LONG LIVE NIPSEY HUSSLE...The Marathon Continues...

THA GREAT Nipsey Hussle
(August 15, 1985 - March 31, 2019) 
Credit to Twitter user @ciindyma all rights, ownership etc (pertaining to the picture above) belong to her.

On Sunday, March 31st, 2019 at approximately 3:20 PM...Nipsey Hussle was shot in front of his Marathon clothing store off the intersection of Crenshaw Boulevard and Slauson Avenue.

35 minutes later at 3:55 P.M. Nipsey Hussle was pronounced dead at the California Hospital Medical Center...

The late Nipsey Hussle in the music video for the song "Double Up" off the only studio album released during his lifetime titled "Victory Lap"

The Marathon clothing store was one of the many businesses that Nipsey and his associates owned in order to provide jobs and opportunity to the local community of South Los Angeles. Photo Credit: LA Leakers

When I first heard of Ermias Joseph Asghedom or "Nipsey Hussle" I was attending View Park Prep high school that funnily enough, was also located at the intersection of Crenshaw and Slauson. 

I was a high school senior at the time and I was sitting in what I only can remember as a study type period, so basically, it was the "mess around" period. 

I was talking with a classmate, Sidney was his name, and we were discussing Nipsey's idea to sell his 2013 mixtape titled "Crenshaw" for $100 before putting it on mixtape websites to be downloaded for free. 

We were commenting on how Jay Z bought copies of his albums...and that conversation quickly devolved into a Jay Z slander contest but that's neither here nor there. 

The point is Nipsey really had an impact on the community in the Crenshaw district that he so proudly represented worldwide, he even had a clothing brand that helped popularize the boulevard.

The now famous Crenshaw clothing brand that was one of the main clothing brands sold in Nipsey Hussle's Marathon Clothing store. Photo Credit: The Hundreds

I remember being on Instagram in 2013 and seeing endless pictures of people from my high school taking pictures with Nipsey Hussle at the Fatburger that was also located at (you guessed it) the intersection of Crenshaw and Slauson.

Now, I'm going to be honest. I wasn't the biggest fan of his in a musical sense. However, what I was a fan of was his community involvement and his leadership in said community.

Since I've graduated from View Park Prep High School I've kept tabs on Nipsey Hussle and his various business ventures and community activities. 

I remember reading about Nipsey opening up a working space for creatives and a STEM center for students in the Crenshaw district.

I remember when his long awaited album "Victory Lap" dropped and seeing advertisements for it on actual billboards. 

An example of the Billboards that I saw around Los Angeles advertising "Victory Lap" by Nipsey Hussle

I remember hearing about (and later reading about) Nipsey's $100 mixtape that Jay Z ended up buying 10 copies of simply because he respected Nipsey's business savviness so much (although Jay Z should've also threw Nipsey a verse for him to use but that's just the selfish rap fan coming out of me again).

I remember when the kids would sometime bring up his name in high school, and they would comment on how he would always be at the shell gas station or the Fatburger across the street from the school. 

I remember when his album "Victory Lap" was nominated for a grammy for "Best Rap album" at the 61st annual grammy awards.

Nipsey's nomination for his debut album "Victory Lap" Photo Credit: The Recording Academy

As per Thefreedictionary.com: A Victory Lap or a Lap of Honor is defined as "a lap by the winning person or team run to celebrate the victory"...which is very poetic in a beautifully tragic way. 

Being that "Victory Lap" is the last project he released in his lifetime...and was also the conclusion of his Marathon series... 

I remember seeing Nipsey perform live at the BET experience concert series last year (ironically enough, the BET concert experience was also at the Staples Center...the same place where his memorial is being held today).

He had a live backing band and would motivate the L.A. crowd with words of encouragement, letting them know that they too can achieve their dreams but to also never forget where they came from, much like he did.

I'm disappointed that I did not take any pictures or videos of Nipsey's performance but I am also super grateful and blessed that I was able to witness the man perform live in his own city while he was still here with us.

The funny part is...I didn't know any lyrics to the songs he was performing but I stood at attention during his entire performance (most people were sitting down, this was at the Staples Center) but I stood up and honestly, at the time, I had no idea why.

I think, in hindsight, I subconsciously respected this man so much that it's like I stood up to pay my respects early. It's crazy to think about but when I try to search for any cell phone recorded video performances from that day...it's impossible to find.

This is because Nipsey also slapped some guy during the BET awards weekend. 

You have to remember, although he was a business savvy, hardworking entrepreneur, he was also from the streets and sometimes, the business side comes out and other times...the street side comes out...

"Don't mess with the bull, young man. You'll get the horns." - Richard Vernon

Nipsey was a stand up dude, which is something you have to be to not only survive in the streets but to also be respected in the streets. And Nipsey was about as stand up as they come. He was very respectful and humble. 

