Nipsey Hussle

Nipsey Hussle
Hussle in 2011
Born
Airmiess Joseph Asghedom

(1985-08-15)August 15, 1985
DiedMarch 31, 2019(2019-03-31) (aged 33)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Cause of deathMurder (gunshot wounds)
Resting placeForest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills, California, U.S.
EducationAlexander Hamilton High School
Occupations
  • Rapper
  • songwriter
  • entrepreneur
  • actor
  • activist
Years active2005–2019
PartnerLauren London (2013–2019; his death)
Children2
Musical career
GenresWest Coast hip hop
Labels
Websiteihussle.com

Ermias Joseph Asghedom (born Airmiess Joseph Asghedom; August 15, 1985 – March 31, 2019), known professionally as Nipsey Hussle, was an American rapper, entrepreneur, and activist. Emerging from the West Coast hip hop scene in the mid-2000s, Hussle independently released his debut mixtape, Slauson Boy Volume 1, to moderate local success, which led to him being signed to Cinematic Music Group and Epic Records.

Hussle became known for his mixtapes, including his Bullets Ain't Got No Name series, The Marathon, The Marathon Continues, and Crenshaw, the last of which American rapper Jay-Z bought 100 copies for $100 each. After much delay, his debut studio album Victory Lap was released in 2018 to critical acclaim and commercial success, and was nominated for the Best Rap Album at the 61st Grammy Awards in 2019. At the 62nd Grammy Awards in 2020, two posthumous Grammy Awards for the songs "Racks in the Middle" and "Higher" were awarded to Hussle in the Best Rap Performance and Best Rap/Sung Performance categories respectively.[1]

Outside of music, Hussle inaugurated the Marathon Clothing store, which he founded along with partners Carless, the head of the agency, Karen Civil, and his brother Samiel Asghedom in 2017, and started a co-working environment which he named "Vector 90". On March 31, 2019, Hussle was fatally shot outside his store in South Central Los Angeles.[2] Eric Holder, a 29-year-old man who confronted Hussle earlier that day, was arrested and charged with murder two days later.[3] Holder was found guilty of first-degree murder on July 6, 2022.[4] On February 22, 2023, Holder was sentenced to 60 years to life in prison.[5]

  1. ^ "DJ Khaled Wins Best Rap/Sung Performance". The Recording Academy. January 26, 2020. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
  2. ^ "Rapper Nipsey Hussle killed in shooting outside his L.A. store". NBC News. March 31, 2019. Archived from the original on April 1, 2019. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  3. ^ Chiu, Allyson; Elfrink, Tim; Epstein, Kayla; Rosenberg, Eli (April 2, 2019). "Suspect in fatal shooting of rapper Nipsey Hussle captured in California, authorities say". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
  4. ^ Reardon, Sophie (July 6, 2022). "Eric Holder found guilty in death of rapper Nipsey Hussle". CBS News. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  5. ^ Diaz, Johnny (February 22, 2023). "Nipsey Hussle's Killer Sentenced to 60 Years to Life in Prison". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 22, 2023.