Nipsey Hussle receives the “Now That You Are Dead” award in BET Awards 2019
Most people, even straight hiphop heads had never heard of rapper “Nipsey Hussle” before March 31st 2019, despite him having been a big name in American hip hop, entrepreneurship and community activism from the mid to late 2000s. His first independent mixtape was called Slauson Boy Volume 1 which did moderately well and led to him being signed to Cinematic Music Group and Epic Records.
Nipsey was also part of the founding group that launched “Marathon Clothing” store following some success from his now slightly famous mixtapes, that is the Bullets Aint Got No Name series, The Marathon, The Marathon Continues and Crenshaw, last of which rapper and business mogul Jay-Z bought 100 copies for $100 each.
On 31st March 2019, Nipsey was fatally shot outside his store “Marathon Clothing”, in south Los Angeles leading to an internet frenzy that was quite unlike the usual buzz that hits the web when a famous person dies. This was a mix of confusion over who exactly Nipsey Hussle is/was and why it was a big deal. Admittedly, I also knew very little about the man and his music and got to researching before I could join in on the hashtag #RIPNipseyHussle with a blank page like the rest of the clot chasing fanatics of the social media world.
What I found was quite amazing to say the least. He had released his debut studio album last year after significant delay and it did very well. “Victory Lap” as it was appropriately named enjoyed commercial success and even got nominated at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards for the Best Rap Album award. Following this alone made me open up my mind to find out who exactly this man was and why I didn’t know much about him.
A peep into the music career of the man uncovered his prowess and fame to me on a whole other level as I soon discovered that he was a musician who had spread his roots quite around and was not as unknown as I thought he was. I found that he had worked with the like of Drake on the song “Killer” and had also appeared alongside Snoop Dogg and Problem on the song “Upside Down” off Snoop Dogg’s 2009 album “Malice n Wonderland”.
What interested me the most about Nipsey Hussle was not so much the type of music he did or the degree of fame he got but the word about the kind of spirit he had and aura he displayed that was apparently very vivid in his music. He openly denounced gun violence, influence and community work. He had a goal that was focusing on giving solutions and inspirations to young black men like himself. He not only funded social programmes and education based institutes, he also spent time with students and participated in panels that spoke to young people and spoke openly with them about his experiences with gang culture. He was even in communication with the LAPD and Roc Nation about organizing a meeting on creating solutions on gang gun violence. The meeting had been scheduled to be held on the 1st of April 2019, Hussle was murdered day before.
The Police commissioner has recently stated that the meeting shall still be held in his honor.
As I read through the information about the man Nipsey Hussle, I sat there in literal shock wondering why I didn’t know more about him while he was alive. Why was I just hearing about this apparently great name both in the hip hop industry and black culture in general?
In the recently concluded BET Awards 2019, Nipsey was awarded with the Honors Humanitarian Award, which was accepted by Lauren London. Despite this huge honor, it has come amidst claims that had he still been alive he wouldn’t have been honoured with the award sparking a tidal wave that has quickly got recognition as the “Nipsey Effect”. This is where it is claimed that your achievements and who you are a person is not recognized or even noticed until you die. It has been argued that most of what a person stands for is acknowledged after the person’s death. It has even been said that people love you only after you die, a statement that has from time to time come to the surface, for example in deaths of Rock Artist Chester Bennington who was an activist against depression as a disease.
At the prime age of 33, Nipsey was plucked from this world by the very thing that he stood so strong and tall to fight against. Perhaps if he had been listened to a lot more than he actually was we would not have to sit and discover this tragic irony from an article that should primarily have been about an award that he should have been alive to receive for himself.
He is the very epitome of the saying with great power comes great responsibility. He had a power, a power that is by every nature of itself in present day, a super power. He had the eyes and the ears of the youth and he used every opportunity to spread good and positive vibes. Listening to his music now and hearing his voice makes him every young person’s super hero as he leads you in the right path of life despite him having to fall of the wayside for this.
On June 17th, 2017, Nipsey inaugurated the “Marathon Clothing” store, which he founded alongside partners Carless, Civil, and his brother Samiel Asghedom. Opening the store at this intersection along the Crenshaw commercial district was important to him because he wanted to invest and provide opportunities in his neighborhood of Hyde Park. The store was what is known as a smart store, which bridges the gap between technology and culture by giving customers access to exclusive music and other content created by rappers through an app. A year before he was murdered, Nipsey had bought the shopping center as part of his long term project.
Upon hearing the news of his death, multiple celebrities amongst a multitude of fans took to the socials to offer their condolences, more recently, a petition has been started to change the name of the block he bought and which contains in it “Marathon Clothing”, to “Nipsey Hussle Square”. On the day of his funeral his brother announced that it was set to rename Ermias “Nipsey Hussle” Asghedom Square to honor him and his contributions to the neighborhood.
Having read all these things about a man whom I didn’t even know, a day before his death I had never heard his music, I had unknowingly jammed to his voice in several other artists music. I was coming to terms with the fact that he was a great man, who should have perhaps at least known that the world appreciated his efforts to make a better world for the next man. He perhaps should have gotten the chance to know that the human race appreciates him. Bringing us back to the award, and by no doubt only one of many - including the fact that his music might now sell platinum records, how can this “Nipsey Effect” be avoided?
When the announcement of his death came I was sure this was but a small fish in the hip hop industry only to be slapped with content when I decided to research on him. However, I do not think the size of his name deserved this kind of disrespect. I am sure even someone who doesn’t listen to hip hop knows the name Cardi B or Migos or Lil Uzi Vert, but very few people knew Nipsey Hussle even though the latter’s contributions to society in general dwarf all the formers put together.
It is this point that makes me repeat the statement; with great power comes great responsibility. The name Nipsey Hussle can now be mentioned with the greats; Nas, Jay Z, Tupac just to mention a few because they contributed to society more than just the art of music. They dared to claim a better world for themselves and their people. They dared to speak for good when the rest of the world pandered to the more retrogressive side of life.
It is acts like these that he shall forever be remembered with the hope that he is somewhere looking down at Crenshaw and its citizens as they prepare for a better life through his teachings of peace and unity among the community and its members.
Hussle’s memorial service was held in the Staples Center in Los Angeles, with tickets being given away for free.
A letter by one of the most famous black men of this time, Barrack Obama, which praised the rapper for his work in the community was read:
“While most folks look at the Crenshaw neighbourhood where he grew up and see only gangs, bullets and despair, Nipsey saw potential.”
