mix tape or mixed tape) is a compilation of music, typically from multiple sources, recorded onto a medium. With origins in the 1980s, the term normally describes a homemade compilation of music onto a cassette ...

, ''Slauson Boy Volume 1'', to moderate local success, which led to him being signed to

Cinematic Music Group Cinematic Music Group is an American record label, management, publishing & touring company distributed by Geffen Records founded in 2007 by Jonny Shipes. Their roster as of 2020 consists of Joey Bada$$, Pro Era, T-Pain, Smoke DZA, Va$htie, Mic ...

and

Epic Records Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America Sony Corporation of America (SONAM, also known as SCA), is the American arm of the Japanese conglomerate Sony Group ...

. Hussle became known for his numerous mixtapes, including his ''Bullets Ain't Got No Name'' series, '' The Marathon'', '' The Marathon Continues'', and ''

Crenshaw Crenshaw may refer to: Places in the United States *Crenshaw, Los Angeles **Crenshaw High School *Crenshaw County, Alabama *Crenshaw, Mississippi *Crenshaw, Pennsylvania Transportation *Crenshaw Boulevard *Crenshaw station (C Line, Los Angeles Met ...

'', the last of which American rapper

Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...

bought 100 copies for $100 each. After much delay, his debut studio album ''

Victory Lap A victory lap (also lap of honor) is a term used in motorsports to describe an extra lap of the race track after the conclusion of a race. This lap, driven at reduced speed, allows the winning driver to celebrate their victory and gives the sp ...

'' was released in 2018 to critical acclaim and commercial success, and was nominated for the Best Rap Album at the 61st Grammy Awards in 2019. At the

62nd Grammy Awards The 62nd Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held on January 26, 2020, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. It recognized the best recordings, compositions, and artists of the eligibility year, running from October 1, 2018, to August 31, 2019. Ali ...

in 2020, two posthumous Grammy Awards for the songs " Racks in the Middle" and "

Higher Higher may refer to: Music * The Higher, a 2002–2012 American pop rock band Albums * ''Higher'' (Ala Boratyn album) or the title song, 2007 * ''Higher'' (Ezio album) or the title song, 2000 * ''Higher'' (Harem Scarem album) or the title song ...

" were awarded to Hussle in the

Best Rap Performance The Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance is an honor presented to recording artists for quality rap performances. It was first presented at the 31st Annual Grammy Awards in 1989 and again at the 32nd Annual Grammy Awards in 1990, after which p ...

and Best Rap/Sung Performance categories respectively. Outside of music, Hussle inaugurated the Marathon Clothing store, which he founded along with partners Carless, the head of the agency,

Karen Civil Karen Civil (born November 8, 1984) is an American social media and digital media marketing strategist. She gained attention for creating and running Weezythanxyou.com, a website where the rapper Lil Wayne published letters to his fans while he ...

, and his brother Samiel Asghedom in 2017, and started a co-working environment which he named "Vector 90". On March 31, 2019, Hussle was fatally shot outside his store in South Central Los Angeles. Eric Holder, a 29-year-old man who confronted Hussle earlier that day, was arrested and charged with murder two days later. Holder was found guilty of first-degree murder on July 6, 2022.

Early life

Airmiess Joseph Asghedom was born on August 15, 1985, and raised in the

Crenshaw District Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw is a neighborhood in the south region of the city of Los Angeles. It is divided between the upscale, principally home-owning Baldwin Hills residential district to the south and a more concentrated apartment area to the ...

of South Central Los Angeles by his mother Angelique Smith ( Boutte), an African-American woman, and Dawit Asghedom, an Eritrean war refugee who came to the United States after fleeing a then ongoing Eritrean War of Independence. He was raised with his brother Samiel a/k/a Blacc Sam and his sister Samantha. Asghedom attended Alexander Hamilton High School in the nearby Castle Heights neighborhood, and dropped out before graduating. At age 14, Asghedom left home and joined the local Rollin 60's Neighborhood Crips, a sub-group of the larger Crips gang primarily based in his home neighborhood of Crenshaw. In 2002, at the age of 17, Hussle would join Buttervision, a creative multimedia ''Digital Guerrilla'' movement led by Dexter Browne where he would be part of the ''BV Boys Sampler'', ''Beats & Babes Vol. 1'' DVD, and ''Shades of Butter Vol. 1'' DVD. He would also get his name "Nipsey Hussle" there and complete the recording for his debut mixtape ''Slauson Boy Volume 1''. His

stage name A stage name is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. Such professional aliases are adopted for a wide variety of reasons and they may be similar, or nearly identical, to an individu ...

