On Sunday, March 31, rapper Nipsey Hussle was shot and killed in front of one of his Marathon Clothing stores in South Los Angeles. Two other victims were wounded in the crime. Hussle, only 33 years old, was an up and coming rapper whose album, “Victory Lap” was nominated earlier this year for a Grammy for Best Rap Album, competing with the likes of Cardi B and Travis Scott.
The gunman, known as Eric Holder, was caught and charged with murder, but pleads not guilty. It’s alleged that Holder had gotten in an argument with the late rapper earlier that day and came back to kill him later that afternoon. Holder himself is an aspiring rapper, who was also part of a gang. The woman who drove the getaway car turned herself in, but has not been arrested and is cooperating with the police.
Many of those from the music industry came out in droves to express their grief over the musician’s untimely passing.
Rihanna tweeted “This doesn’t make any sense…may his spirit Rest In Peace and may you grant divine to all his loved ones!” Rapper Cardi B commented on Instagram “What a sad day. RIP to a real stand up guy!” Hussle’s girlfriend, Actress Lauren London, spoke out for the first time on Tuesday on Instagram stating that she feels “lost” without her longtime boyfriend. Hussle left behind a two year old son who he had with London, named Kross Asghedom.
Hussle planned on doing big things in his neighborhood of South Central. He wanted to open a museum celebrating the African-American community in South L.A. He also wanted to open a STEM program in Crenshaw for young black people interested in the field. The rapper’s whole goal was to buy back the hood in order to get “the neighborhood that we deserve.”