You may not have heard the name Nipsey Hussle before he was shot and killed on March 31, 2019, in Los Angeles. But news of Hussle’s death went viral and led to an online outpouring of grief and love from huge names in the music industry and beyond, from Chance the Rapper to Colin Kapernick to Ava DuVernay.
His April 11 memorial service, live-streamed online, boasted an impressive array of speakers. Artists like Jhene Aiko performed in Hussle’s memory; Snoop Dogg and Stevie Wonder gave eulogies. Former President Barack Obama even sent a letter offering condolences to Hussle’s family, commending a life well-lived. A procession following the funeral reportedly attracted more than 21,000 fans, walking alongside Hussle’s casket.
But while some of popular culture’s biggest tastemakers mourn, many casual observers ask: Who is Nipsey Hussle?
Hussle, who was 33 years old when he died, was a Grammy-nominated rapper — as well as an entrepreneur, community activist, and father of two. Within the music industry, he was an established presence who had collaborated with artists as big as Drake and Diddy.
He also had a violent past and had spoken publicly about his long affiliation with the Rollin’ 60s, an LA-area gang that is connected to the Crips. But more recently, it seemed as though Hussle had distanced himself from the gang. He was involved in community activism, working to empower and employ underprivileged groups through real estate investments, science and tech learning centers for teens, and other efforts in inner-city Los Angeles.
Hussle was reportedly planning to attend an anti-gang violence meeting on the day he died, scheduled for not long after he and two other men were shot outside a store he owned called Marathon Clothing.
While early news reports suggested Hussle’s murder was gang-related, the Los Angeles Police Department’s ongoing investigation revealed that Hussle and his suspected killer — a man named Eric Holder, who was arrested shortly after Hussle was pronounced dead — got into a heated argument prior to the shooting. While Holder is alleged to be a gang member himself, the New York Times reports that the LAPD does not believe the argument or shooting was gang-related. There is still no clear motive. (Additionally, a vigil held for Hussle erupted into chaos when a fight and alleged sounds of gunshots caused a stampede that injured 19 people. However, police confirmed no one was shot at the scene.)
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