, a play on the name of comedian Nipsey Russell, originated as a nickname given to Asghedom by a childhood acquaintance who respected his work ethic. In 2004, when Asghedom was 19, his father took him and his brother Samiel on a three-month trip to

Eritrea Eritrea ( ; ti, ኤርትራ, Ertra, ; ar, إرتريا, ʾIritriyā), officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa region of Eastern Africa, with its capital and largest city at Asmara. It is bordered by Ethiopia ...

. Asghedom credited the trip with inspiring him to become a

community activist Activism (or Advocacy) consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in social, political, economic or environmental reform with the desire to make changes in society toward a perceived greater good. Forms of activism range fro ...

with an "

entrepreneurial Entrepreneurship is the creation or extraction of economic value. With this definition, entrepreneurship is viewed as change, generally entailing risk beyond what is normally encountered in starting a business, which may include other values th ...

spirit".

Music career

2008–2010: ''Bullets Ain't Got No Name'' series

In December 2005, Hussle independently released his first mixtape, ''Slauson Boy Volume 1'', to moderate local success. His debut project helped to build a small regional fanbase on the west coast, and eventually led to Hussle being signed to

and

.Next Out The West – Nipsey Hussle Interview"
, Written by Diamond Bradley, ''Parlé Mag'', Monday, February 1, 2010// Nipsey Hussle Interview (June 2008) // West Coast News Network
. Dubcnn.com. Retrieved on September 16, 2011.''XXL Magazine'' September 2009 Issue In 2008, Hussle released the first two installments in his ''Bullets Ain't Got No Name'' series of mixtapes, which helped to bring Hussle's music to a larger audience. Big Sean & Nipsey Hussle

Nipsey's profile continued to grow into 2009 when he collaborated with Drake on the song "Killer",// Nipsey Hussle In Store at Regal Tenant
. Dubcnn.com. Retrieved on September 16, 2011. and also appeared, along with

Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...

and

Problem Problem solving is the process of achieving a goal by overcoming obstacles, a frequent part of most activities. Problems in need of solutions range from simple personal tasks (e.g. how to turn on an appliance) to complex issues in business an ...

,>> Snoop Dogg Reveals Tracklisting & Credits For Upcoming Malice N Wonderland Album
. BallerStatus.com. Retrieved on September 16, 2011. on the song "Upside Down", from Snoop Dogg's 2009 album '' Malice n Wonderland''. He released the third installment in ''Bullets Ain't Got No Name'', as well as his commercial debut single, "Hussle in the House". Despite the song, which samples Kris Kross' 1992 single Jump, being well received by critics, it failed to make any impact on the charts. After Epic experienced financial issues in 2010, Nipsey opted not to renew his contract and left the label. Not long after going independent, Hussle appeared on the song " We Are the World 25 for Haiti",>> Nipsey Hussle, The Making of "We Are the World 2010"
. XXLmag.com (February 4, 2010). Retrieved on September 16, 2011. and was featured by '' XXL Magazine'' as one of its "Annual Freshman Top Ten", a selection of ten up-and-coming hip-hop artists to watch.>> XXcLusive: XXL's 10 Freshmen for '10 Cover Revealed
. XXLmag.com (March 1, 2010). Retrieved on September 16, 2011. XXL labeled him "Most Determined" of his class, and ''LA Weekly'' called him the "next big L.A. MC". Hussle was expected to release his debut album, ''South Central State of Mind,'' in October 2010. Prior to release, the album was supported by the single " Feelin' Myself" featuring

Lloyd Lloyd, Lloyd's, or Lloyds may refer to: People * Lloyd (name), a variation of the Welsh word ' or ', which means "grey" or "brown" ** List of people with given name Lloyd ** List of people with surname Lloyd * Lloyd (singer) (born 1986), American ...

