Nipsey Hussle’s life was tragically cut short at age 33 on 31 March 2019 when he was shot outside his Flagship The Marathon Clothing Store . He stands as a modern Hip Hop legend.
At the tender age of 33, Nipsey was already a succesful Entreprenuer, community activist and Grammy Nominated Musician.
Fighting against the odds to overcome challenges including shootouts and arrests that came from his longtime affiliation with the Rolling 60s set of the LA Crips, his motivation saw him rise to success in Music, Property, Science and Technology, all the while maintaining his presence in his native Crenshaw neighbourhood in LA.
Nipsey Hussle Life & Career
Born Ermias Davidson Asghedom in 1985, his first Mixtape, Slauson Boy Volume 1 was released in 2005.
Shortly afterwards, he signed a deal with Epic Records which unfortunately unravelled, and by 2008 he was back on the Indpendent Scene where he would make the moves that would define his career and the newly emerging Hip Hop Economy after the decline in CD Sales.
Nipsey proved to be a master at navigating this new music business environment, and he created a new Blueprint for Entrepreneurship in the new Music Economy which included setting a new marketing precedent by selling 1000 Physical CD copies of his freely available digital mixtape Crenshaw for 100 dollars each to his most dedicated fanbase who he described as proud to pay.
Jay-Z showed support by buying one hundred units which added fuel to Nipsey Hussle’s now blazing fire.
Soon after, he signed a deal with Atlantic Records for the release of the Victory Lap album in February 2018 which earned him a Grammy Nomination.
Throughout 2017, Nipsey focused on The Marathon Clothing Store in his native Crenshaw which was the first smart store in the world.
The store invented a new Consumer experience through combining smart technology and retail as Consumers were able to use smartphones to make purchases and experience content through their purchases both in and outside the store creating a new kind of digital Branding and Consumer experience.
In addition, Nipsey was also involved in the property start up Vector 90 which provided much needed Coworking space to Entrpreneurs in his underprivileged community.
Nipsey was a forward thinker in many ways as an early supporter of Bitcoin as well as engaging in alternative Conversations like the natural treaments and remedies of Dr Sebi for a more Holistic lifestyle.
The life and times of Nipsey Hussle are explored in the Providence Community Library Documentary Deeper Than Rap Series which discusses Asset Based Community Development (ABCD), Art & Activism, Black Excellence and self love.
Enjoy…One!
