Nipsey Hussle, one of the most prolific and profound rappers of the past decade, was shot to death in Los Angeles Sunday, ABC News has confirmed. He was 33.
The LAPD told ABC News that they responded to a report of a shooting at 3:20 p.m. PT outside of the Marathon Clothing Company, which Hussle owned. Three men were shot and two were transported to the hospital, with one of them, reported by multiple sources as Hussle, later dying. The third victim refused transport. Police are searching for the shooting suspect, who fled the scene.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti tweeted Sunday night: “Our hearts are with the loved ones of Nipsey Hussle and everyone touched by this awful tragedy. L.A. is hurt deeply each time a young life is lost to senseless gun violence. My Crisis Response Team is assisting the families coping with shock and grief.”
Hussle, born Ermias Davidson Asghedom, emerged from the West Coast hip-hop scene in the mid-2000s, and initially became known for independently releasing a handful of mixtapes: his Bullets Ain’t Got No Name series, The Marathon Continues, and Crenshaw, the latter of which fellow rapper JAY Z purchased 100 copies of at $100 each in a show of support.
In 2017, Hussle signed a joint deal with Atlantic Records for the release of his “official” debut album, Victory Lap, which was nominated for Best Rap Album at the Grammys earlier this year.
Outside of his musical offerings, the Los Angeles native possessed an entrepreneurial spirit and was deeply involved in bettering his beloved Slauson neighborhood. In recent years, the rapper’s Nipsey Hussle’s Foundation financed the development of South Central L.A.’s Vector 90, a workspace focused on developing underrepresented entrepreneurs.
In addition, Hussle was also at the helm of a STEM initiative, Too Big to Fail, which aimed to bridge the gap between Silicon Valley and the inner city as a center for Crenshaw youth to learn about design, coding and innovative tech.
Hussle was also active in re-purchasing local areas of his hometown as a means to further the growth of black-owned businesses. In 2017, he opened The Marathon Clothing smartstore in the same mini-mall complex where he once sold his critically-acclaimed mixtapes.
Hussle leaves behind two children, the most recent, son Kross Asghedom, born in 2016 with actress Lauren London, with whom Hussle was in a relationship. He also had a daughter, Emani, from a previous relationship.