. While the production was set to be handled from

J.R. Rotem Jonathan Reuven Rotem is a South African-born record producer, songwriter and music publisher. Biography Early life Rotem was born in South Africa to Jewish Israeli people, Israeli immigrant parents. He moved to Canada at the age of two an ...

, Scott Storch, Mr. Lee, Play-N-Skillz, Terrace Martin, and 1500 or Nothin', the album was set to be featured with the guest appearances from Trey Songz, Jay Rock, and

Sean Kingston Kisean Paul Anderson (born February 3, 1990), better known by his stage name Sean Kingston, is an American-Jamaican singer and rapper. He is known for his hit songs " Beautiful Girls", "Fire Burning", " Take You There", and his collaboration wit ...

. Concurrently, he announced that he planned on releasing a mixtape with fellow rapper Jay Rock, titled ''Red and Blue Make Green''. Following the release of a music video for "Feelin' Myself", the album was set for a December 21, 2010 release; however, both of these projects were eventually postponed indefinitely.

2010–2013: Leaving Epic Records and ''The Marathon'' series

After leaving Epic, Nipsey founded his own record label, All Money In Records On December 21, 2010, he released his first ''All Money In Records'' mixtape, titled '' The Marathon'', which featured guest appearances from Kokane and

MGMT MGMT () is an American indie rock band formed in 2002 in Middletown, Connecticut. It was founded by multi-instrumentalists Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser. Alongside VanWyngarden and Goldwasser, MGMT's live lineup currently consists of ...

. On November 1, 2011, Hussle released a sequel titled '' The Marathon Continues'', which featured L.A. rappers YG and Dom Kennedy. On April 17, 2012, Hussle released a collaborative album with fellow rapper Blanco, ''Raw''. The album featured guest appearances from YG, Mistah FAB, Yukmouth, B-Legit, Kokane and Freeway. In May 2012, Nipsey released a single titled ''Proud of That'', marking his first collaboration with Florida rapper

Rick Ross William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), known professionally as Rick Ross, is an American rapper. Prior to releasing his debut single, "Hustlin'", in 2006, Ross was the subject of a bidding war, receiving offers from Sean Combs, D ...

. Nipsey was subsequently featured on Ross'

Maybach Music Group Maybach Music Group (; abbreviated MMG) is a record label imprint founded by American rapper Rick Ross. Maybach Music Group albums are distributed by Atlantic Records, a division of the Atlantic Records Group. Atlantic took over distribution fo ...

's song "Fountain of Youth", which appears on the label's second album ''

Self Made Vol. 2 ''Self Made Vol. 2'' is the second compilation album by MMG. The album was released on June 26, 2012, by Maybach Music Group, Warner Bros. Records and Def Jam Recordings. Like the previous album, ''Self Made Vol. 2'' features contributions from ...

''. The music video was released on October 1, 2012. Rumours began to circulate that Nipsey would sign with MMG, and in December 2012, Hussle himself hinted at signing, however, he also said that he was still looking for the right label. Hussle said that he would be releasing his third and final installment of ''The Marathon'' mixtape series with ''TM3: Victory Lap'' in 2013, after it was pushed back from its initial December 2012 release date. He also announced that he was planning on releasing a joint mixtape with fellow West Coast rapper and frequent collaborator YG. Hussle performed at the 2013 Paid Dues festival on March 30, 2013, in California. After deciding against signing to a major label, due to a lack of creative freedom, he choose to make ''Victory Lap'' his debut album.

2013–2019: ''Crenshaw'' and ''Victory Lap''

Beginning in 2013, he released various songs from his upcoming mixtape ''

'', including the

9th Wonder Patrick Denard Douthit (born January 15, 1975),
better known as 9th Wonder, is a The Futuristics, Futuristics and 1500 or Nothin'–produced track "Blessings". On August 6, 2013, Hussle announced that ''Victory Lap'' would be released as an album, rather than a mixtape. Prior to the release of ''Victory Lap'', Hussle announced on September 16, 2013, that he would be releasing a new mixtape, ''Crenshaw'' (hosted by DJ Drama), on October 8, 2013. On September 24, 2013, he revealed the track list for ''Crenshaw'', which contained guest appearances from Rick Ross, Dom Kennedy, Slim Thug,

James Fauntleroy II James Edward Fauntleroy II (born May 16, 1984) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer from Inglewood, California. He is best known for writing credits on tracks by high-profile artists such as Travis Scott, Frank Ocean, Kendrick ...

