Death of Nipsey Hussle

On March 31, 2019, American rapper Nipsey 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. On February 22, 2023, Superior Court Judge H. Clay Jack announced Holder's sentence of 60 years.

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 in Los Angeles, with tickets provided free of charge.

Order of Service
* **Processional** - Victory Lap
* **Scripture** - Minister Reid Rich
* **Scripture** - Pastor Shep Crawford
* **Selection** - Frank Sinatra - My Way
* **Prayer** - Pastor Shep Crawford
* **Performance** - Marsha Ambrosias - Fly Like A Bird
* **Acknowledgement and Resolutions** - Karen Civil

*Words from the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan.*
*National Representation of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad and The Nation Of Islam*

* **Performance** - Anthony Hamilton - Do You Feel Me
* **Scripture** - Father Thomas Uwal
* **Kids Tributes** - Emani Asghedom, Kameron Carter, Khalil Kimble, Kross Asghedom
* **Performance** - Jhene Aiko - Eternal Sunshine
* **Video presentation**

*Family Tributes - Angelique Smith, Samuel Asghedom, Lauren London, Samantha Smith, Dawit Asghedom, Aenon Bowie, Jorge Peniche, Isaiah Thomas, Steven Carless, Keenon Jackosn, Jade Lesley, Shanae Franklin, Margaret Boutte, James Simpson, Snoop Dogg & Big Boy*

REMARKS

* **Obituary** - Adam Anderbrhan
* **Performance** - Stevie Wonder - Rocket Love
* **Eulogy** - Pastor Shep Crawford
* **Parting View** - Nipsey Hussle - Real Big Tribute Video

Former United States president Barack Obama praised the rapper for his work in the community, and wrote an open letter, read aloud by Karen Civil at the service:

>
> Dear Friends and Family of Nipsey: I'd never met Nipsey Hussle, but I'd heard some of his music through my daughters, and after his passing, I had the chance to learn more about his transformation and his community work.
>
>
> While most folks look at the Crenshaw neighborhood where he grew up and see only gangs, bullets, and despair, Nipsey saw potential. He saw hope. He saw a community that, even through its flaws, taught him to always keep going. His choice to invest in that community rather than ignore it -- to build a skills training center and a coworking space in Crenshaw; to lift up the Eritrean-American community; to set an example for young people to follow -- is a legacy worth of celebration. I hope his memory inspires more good work in Crenshaw and communities like it.
>
>
> Michelle and I send our sympathies to Lauren, Emani, Kross, and the entire Asghedom family and to all those who loved Nipsey.
>
>
>
>

Former president of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad 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 25.5-mile (41.0 km) funeral procession to Forest Lawn Memorial Park wound through the streets of South Central L.A. including Watts, where he spent some of his formative years. The Nation of Islam provided security along the route that was "both respectful to the community and in a way that the community respects" according to Melina Abdullah. 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 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. A ceremony dedicating the at-grade light rail station on the K Line to him and the Crenshaw community was held August 6, 2022.

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.[150] 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 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 included "Hussle and Motivate" on her 2020 workout playlist.

On April 2, 2019, NBA 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 from the band Evanescence who is also credited by Ice-T as having co-written the song.

Rapper Snoop Dogg released the tribute song "Nipsey Blue" which is dedicated to Nipsey Hussle in 2020.[160]

Rapper Big Sean announced the song "Deep Reverence" 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 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 to the memory of Nipsey Hussle. At the 2020 Grammy Awards, 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* included a candlelight vigil at Hyde Park 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" in its pilot, and series star Daniel Ezra 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 music video shows Hussle deepfaked on to Lamar's face as he rapped about his legacy following his death.

## References

1. ↑ Yandoli, Krystie (April 11, 2019). "Barack Obama Wrote A Letter Paying Tribute To Nipsey Hussle". *BuzzFeed News*.

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