Nipsey Hussle

Crenshaw and Slauson

Ermias Joseph Asghedom was born on August 15, 1985, in Los Angeles. His father, Dawit Asghedom, emigrated from Eritrea; his mother is Angelique Smith. He grew up in the Crenshaw District of South Los Angeles with his older brother Samiel, known as Blacc Sam, and his sister Samantha. As a teenager he became affiliated with the Rollin' 60s Neighborhood Crips, a part of his life he referred to openly in his music. In 2004 his father took him and Samiel on a three-month trip to Eritrea, which he later said shaped his thinking about ownership and community.

Slauson Boy

Around 2002 he joined Buttervision, a digital creative collective, and took the name Nipsey Hussle, a play on the comedian Nipsey Russell. He released his first mixtape, Slauson Boy Volume 1, independently in December 2005, and in 2008 the first installments of his Bullets Ain't Got No Name series. He signed with Epic Records but left the label around 2010 without releasing an album there. In 2009 he appeared on Snoop Dogg's Malice n Wonderland and recorded the song "Killer" with Drake, and in 2010 he was named to XXL's Freshman Class.

All Money In

After leaving Epic he founded his own label, All Money In No Money Out, often shortened to All Money In. He released The Marathon on December 21, 2010, and The Marathon Continues on November 1, 2011, the latter featuring YG and Dom Kennedy. The word "marathon" became his shorthand for patient, long-term effort. On October 8, 2013, he released the mixtape Crenshaw with a "Proud2Pay" campaign: the music was free to stream, while physical copies sold for $100 each. Jay-Z bought 100 copies, and the campaign drew national coverage as an example of an independent artist setting his own price. Mailbox Money followed in 2014.

Victory Lap

Nipsey Hussle released his only studio album, Victory Lap, on February 16, 2018, through All Money In in partnership with Atlantic Records. It featured Kendrick Lamar, YG, Puff Daddy, CeeLo Green and others, with production from Mike & Keys, Rance, DJ Khalil and others. The album debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album.

The Marathon Store

In June 2017 he opened The Marathon Clothing store at Crenshaw Boulevard and Slauson Avenue with partners including his brother Samiel. The shop was built around his own merchandise and his idea of keeping business ownership in the neighborhood. He later bought the shopping plaza where the store stood. With partners he co-founded Vector 90, a co-working space and STEM education center in the Crenshaw area aimed at local young people. He spoke publicly about gentrification, economic self-sufficiency and reducing gang violence. From 2013 he was in a relationship with actress Lauren London, and he was the father of two children.

March 31, 2019

On March 31, 2019, Nipsey Hussle was shot and killed outside The Marathon Clothing store. He was 33. Two other people were wounded. Eric Ronald Holder Jr., who had known him from the neighborhood, was arrested on April 2, 2019. Prosecutors said the shooting followed a brief conversation outside the store in which Hussle raised talk that Holder had been labeled a "snitch." In July 2022 a Los Angeles jury convicted Holder of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted voluntary manslaughter. On February 22, 2023, he was sentenced to 60 years to life in prison. At the time of his death, Nipsey Hussle had been scheduled to meet with Los Angeles police officials about preventing youth and gang violence.

Legacy

A public memorial was held at Staples Center on April 11, 2019. After his death Victory Lap rose to No. 2 on the Billboard 200. At the Grammy Awards in January 2020 he won two posthumous awards: Best Rap Performance for "Racks in the Middle" with Roddy Ricch and Hit-Boy, and Best Rap/Sung Performance for DJ Khaled's "Higher" with John Legend. Los Angeles named the Crenshaw and Slauson intersection Ermias "Nipsey Hussle" Asghedom Square, with a formal sign dedication held in February 2026, and he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2022. In 2022 the Hyde Park station on the Metro K Line was dedicated to him and the Crenshaw community. His death also prompted gang peace meetings across Los Angeles and Compton. His brother Samiel serves as administrator of his estate.