, Z-Ro, Skeme, and

Sade Sade may refer to: People * Marquis de Sade (1740–1814), French aristocrat, writer, and libertine * Sade (singer) (born 1959, Helen Folasade Adu), British Nigerian musician and lead singer of the eponymous band * Sade Baderinwa (born 1969), WAB ...

, among others. The production on the mixtape was handled by the Futuristics, 1500 or Nothin',

9th Wonder Patrick Denard Douthit (born January 15, 1975),
better known as 9th Wonder, is a Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...

personally bought 100 copies. He reportedly sold out all 1,000 copies in less than 24 hours, effectively making $100,000. Upon the release of ''Crenshaw'', Hussle said that ''Victory Lap'' would be released in 2014. On November 20, 2013, Hussle confirmed that ''Victory Lap'' would feature production from Ralo, 1500 or Nothin', the Futuristiks and DJ Mustard. He later confirmed more producers, including Don Cannon and DJ Khalil on the album. After the year went by with no new releases, Hussle released a new mixtape, '' Mailbox Money'' on New Year's Eve 2014, again releasing 1000 hard copies for $100 each. Hussle made a number of guest appearances throughout 2015 and 2016, working with Jadakiss, Trae Tha Truth, and YG. In 2016, he released another mixtape, titled ''Famous Lies and Unpopular Truth''. He commented on the

2016 US presidential election The 2016 United States presidential election was the 58th quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 8, 2016. The Republican ticket of businessman Donald Trump and Indiana governor Mike Pence defeated the Democratic ticket ...

by releasing the single " FDT" ("Fuck Donald Trump") with YG; the song was written about Hussle's positive experiences with Mexican immigrants in the United States, whom Trump had criticized. After numerous delays, Hussle's debut studio album, ''

'', was released on February 16, 2018, debuting at number 4 on the ''Billboard'' 200, selling 53,000 album equivalent units in its first week. The album was met with universal acclaim from critics, and numerous songs entered the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, including " Double Up", "

Last Time That I Checc'd "Last Time That I Checc'd" is a song by American rapper Nipsey Hussle, released on January 19, 2018 as the second single from his album ''Victory Lap'' (2018). It features a verse from fellow California rapper YG, and is Nipsey's first song to c ...

" and "

Dedication Dedication is the act of consecrating an altar, temple, church, or other sacred building. Feast of Dedication The Feast of Dedication, today Hanukkah, once also called "Feast of the Maccabees," is a Jewish festival observed for eight days fr ...

", marking Hussle's debut on the chart as a lead artist. ''Victory Lap'' was nominated for a Best Rap Album at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards in 2019, but lost to

Cardi B Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar Cephus (, ; born October 11, 1992), known professionally as Cardi B, is an American rapper and songwriter. She first gained popularity as an influencer on Vine and Instagram. From 2015 to early 2017, she appeared as ...

's '' Invasion of Privacy''. Over 1 year after its release, the album reached a new peak of number 2 on the ''Billboard'' 200 in April 2019 after Hussle's murder on March 31. His single " Racks in the Middle" featuring Roddy Ricch and Hit-Boy debuted at number 44 on the Hot 100, following his death. The song later peaked at number 26.

Business ventures

Hussle's nickname came from his entrepreneurial spirit. He shined shoes for $2.50 to pay for school clothes at age 11 with a goal of a hundred shoes a day. Hussle sold his mixtapes out of a car trunk at a neighborhood strip mall at the intersection of Slauson Avenue and Crenshaw Boulevard. After leaving Epic Records, he founded his own record label. Hussle experimented with unorthodox sales strategies by selling expensive copies of certain mixtapes even while the songs were distributed for free. Hussle's Marathon branding inspired Steve Carless in 2013 when he founded Marathon Agency with business partners

and Jorge Peniche. They designed the talent-based brand to attract a diverse set of clients in all stages of their careers. In October 2016, Carless, the head of the agency, told ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'' that Hussle had invested "like over six figures" in the Marathon Agency and described him as "kind of like our silent partner". Hussle opened the Marathon Clothing store on June 17, 2017, which he founded along with partners Carless, Civil, and his brother Samiel Asghedom. Opening the store at this intersection in the Crenshaw commercial district was important to him because he wanted to invest and provide opportunities in his neighborhood of