However, he also stood his ground when needed and expected to be respected back.

Take for example this now celebrated post from Nipsey's instagram account.

The headphone man really sat there and finished his crossword puzzle 😂😂😂Photo Credit: Nipsey Hussle (RIP)

In addition to being an entrepreneur, businessman, rapper, stand up dude and all around real n*gga, Nipsey also dabbled in acting, yes, acting.

Check out this clip below from the CW show "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" to see even more of this man's many abilities.

"I realize now, that metal conducts heat, and that was probably a very uncomfortable experience" 😂

Nipsey was one of the few who not only talked the talk, but also walked the walk as well. He wasn't one of these rappers that always preach that "we as a people need to do better" but he was actually making it so people have the opportunity to do better.

Before his untimely death, Nipsey had actually owned all of the buildings at 3420 West Slauson Avenue.

This met not only prioritizing who to give jobs to in the community, but it also meant the prevention of complete gentrification that is currently happening in Los Angeles. 

Yet another reason as to why his passing is so tragic. 

Nipsey announcing in February (of 2019) that he and his partners are now the owners of all the buildings at 3420 W Slauson Ave. Thus, making them owners of that entire plaza. Photo Credit: Me

The plaza pictured above that Nipsey was talking about. Photo Credit: Google Maps

Check out this mini documentary on the origins of how Nipsey Hussle eventually came to own his own little strip mall at the intersection of Crenshaw and Slauson.

Above all though, Nipsey was a man of the people, and a leader of the community of Los Angeles. 

He would do incredibly kind gestures for complete strangers, those strangers were often people who were overlooked in our society. 

He would provide job opportunities for people with criminal records. 

Or simply offer snacks to people working regular blue collar jobs like fixing street lights...

Please check out this short story to get a bigger picture of why Nipsey's death has the city of L.A. in a mournful state. 

He looked out for the guy no one really looks out for...do you understand how amazing that is? Photo Credit: ModoCrack

"No one has ever been so kind to him on his job" is what tore through my soul.

These are the people who without them we wouldn't be able to live in the civilization that we all take for granted.

And yet, they are rarely ever thanked, acknowledged, or even noticed until a tragedy happens like XYZ amount of workers die, strike or quit due to XYZ reason.

Yet NIPSEY had enough empathy in his heart, despite coming from the cutthroat streets of Los Angeles, to be kind to somebody who only knew him as a store owner and nothing else.

I'm getting emotional just typing this...man...

The tributes for Nipsey are endless. Every rapper, entertainer or person in general who even just knew of Nipsey is paying respects...check out this music video called "Condolences" for just one of MANY tributes which pay homage to the late great Crenshaw legend.

At the time I am writing this, the date is April 11th, 2019. 

Today is supposed to be the day the people of Los Angeles, and well, the world, use their emotions to come to a sense of closure.

A sense of release, a feeling of catharsis. Letting go of the hurt...but keeping the memory alive.

"The Marathon" has a much more meaningful context behind it now and Nipsey (thankfully) during his lifetime, shared a few tips on the "Hussle" and what to look out for when conducting business.

Here are a few tips on business shared by the late man himself:

Photo Credit: @Keziamw

Nipsey being accessible is what made people love him. An L.A. rapper, actually from L.A. who was actually living his day-to-day life in L.A., which sounds like it should be common but it's not. 

Many rappers move out after they "make it" but not Nipsey. 

He could've made his fortune and said "Alright guys, it's been real but I'm out, peace, hopefully y'all can make it out too" but no. 

He refused to take that path and instead decided he wanted more,

More for the kids at places like View Park Prep High School

More for the maintenance worker that would fix the streetlight by his Marathon Clothing store plaza, 

More for the guy with a felony on his record who's looking for honest work

More for people who look like me,

More for his community,

More for his people, 

More for the world...

Unfortunately, situations happen and although the way he died has my stomach in knots. The Marathon must continue...

I cannot speak for the dead, but if I was a betting man, I'd say that Nipsey would want the Marathon to continue...in other words...keep his spirit and name alive by doing what he would do...

And that's helping the community you're apart of by giving back and providing opportunities for those who actually live in said community.

I was born in '95, I was way too young to even fathom what it was like to be in California during 2Pac's death.

But if it was worst than this...I'm glad I was too young.

Speaking of Pac.

One of the most famous 2Pac quotes is as follows...

“I'm not saying I'm gonna change the world, but I guarantee that I will spark the brain that will change the world.”

Safe to say, Nipsey was one of those brains that was well on his way to doing just that.

Fly High Nip. The Marathon will continue down here as planned...

Nipsey Hussle Forever. Photo Credit: @Buddy

And with that...I leave you with a quote from Nipsey Hussle himself via his twitter feed.

Photo Credit: Me

- Written by Joseph Sanker II on 4/11/2019