He also underwrote a huge outdoor art installation in South LA to showcase artists from his community. I saw some of the pieces when I was in LA in February, but didn't know whose brainchild the show was. Nipsey was on the rise, nominated for a Grammy this year for his album Victory Lap, and newly married to his longtime love, actress Lauren London, with whom he was featured in a GQ spread in March. An hour before he was shot, he tweeted "Having strong enemies is a blessing." Now everyone from big name stars to community activists to everyday folk who knew him, or knew of him, is singing his praise and mourning his loss. It just seemed that I should pause for a moment and note that Nipsey Hussle, an Eritrean American who was born Ermias Joseph Asghedom 33 years ago, was here, and he used his brief life to do all the good he could, for all the people he could, and now he is gone. Rest in power, brother.
I had not heard of him until his tragic death. He was such an impressive human being. It is a true heartbreak that he his life was ended with such violence.
ReplyDeleteDear robin, like you, I had not been aware of all his good works, his overcoming the odds, his innate business acumen, his loving way of being in the world. And yet I find I am mourning him, now. Yes, true heartbreak.
DeleteSuch a waste of a life. I didn't know anything about him, I don't follow music anymore. What a gifted and generous man, he will be missed. This just makes me sad.
ReplyDeleteAllison, i know what you mean, it makes me sad too, despite the fact that I only came to really know his story after he was gone. So weird.
DeleteI had never heard of him until his death and thank you for sharing this. I'm so tired of people taking to violence to deal with their problems, even though I feel that way at times. I know in the past I've been angry enough to hurt someone but I am so thankful I haven't. Taking the life of another is a heavy burden for your soul to carry. There just seems like there is so much anger and fear in the world, it makes me lose hope sometimes.
ReplyDeleteI know there is so much love in the world and obviously this young man felt that love and was returning it to the world. I hope he is remembered for that and not the senseless act of violence that took his life.
Lily, isn't it strange how so many people only learned of this young man as a result of his violent death? Sad that more of us didn't know to celebrate him in life.
DeleteI hadn't heard of him either! And when he became part of the national news for his horrible death, I immediately thought of Nipsy Russell. Remember him?
ReplyDeleteFucking violence. Fucking guns. Fucking fuck it all. Taking lives whose potential and goodness is barely born. What a beautiful man and obviously he had a beautiful soul.
Thank you for bringing him to my attention in such a positive way.
Ms Moon, I don't know why I felt so compelled to post about him, I just did, almost as penance for not having known enough about his good deeds while her was here. He will certainly be missed.
DeleteI didn't know of this artist either until his death made the news. I'm grateful to you for filling in the gaps for me/us, and feel the same sorrow others do. Who knows what people like this could have done with the rest of their lives? We are poorer for their loss.
ReplyDeletejenny, we are indeed poorer for his being taken before his time. i confess i was so perplexed that he affected so many so deeply and he just wasn't on my radar. but my kids knew him.
DeleteThanks for this reflection on Nipsey and his impact. Dave and I had never heard of him until he was killed, and I must confess I've been a bit bewildered by all the media attention, because he was so utterly absent from my awareness. But I guess I SHOULD have been aware! I do love his name. I wonder how Nipsey Russell would have felt?
ReplyDeleteSteve, he used his life for good in the end. That is how he will be remembered. Not a bad legacy at all. And I too wasn't very tuned in to him. The raw grief the public felt took me by surprise.
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