Hyde Park Hyde Park may refer to: Places England * Hyde Park, London, a Royal Park in Central London * Hyde Park, Leeds, an inner-city area of north-west Leeds * Hyde Park, Sheffield, district of Sheffield * Hyde Park, in Hyde, Greater Manchester Austra ...

. The store is billed as a "smart store", which bridges the gap between culture and technology by giving customers access to exclusive music and other content created by rappers through an

app App, Apps or APP may refer to: Computing * Application software * Mobile app, software designed to run on smartphones and other mobile devices * Web application or web app, software designed to run inside a web browser * Adjusted Peak Performan ...

created by software engineer Iddris Sandu. The year before his death, Hussle bought the small shopping center where his store was located, after partnering with the real estate investor David Gross.

All Money In

Hussle created the record label All Money In after leaving Epic Records. He released his first major project, ''The Marathon'', through the new label on December 21, 2010. He released subsequent projects under his label, including ''The Marathon Continues'' (2011), ''Crenshaw'' (2013), and ''Mailbox Money'' (2014). He also signed other artists, including J Stone, Pacman Da Gunman, BH, Cobby Supreme, Cuzzy Capone and Killa Twan. ;Releases * '' The Marathon'' – Nipsey Hussle (2010) * '' The Marathon Continues'' – Nipsey Hussle (2011) * ''

'' – Nipsey Hussle (2013) * ''The Coldest Story Ever'' – J Stone (2013) * '' Mailbox Money'' – Nipsey Hussle (2014) * ''25/8 No Breaks'' – J Stone (2014) * ''Boyz N Tha Hood'' – BH (2015) * ''

Slauson Boy 2 ''Slauson Boy 2'' is the tenth mixtape by American rapper Nipsey Hussle, and the final commercial mixtape to be released during his lifetime. It was released on his thirty-first birthday, on August 15, 2016, as a free digital download via mixtape ...

'' – Nipsey Hussle (2016) * ''Neighborhood Watch'' – J Stone (2016) * ''Written Stone'' – J Stone (2016) * ''Optimistic'' – Pacman Da Gunman (2016) * ''Stoney Montana'' – J Stone (2017) * ''Optimistic 2'' – Pacman Da Gunman (2016) * ''No Pressure'' – Nipsey Hussle & Bino Rideaux (2017) * ''

'' – Nipsey Hussle (2018) * ''Stone Cold'' – J Stone (2018) * ''No Guts No Glory'' – Pacman Da Gunman (2019) * ''The Definition of Loyalty'' – J Stone (2019) * ''60TH ST'' – Pacman Da Gunman (2019) * ''Ground Zero'' – J Stone & Pacman Da Gunman (2020) * ''Esta Loca Vida Mia'' – Pacman Da Gunman (2020) * ''The Blueprint'' – BH (2020) * ''The Definition of Pain'' – J Stone (2020) * ''Stoney Montana 2'' – J Stone (2021) * ''Stoney Montana 3'' – J Stone (2021) * ''6325'' - Pacman Da Gunman (2021) * ''Bulletproof Soul'' - Pacman Da Gunman (2022) * ''The Definition of Sacrifice'' – J Stone (2022)

Acting

In 2007, Hussle played a small role in Bone Thugs-n-Harmony's semi-autobiographical film ''I Tried'', which was directed by Rich Newey. In 2010, he starred in the film ''Caged Animal'', alongside Ving Rhames, Gillie Da Kid and

Robert Patrick Robert Hammond Patrick (born November 5, 1958) is an American actor. Known for portraying villains and honorable authority figures, he is a Saturn Award winner with four other nominations. Patrick dropped out of college when drama class sparked ...

