Ermias Asghedom (August 15, 1985 – March 31, 2019), known professionally as Nipsey Hussle (often stylized as Nipsey Hu$$le), was an American rapper and songwriter fromLos Angeles, California. Emerging from theWest Coast hip hop scene in the mid-2000s, Hussle initially became known for his numerous mixtapes, including his Bullets Ain't Got No Name series, The Marathon, The Marathon Continues and Crenshaw, the last of which rapper Jay-Z bought 100 copies of for $100 each.[2] After much delay, his debutstudio album Victory Lap was released in February 2018 to critical acclaim and commercial success,[3][4][5][6] and was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards in 2019.[7]
Hussle was murdered outside his store, Marathon Clothing, in South Los Angeles on March 31, 2019.[8]
Music career
2008–2010: Bullets Ain't Got No Name series
Nipsey Hussle (left) with rapper
Big Sean in 2009
In 2005, Hussle gave his first mixtape, titled Slauson Boy Volume 1, which soon became the name of his own record label.[9] In 2008 Hussle released two mixtapes, Bullets Ain't Got No Name, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2,[10] after signing withCinematic Music Group and Epic Records.[11][12] In 2009, he released his debut single, "Hussle in the House". Later that year, Nipsey released a third mixtape Bullets Ain't Got No Name, Vol. 3. He then collaborated with Drake on the song "Killer",[13] and also appeared, along with Snoop Dogg and Problem[14] on the song "Upside Down",[15]which featured on Snoop Dogg's 2009's album Malice n Wonderland.[16]
In 2010, Hussle appeared on the song "We Are the World 25 for Haiti",[17] and was chosen to be the part as one of the XXL Magazine's "Annual Freshman Top Ten", a selection of ten up-and-coming artists.[18] XXL labeled him "Most Determined" of his class, and LA Weekly called him the "next big L.A. MC".[19][20] 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. While the production was set to be handled from J.R. Rotem, 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. Concurrently, he announced that he plans on releasing a mixtape with a fellow rapper Jay Rock, titled Red and Blue Make Green.[21] Following the release of a music video for "Feelin' Myself", the album was set for a December 21, 2010 release; however, both these projects were eventually postponed indefinitely.[22]
2010–2011: Leaving Epic Records and The Marathon
After going through trouble with Epic Records, Hussle was released from the label in late 2010. After his release, he went on to found his own record label, All Money In.[20][23] On December 21, 2010, he released his first All Money In Records mixtape, titled The Marathon,[24] which features guest appearances from Kokane and MGMT.[25] On November 1, 2011, Hussle released a sequel titled The Marathon Continues, which features L.A. rappers YG and Dom Kennedy.[26]
2012–2019: Crenshaw and Victory Lap
In 2012, it was rumored that Hussle would be signing to Rick Ross's Maybach Music Group(MMG) label.[27] On April 17, 2012, Hussle released a collaborative album with a fellow rapper Blanco, titled Raw. The album features guest appearances from YG, Mistah FAB,Yukmouth, B-Legit, Kokane and Freeway.[28] In May 2012, he released a single "Proud of That", which features guest vocals from Rick Ross.[29] He was also featured on MMG's song "Fountain of Youth", which appears on the label's second album Self Made Vol. 2.[30]The music video was released on October 1, 2012.[31] In December 2012, Hussle hinted more at the signing with Maybach Music Group/Warner Bros. Records, it was but said that he would still be looking for the right label.[32]
Nipsey Hussle (front) performing with
TeeFlii in December 2013
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.[33] He also announced that he was planning on releasing a mixtape with a fellow West Coast rapper and frequent collaborator YG, titled Two of America’s Most Wanted in 2013. It was set to feature Dom Kennedy and DJ Mustard.[34]Hussle performed at the 2013 Paid Dues festival on March 30, 2013 in California.[35] After deciding against signing to a major label, due to a lack of creative freedom, he choose to makeVictory Lap his debut album.[36]
