On March 31, 2019, a rapper, activist, entrepreneur, Nipsey Hussle was taken away from us. To this day people are still remembering and celebrating his life that inspired many people.
Nipsey Hussle’s life was a mix of struggle, care, and success. He tastes his first success after releasing his debut studio album Victory Lap back in 2018. It was such a commercial success that launched his name as one of the best rappers in the world.
Let’s talk about what happened during the memorial service and how Nipsey Hussle’s life bought joy to a lot of people.
Brief history
Nipsey Hussle was born on August 15, 1985. He was a rapper, a businessman, and first of all a son, father, and brother. He dedicated his life to everyone that he was close with and the hood. Aside from releasing hit songs that got him nominated for Best Rap Album in 2019, He was also known for his entrepreneurship.
If you still doubt his entrepreneurial skills, you should know that Hussle’s nickname came from the business side of him. He was always hustling ever since he was a kid. The story is he shined shoes for $2,50 at age 11, and he was determined to shine 100 shoes a day.
From the money that he earned from shining shoes, he started selling mixtapes out of a car trunk at his neighborhood strip mall. He showed his determination and spirit from an early age and used everything that he had to start his career as a rapper.
Being a rapper doesn’t stop him from starting a new business. First, he opened his own record label by experimenting with unorthodox sales techniques. And then he opened his own brand clothing store. To learn more about Nipsey Hussle’s net worth, click here. As his businesses grew before his death – so did his fame.
He built Marathon Clothing Store along with his partners Carless, Karen Civil, and Samiles Asghedom back in 2017. He also started a co-working environment which he called Vector 90. It didn’t stop there, Hussle called the store “smart store”.
He wanted everyone to be familiar with technology, so he gave customers access to many exclusive songs and other content released by rappers via an app. The app was created by Iddris Sandu. He hoped that this does not only make it easier for people to get music but also familiarize them with new technology.
Hussle’s desire to give back to the community didn’t stop or begin with the store. He was focusing on giving inspiration to young black men and positively lead them. He started this act of activism by denouncing gun violence through his music and community work. He actively spoke about his experience with gang violence.
He didn’t glorify gang life. He straight up said that everything related to gang culture is bad and unproductive.
His love for the next generation was very apparent. He regularly participated in the youths’ education, encouraging them to take classes in, technology, mathematics, and science. Another thing that was more involved in was planning and advising the Destination Crenshaw project. The project was about showcasing the history and culture of African Americans in the neighborhood.
His effort was recognized by LAPD. He was contacted by them to arrange a special meeting with him and Roc Nation about preventing gang violence in South Los Angeles.
On March 31, 2019, he was gunned down by a man in front of the Marathon Clothing Store that he owned in the same area. The gunshot wounds were fatal and he was pronounced dead at 3:55 PM. He was only 33 years old.
A Rapper called GBO Gaston or Eric Holder admitted having murdered Hussle on his Instagram account and later was arrested. The police believe that Eric Holder shot Hussle over a personal matter.
The sad news brought tears to a lot of people. Especially people in his neighborhood whom he had loved and cared for. Hussle’s final resting place is at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Southern California.
Hussle’s fame
Hussle sold his mixtapes out of a trunk car for around a decade. During this period, he gained fame among rap peers and purists that started his journey as a rapper. The most famous story would be when he charged $100 for his 2013 mixtape called Crenshaw and Jay-Z bought 100 copies from him.
His talent brought him to compete among other famous rappers. He was nominated for Grammy and his album debuted at 4th on Billboard’s 200 album charts. He also collaborated with Kendrick Lamar and CeeLo Green.
After leaving Epic Records, he created a record label called All Money In. Since then, he has released many albums, including The Marathon Continues (2011), Crenshaw (2013), and Mailbox Money (2014)
He was just as popular among athletes, especially those who are located in LA. Many athletes admired his dedication to this neighborhood, and some are inspired by him to do the same.
‘Nipsey Hussle’s Celebration of Life’ ceremony
This public memorial service was held in LA’s Staples Center. More than 20 thousand people attended the memorial service to pay respect. There were hundreds of letters of condolence sent by those who admired him.
Former President Barack Obama also sent his letter of condolence. In his letter, he stated that even though he had never met Nipsey Hussle, he has heard his music and learned what he has done with his community work. He mentioned how Hussle’s effort at reducing gang violence has improved the safety of his neighborhood.
Other tributes were a eulogy from the minister of Nation of Islam Louis Farrakhan and performances from various artists such as Jhene Aiko, Stevie Wonder, and Marsha Ambrosius. Together they called for ending gun violence and enforcing gun control.
Snoop Dogg recently released a track titled Nipsey Blue to celebrate Hussle’s birthday. In the track, Snoop Dogg sings over Dorothy Moore’s 1976 version of Misty Blue, alongside Dorothy Moore herself.
Before, Snoop Dogg has mentioned how Nipsey Hussle’s death affects many gang members. That after his death people who used to hate each other came together and love each other as friends. But at the same time, he thought that wasn’t enough since some people still can’t get any conversation going.
That’s why Snoop Dogg released this song hoping that this time everyone can stand together and create some positivity and peace.
Closing words
Nipsey Hussle’s life was without a doubt an inspiration for so many people. He showed that with enough determination and effort anyone can do something good in their life. He was born in a poor neighborhood and died a hero. He was someone who brought everyone together.