. In 2015, Hussle was featured in a cameo "The Sexy Getting Ready Song" in the pilot episode of ''

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend ''Crazy Ex-Girlfriend'' is an American romantic musical comedy-drama television series that premiered on October 12, 2015, on The CW and ran for four seasons, ending on April 5, 2019. The series was created, written, and directed by Rachel Bloo ...

'', rapping two bars.

Community activism

Hussle wanted to focus on "giving solutions and inspiration" to young black men like him. He denounced gun violence through his music, influence, and community work. He spoke openly about his experiences with gang culture. Affiliated with the Rollin' 60s, he often performed and worked with rival Bloods-affiliated rappers to set an example. He funded improvements to neighborhood schools and spent time with students, also participating on panels about growing up in the area and the influence of gang culture. Hussle started a co-working environment which he named Vector 90. From his own experience, he believed that the Crenshaw area was being underserved and that young people would benefit from communal workspaces. He wanted youths to be able to take classes in science, technology, and mathematics at the center. Hussle was also intimately involved in the planning and advisory stages of the Destination Crenshaw project that will showcase the history and culture of blacks in his neighborhood. City Council member

Marqueece Harris-Dawson Marqueece Harris-Dawson (born November 7, 1970) is an American politician, who currently represents Los Angeles City Council District 8, the 8th district of the Los Angeles City Council since 2015. Early life and education Harris-Dawson was bor ...

said Hussle was in the earliest conversations on the project and was an integral part of the project's branding. In March 2019, Hussle had contacted officials from the LAPD to arrange a meeting with him and Roc Nation about what they could do to help prevent

gang violence A gang is a group or society of associates, friends or members of a family with a defined leadership and internal organization that identifies with or claims control over territory in a community and engages, either individually or collectivel ...

in South Los Angeles. The meeting had been scheduled to take place on April 1. Hussle was murdered on March 31. According to Los Angeles Police Commissioner Steve Soboroff, department officials will meet with Hussle's representatives at a future date on these issues to continue the activist's work in his honor.

Personal life

Hussle and actress Lauren London began dating in 2013. They had a son together in 2016. London has a child from a previous relationship with fellow rapper Lil Wayne, while Hussle had a daughter from a previous relationship. He remained very involved in South Los Angeles with his businesses, charitable activities, and the homes of family and friends. The locations for a magazine shoot were in the neighborhood.

Death

On March 31, 2019, Hussle was shot at least 10 times in the parking lot of his store, Marathon Clothing, in South Central Los Angeles at 3:18 p.m. The perpetrator also kicked Hussle in the head. Two others were wounded in the shooting. All three victims were transported to a hospital, where Hussle was pronounced dead at 3:55 p.m. He was 33 years old. Police identified then-29-year-old Eric Ronald Holder Jr. as the suspect. Investigators believed Holder was known to the rapper and that the shooting was possibly motivated by a personal matter. On April 2, 2019, Holder was arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department and was being held in solitary confinement. On May 9, a grand jury indicted Holder on one count of murder, two counts each of attempted murder and assault with a firearm, and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. After a couple of postponements, the trial got underway in mid-June, 2022. Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney John McKinney served as the case’s prosecutor, while Aaron Jansen served as head of the defense. Holder's attorneys argued that he did not intend to kill Hussle but had acted in the heat of the moment. McKinney argued, “He thought about it and he did it. That’s all premeditated means. It doesn’t mean he planned it for weeks.” Testimony at the trial established that, immediately before Holder shot Hussle, the two men argued over a rumor that Holder had cooperated with law enforcement in an unrelated matter. On July 6, 2022, Holder was found guilty of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted voluntary manslaughter relating to injuries he caused to bystanders. Hussle's brother, Samiel Asghedom, was appointed the permanent administrator of Hussle's estate.