Starting in 2013, he released various songs from Crenshaw, including the 9th Wonder produced track "Face the World", and aThe Futuristics and 1500 or Nothin' produced track "Blessings".[37] On August 6, 2013, Hussle announced that Victory Lap would now be released as an album, rather than a mixtape. He confirmed that the track list and release date would be revealed very soon.[38][39][40]
On September 16, 2013, Hussle announced that he would be releasing his new mixtapeCrenshaw (hosted by DJ Drama), on October 8, 2013.[41] 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, Z-Ro, Skeme and Sade, among others. The production on the mixtape was handled by The Futuristics, 1500 or Nothin', 9th Wonder, Mike Free, Ralo and Jiggy Hendrix, among others. He also released the "Crenshaw" documentary that day in promotion of the mixtape.[42] On October 3, 2013, he released another trailer for the mixtape, also revealing 1,000 hard copies of the mixtape would be sold for $100 each.[43][44] He reportedly sold out all 1,000 copies in less than 24 hours, effectively making 100,000 dollars.[45]
Upon the release of Crenshaw, Hussle said that Victory Lap would be released in 2014.[46]On October 14, 2013, Hussle told Complex that the first single from Victory Lap would be titled, "Rap Niggas" and was ready for release.[36] On November 20, 2013, Hussle confirmed that Victory Lap features the productions from Ralo, 1500 or Nothin', The Futuristiks and DJ Mustard.[47] He later confirmed more producers, including Don Cannonand DJ Khalil on the album.[48] In 2016, he released Famous Lies and Unpopular Truth.[49]He commented on the 2016 US presidential election by releasing the single "FDT" ("FuckDonald Trump") with YG; the song was written about Hussle's positive experiences with Mexican immigrants to the US, whom Trump had criticized.[50][51] On February 16, 2018, Hussle released his debut studio album Victory Lap.[52]
Other ventures
In October 2016, Steve Carless, the head of The Marathon Agency, founded with business partners Karen Civil and Jorge Peniche, revealed to Billboard that Nipsey had invested "like over six figures in the company" and described him as "kind of like our silent partner."[53]
On June 17, 2017, Nipsey inaugurated the "Marathon Clothing" store which he founded along with partners Carless, Civil, and his brother Samiel Asghedom.[54]
Acting career
In 2007, Hussle played a small role in Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's semi-autobiographical filmI 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.[55][56] In 2015, Hussle was featured in The Sexy Getting Ready Song in the pilot episode of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,[57]rapping two bars before abruptly stopping and commenting on Rebecca Bunch (Rachel Bloom)'s long grooming routine as "some nasty-ass patriarchal bullshit. You know what? I gotta go apologize to some bitches. I’m forever changed after what I just seen."[57][58]
Personal life and death
Ermias Asghedom was born on August 15, 1985[59] and raised in the Crenshaw neighborhood of South Los Angeles.[60][61] His father is a refugee from Eritrea to the U.S. who escaped the ongoing war in his homeland and his mother is American. Hussle was anEritrean American.[59][62] [59] Hussle was also a member of the local Rollin 60's Neighborhood Crips gang.[63] His stage name, a play on the name of comic Nipsey Russell, originated as a nickname, given to Asghedom by a friend while in his teens.[64]
Hussle and actress Lauren London began dating in 2013, and their first child was born on August 31, 2016. London has children from a previous relationship with fellow rapper Lil Wayne, while Hussle had a daughter, Emani, from a previous relationship.[65][66][67]
According to police sources, on March 31, 2019, Hussle was shot multiple times in the parking lot of his store, Marathon Clothing, in South Los Angeles at about 3:25 p.m. Hussle was hit five times in the torso and once in the head. Two others were wounded in the shooting.[68][69] All three victims were transported to a hospital, where Hussle was pronounced dead. He was 33 years old.[70] Upon hearing the news, numerous celebrities offered their condolences on social media.[71][72] Sources state that a young black male in his 20s was the shooter, and that he escaped in a vehicle after the shooting. Investigators believe the suspect was known to the rapper, and that the shooting was possibly motivated by a personal matter.[73][74][75][76][77]
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