By Bryce Lawson
For years now, the West Coast has been looking for a gangster rap superstar to stand alongside Kendrick Lamar on top of the predominantly Southern Trap-dominated hip-hop world.
With his Grammy-nominated “Victory Lap” album, it was clear that Nipsey Hussle was going to be that next big star from the West, bringing classic G-Funk rap vibes with modern lyrics discussing how to build your business and tales of his past street life.
His life was tragically cut short March 31 when he was shot multiple times in front of his Marathon Clothing store in Los Angeles.
Nipsey, whose birth name is Ermias Joseph Asghedom, gained praise early by taking a different approach when it came to his music distribution. He famously sold his “Crenshaw” mixtape for $100 each while also releasing it on streaming services for free.
This allowed him to create a bond with fans, proving that if fans really support an artist, they will be willing to pay for music at a time when it’s so disposable and easily accessed.
This allows artists to make their own money on an independent level, rather than signing their life and music away to a record label. Rapper Jay-Z was one of the first people to recognize Nipsey for his business knowledge.
His collaborations with rival gang rappers, like YG and Jay Rock, showed that, in fact, one-time enemies can come together and set their differences aside, no matter what gang they claim.
With all of his music from “The Marathon” series of mixtapes to “Victory Lap,” you can clearly see Nipsey’s growth as an artist throughout the years, improving his skills to become one of the West Coast’s best.
The last real gangster rap superstar the West has had is The Game, and before that, the East Coast vs. West Coast rivalry put the Left Coast in shambles after the death of the legendary Tupac Shakur.
It is sad that when people who are not tuned into hip-hop hear about Nipsey’s death, many will think it’s just another gangster rapper who got shot. He was more than that.
The day he was shot, he had plans to visit the Los Angeles Police Department with Jay-Z to discuss gang violence and how to help the community rise above gang activity. In his lyrics, Nipsey glorifies his past gang activity, but in a way that explains how it helped him become the man he is today, rather than telling the youth to get caught up in it.
Although Nipsey is gone, his death has sent shockwaves throughout not only the hip-hop community, but also the NBA world, with many players, such as Lebron James and Stephen Curry, honoring the late rapper. Russell Westbrook, a Los Angeles native himself, even had a 20-20-20 game in honor of the fallen rapper.
On his newest single, “Racks In The Middle,” Nipsey spits: “How you die 30-somethin’ after bangin’ all them years?” in reference to his late friend and business partner, Fatts. But now, after Nipsey’s death, the lyric takes on an eerie feel, with the rapper dying at only 33.
Nipsey’s impact will only grow, with his death making him a West Coast legend. Hopefully, some of the newer artists from the West Coast will follow in Nipsey’s footsteps, using his blueprint to bring a smarter business model to the hip-hop world. Just like Nip said, “The Marathon will continue.”