Memorials

Upon hearing the news of his death, numerous celebrities offered their condolences on social media. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti also offered his condolences to Hussle's family. Hussle's memorial service was held on April 11 at the

Staples Center Crypto.com Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Downtown Los Angeles. Adjacent to the L.A. Live development, it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along Figueroa Street. The arena opened on October 17, 1999; it was ...

in Los Angeles, with tickets provided free of charge. Former president Barack Obama praised the rapper for his work in the community, writing in a tribute, "While most folks look at the Crenshaw neighborhood where he grew up and see only gangs, bullets, and despair, Nipsey saw potential". Former president of Iran

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ( fa, محمود احمدی‌نژاد, Mahmūd Ahmadīnežād ), born Mahmoud Sabbaghian ( fa, محمود صباغیان, Mahmoud Sabbāghyān, 28 October 1956),

paid homage to the late rapper on his official Twitter profile. The conservative politician quoted Hussle's lyrics in a tweet reading "How can one take someone's life so easily? 'Baby Don't Cry Gotta Keep Your Head Up Even when The Road is Hard Never Give Up'". The funeral procession to Forest Lawn Memorial Park wound through the streets of South Central L.A. including

Watts Watts is plural for ''watt'', the unit of power. Watts may also refer to: People *Watts (surname), list of people with the surname Watts Fictional characters *Watts, main character in the film '' Some Kind of Wonderful'' *Watts family, six chara ...

, where he spent some of his formative years. Mourners gathered at the Watts Towers along the route. The crowds lining the streets demonstrated the impact he had on this community. Gang leaders saw how Hussle resonated with young gang members and used the opportunity to curtail violence in their own ranks. A cross-section of gangs marched together at a memorial for Hussle and later held summits between L.A. and Compton. Largely confined to black gangs, they agreed to stay away from each other's territory and stop shooting at people. The peacemaking, which was a cease fire and not a truce, included hundreds of gangs similar to the truces of 1992.

Remembrance and tributes

A petition was started to rename the intersection of Slauson Avenue and

Crenshaw Boulevard Crenshaw Boulevard is a north-south thoroughfare in Los Angeles, California, that runs through Crenshaw and other neighborhoods along a 23-mile (37.76 km) route in the west-central part of the city. The street extends between Wilshire Boulevar ...

near Hussle's store Marathon Clothing to "Nipsey Hussle Square". On the day of his funeral, the council announced it was set to be renamed Ermias "Nipsey Hussle" Asghedom Square to honor him and his contributions to the neighborhood. There has also been a push from the community to name the nearby Hyde Park station after him, according to

Metro Metro, short for metropolitan, may refer to: Geography * Metro (city), a city in Indonesia * A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center Public transport * Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urba ...

. A ceremony dedicating the at-grade light rail station on the K Line to him and the Crenshaw community was held August 6, 2022. NipseyHussleMuralGraffitiAlleyToronto

There was a strong artistic response to Nipsey Hussle's death. Within a few months, over 50 murals dedicated to the rapper were painted in the City of Los Angeles. One mural is in an alley near the strip mall where he was killed. Hussle's store has remained closed since his death. Hussle was honored with a star in the recording category of the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Californ ...

in front of Amoeba Music on August 15, 2022, the 37th anniversary of his birth. Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson proclaimed the day Nipsey Hussle Day and handed the framed proclamation to Hussle’s grandmother, Margaret Smith, who stood with Hussle’s sister, Samantha, and his father, Dawit Asghedom. Inspired by the books that Hussle mentioned in interviews, songs and motivational messages, local chapters of the Marathon Book Club have formed. The list includes self-help bestsellers, cult classics and little-known books by black authors.

Michelle Obama Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama (born January 17, 1964) is an American attorney and author who served as first lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017. She was the first African-American woman to serve in this position. She is married t ...

included "Hussle and Motivate" on her 2020 workout playlist. On April 2, 2019,

NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...

player Russell Westbrook notched the second 20-20-20 game in NBA history in honor of Hussle. On March 6, 2020, metal band Body Count released their seventh studio album titled ''Carnivore''. The album features a song titled "When I'm Gone", which was written for Nipsey Hussle by the band's singer and rapper Ice-T. The song features a spoken introductory part in which Ice-T says of Hussle, "the outcry of love and support after his death was incredible, but it inspired me to write this song." The song also features guest vocalist

Amy Lee Amy Lynn Hartzler (; born December 13, 1981) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She is the co-founder, lead vocalist, and lead songwriter of the rock band Evanescence. Alongside her contributions with the band, Lee has also particip ...

from the band Evanescence who is also credited by Ice-T as having co-written the song. Rapper

released the tribute song "Nipsey Blue" which is dedicated to Nipsey Hussle in 2020. Rapper Big Sean announced the song "

Deep Reverence "Deep Reverence" is a song by American rapper Big Sean featuring American rapper Nipsey Hussle. It was released on August 25, 2020, as the lead single from Sean's fifth studio album ''Detroit 2'' (2020). Produced by Hit-Boy and G. Ry, the song fi ...

