Rapper Nipsey Hussle has died aged 33 – this is why he was so respected
The death of beloved rapper Nipsey Hussle has shocked the music industry.
The Los Angeles rapper was shot dead outside his store Marathon Clothing aged 33, according to police.
Last night, LA mayor Eric Garcetti tweeted condolences to family and friends of Hussle, whose birth name is Ermias Davidson Asghedom.
Tributes soon came in from across the entertainment industry.
He was also well-loved by sports stars in LA and beyond.
Nipsey Hussle was both a celebrated artist and activist in his local South LA community.
His debut album, Victory Lap, was released in 2018 following a run of acclaimed mixtapes.
The album was a critical and commercial success, peaking at number 4 in the US charts and receiving a nomination for Best Rap Album at this year’s Grammys.
But many people also knew him for his work in the community, where he ran local businesses, helped fund education projects and offered jobs to people who were struggling.
His death came a day before he was scheduled to meet with LAPD chief Michel Moore and LA police commissioner Steve Soboroff to discuss how he could help prevent gang violence.
In 2018, Hussle unveiled a project called Vector 90, which aimed to help connect underrepresented young people in poorer communities with companies in Silicon Valley.
It was one of many entrepreneurial projects he ran to help people in Los Angeles.
His music also consistently represented LA, featuring collaborations with local heroes such as Snoop Dogg, YG and Kendrick Lamar.
In 2013, he released a limited-edition run of 1,000 physical copies of his Crenshaw mixtape - although the mixtape was also available for free online, the copies sold for $100 each.
The run reportedly sold out in less than 24 hours with Jay-Z buying 100 copies by himself.
His music received wider attention in 2016, when he collaborated with YG on the anti-Trump song “FDT”.
Hundreds of fans and friends gathered outside the rapper’s store yesterday to mourn his passing.
Hussle is survived by his children and long-term girlfriend Lauren London.
HT: Twitter Moments
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