The devastating news of rapper Nipsey Hussle’s slaying Sunday afternoon in Los Angeles outside of his Marathon Clothing store rocked the basketball and entertainment worlds, with celebrities from both universes expressing sorrow, grief and disbelief over the untimely passing of a rising music star who was just getting started.
Among the NBA celebrities stunned by Nipsey’s murder is Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry, who referred to the rapper’s slaying as one of many “tough, senseless crimes that don’t need to happen.”
Unfortunately, though, it has become commonplace in the United States for the horrific to happen every day, and it is the daily horror of gang life in marginalized communities of Los Angeles that Nipsey was working to eradicate from his city with hopes of fostering promising futures and natural life spans for younger generations.
Following Nipsey’s murder, Police Commissioner Steve Soboroff expressed sadness on Twitter and revealed that he and the rapper were scheduled to meet on Monday, at Nipsey’s request, to “talk about ways he could help stop gang violence and help us help kids.”
In one of his biggest investments in his community, the rapper — who was nominated for the Best Rap Album Grammy Award last year — opened a STEM center, which he hoped would give young people opportunities in careers of the future. According Press Atlantic Records via CNN, Nipsey also owned: The Marathon Agency, SC Commercial Ventures, Proud 2 Pay and All Money In No Money Out Records.
In his final tweet on the day of his killing, and the day before he was to meet with the police commissioner, Nipsey wrote: “Having strong enemies is a blessing.”