" in honor of Nipsey Hussle. The track was released in August 2020 and features Nipsey Hussle. The music video was released in March 2021.

Puma Puma or PUMA may refer to: Animals * ''Puma'' (genus), a genus in the family Felidae ** Puma (species) or cougar, a large cat Businesses and organisations * Puma (brand), a multinational shoe and sportswear company * Puma Energy, a mid- and d ...

released the Marathon Clothing collection in September 2019 with 100% of net proceeds to the Neighborhood 'Nip' Foundation. The AMB store opened in September 2019 on Crenshaw Boulevard. This is another clothing company founded by Hussle with Cobby Supreme who was one of his best friends and an artist. Hussle's longtime friend and collaborator YG dedicated his performance at the 2019

Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (commonly called the Coachella Festival or simply Coachella) is an annual music and arts festival held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, in the Coachella Valley in the Colorado Desert. ...

to the memory of Nipsey Hussle. At the

2020 Grammy Awards The 62nd Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held on January 26, 2020, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. It recognized the best recordings, compositions, and artists of the eligibility year, running from October 1, 2018, to August 31, 2019. Ali ...

, DJ Khaled, Kirk Franklin, John Legend, Meek Mill, Roddy Ricch, and YG all gave tribute to Hussle in honor of his legacy. The season 2 premiere of The CW series ''

All American The designation All American often refers to the hyphenated term All-American, a noun or adjective denoting players selected for an All-America sports team. Of an individual, all-American may mean that the person (often male) expresses the qualiti ...

'' included a candlelight

vigil A vigil, from the Latin ''vigilia'' meaning ''wakefulness'' (Greek: ''pannychis'', or ''agrypnia'' ), is a period of purposeful sleeplessness, an occasion for devotional watching, or an observance. The Italian word ''vigilia'' has become genera ...

with a eulogy by the character Flip Williams (played by Lahmard Tate). Tattoo artist Keenan Chapman painted a mural just for the episode. The series included "

Grinding All My Life "Grinding All My Life" is a song by American rapper Nipsey Hussle, released on February 16, 2018 from his only studio album ''Victory Lap'' (2018). It was produced by Murda Beatz. Background In an interview with '' NPR'', Nipsey Hussle explained ...

" in its pilot, and series star

Daniel Ezra Daniel Ezra (born 15 December 1991) is a British actor best known for his role as Spencer James on '' All American''. He is Early life Ezra was born in Birmingham, England. Both his paternal and maternal grandparents were from Jamaica. Growin ...

was a fan. Characters from the series wore clothes from the Marathon store. Hussle had planned to appear in the season 1 finale but had "scheduling conflicts". A documentary on Nipsey Hussle is in development at Netflix, and is set to be co-produced and directed by Ava DuVernay. Rapper Kendrick Lamar paid tribute to Nipsey Hussle on the single "

The Heart Part 5 "The Heart Part 5" is a song by American rapper Kendrick Lamar. It was surprise released on May 8, 2022, through pgLang, Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records, as a promotional single to help anticipate the rel ...

". The music video shows Hussle deepfaked on to Lamar's face as he rapped about his legacy following his death.

Discography

* ''

'' (2018)

Filmography

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hussle, Nipsey 1985 births 2019 deaths 2019 murders in the United States 21st-century American male musicians 21st-century American rappers Activists from California African-American activists African-American male rappers African-American songwriters American male rappers American male songwriters American murder victims American people of Eritrean descent Atlantic Records artists Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) Crips Deaths by firearm in California Epic Records artists Gangsta rappers Grammy Award winners for rap music Male murder victims Murdered African-American people People from Crenshaw, Los Angeles People murdered in California People murdered in Los Angeles Rappers from California Rappers from Los Angeles Songwriters from California West Coast hip hop musicians