About 21, 000 people gathered in Los Angeles, Staple Center today for a 'Victory Lap' funeral in honor of Grammy award nominated rapper, Nipsey Hussle. The 33-year old , whose real name is Ermias Joseph Asghedom was shot multiple times on March, 31st in the parking lot of his store, Marathon Clothing in South Los Angeles.
The bittersweet memorial to this local hero melded deeply emotional tributes with arena-filling musical interludes from his debut album.
“This is a celebration. The marathon continues,” shouted DJ Battlecat over the loudspeaker before the beginning of the service at Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles, which included Hussle’s family along with prominent figures like Stevie Wonder, Anthony Hamilton, Snoop Dogg, Jay Z and wife, Beyonce, Meek Mill, Louis Farrakhan and YG.
Before the service began, Hussle’s voice boomed from the speakers and thousands of fans sprung to their feet to sing along, the bass shaking the ground, giving the event the feel of a concert.
The majority of mourners at the event were African-American and Latino, largely in their 20s and 30s, many wearing the famous “Crenshaw” shirts that were sold in Hussle’s store. Members of the Eritrean community wore traditional clothing, some adorned with national flags.
Before performing at the funeral, the musician Stevie Wonder called for stronger gun regulations. People nodded along in the audience as he spoke.
“It is a heartbreak to again lose a member of our family. It is a heartbreak because it’s so unnecessary,” he said. “It is so painful to know that we don’t have enough people taking a position that says: Listen, we must have stronger gun laws.”
After his remarks he performed the song “Tears in Heaven.”
In a tribute, Snoop Dogg said that he and Hussle were drawn to each other like magnets. He said that other up-and-coming artists often promise that “I’ll make you a million dollars.” Not Hussle; he knew his talent was about more than money: “He was a visionary.”
“Nipsey’s line was, ‘Hey homey, listen to my music, just give it a listen,’” Snoop Dogg recounted. “I didn’t grow up with Nip, in the neighborhood, but I watched him grow up in front of me.”
He praised Hussle for the unifying role he played in a culture sometimes marred by gang violence. “We’re going to respect another man from another neighborhood when he comes from where we come from,” Snoop Dogg said. “You are a peace advocate, Nip. That’s what you are.”
The service all but stopped the hip-hop world on Thursday. While some West Coast rappers took the stage to speak about Hussle’s life and enduring message, others sent their own emotional condolences.
Jay-Z, whose company Roc Nation managed Hussle in recent years, wrote in a statement printed for the funeral goers: “You were a curious soul who was evolving at a speed that was truly inspiring. The seeds you have planted are already bearing fruit.”
Jay-Z, whose company Roc Nation managed Hussle in recent years, wrote in a statement printed for the funeral goers: “You were a curious soul who was evolving at a speed that was truly inspiring. The seeds you have planted are already bearing fruit.”
President Barack Obama sent a letter praising Hussle, which Karen Civil, a hip-hop media personality, read at the service. The former president said that he had heard Hussle’s music through his daughters.
“While most people look at the Crenshaw neighborhood where he grew up and see only gangs, bullets and despair, Nipsey saw potential,” the former president wrote. “He saw hope. He saw a community that even through its flaws taught him to always keep going.”
See more after the jump!!!
Pure class........Still and forever my president.
Angelique Smith, Hussle’s mother, stood up to the microphone dressed entirely in white, with a tulle veil covering part of her face. She spoke at length of her own spiritual beliefs, calling on Hussle’s ancestors to “lead him on his journey.”
“I have perfect peace,” she said. “I am happy, I am complete. I am strong, and if I can feel this way, so can you.”
She spoke of a deep spiritual connection to her son, using his given name of Ermias. “He’s intelligent. He’s radiant. He’s a superhero,” she said.
Lauren London, Hussle’s longtime partner and mother of his 2-year-old son, also took the microphone in a white dress. She quoted what Hussle had often told her: “The game is gonna test you. Never fold. Stay 10 toes down. It’s not on you, it’s in you, and what’s in you they can’t take away.”
General view outside the Nipsey Hussle memorial at the STAPLES Center on April 11, 2019 in Los Angeles, California
A street vendor reads a Nation of Islam publication honoring slain rapper Nipsey Hussle outside a memorial celebration for him at the Staples Center arena on
A pedestrian walks past a recently painted mural for slain rapper Nipsey Hussle along a downtown street as a memorial celebration for him takes place
Gift David paints a portrait of slain rapper Nipsey Hussle outside a memorial celebration for him at the STAPLES Center arena on April 11, 2019 in Los Angeles,
People wearing the colors of the flag of Eritrea attend a memorial celebration for fellow countryman, Nipsey Hussle at the Staples Center arena
Fans walk as they wait outside The Marathon Clothing store for the funeral procession.
Crowds gather for the “Victory Lap” funeral procession at the intersection of Crenshaw and Slauson Blvds, the location of The Marathon Clothing store.
What an beautiful and emotional ceremony. For the first time street gangs, Crips and Blood put their differences aside to celebrate an amazing human who touched a lot of lives and gave so much back to his community. A true testament to what Nipsey was about. Even in death, he continues to promote peace among his people. May his soul rest in power. Amen.
Watch the complete funeral HERE
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