Nipsey Hussle's March 2019 murder sent shockwaves through the music industry and beyond.
The gangbanger-turned-peacemaker became a pillar in his Los Angeles community and a
well-respected artist in the music industry.
Let's take a closer look at what's come out about the rapper since his tragic death.
He knew something was wrong The day he was murdered, Nipsey Hussle tweeted:
"Having strong enemies is a blessing."
Not only was this an eerie indication that turmoil had been brewing in his life, it was
also the rapper’s final message.
In the days leading up to his death, Nipsey Hussle was filming a music video in Inglewood,
California with John Legend and DJ Khaled, according to a tweet posted by Legend.
Over concerns for Nipsey Hussle's safety, 10 armed police officers were reportedly hired
to stand guard.
TMZ reported that Nipsey Hussle and other members of the production were scared that
someone would try to sneak on set and kill him, though why they thought so was initially
unclear.
A tense exchange
Anonymous sources told the Los Angeles Times that detectives with the LAPD believed Nipsey
Hussle's killer was someone the rapper knew.
An additional source said the emcee and his alleged killer had a tense exchange, during
which Nipsey Hussle allegedly accused his killer of snitching to cops in the past.
The suspect reportedly felt disrespected after the encounter and allegedly "left to grab
a gun."
These reports from anonymous sources clearly only suggest a fraction of what really went
down.
The true nature of the crime, which was captured by nearby surveillance footage, proved to
be far more gruesome and cold-blooded than anyone could imagine.
Cause of death and arrest
Paramedics were called on March 31st, 2019 to Nipsey Hussle's The Marathon Clothing store
in Los Angeles' Hyde Park neighborhood after gunfire erupted.
A coroner confirmed to People magazine that the rapper was rushed to the hospital and
pronounced dead at 3:55 p.m.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner Department later revealed Nipsey Hussle's
cause of death, gunshot wounds of the head and torso, and confirmed that the death was
certified as a homicide.
On April 2nd, 2019, the Los Angeles Police Department issued an arrest warrant for a
29-year-old named Eric Holder.
A witness reportedly spotted Holder about 20 miles from the scene of the shooting and
contacted authorities, and that afternoon, he was taken into custody.
He impacted the sports world
"That wasn't for me, man, that was for my bro, man, that's for Nipsey, man."
The late rapper and his loved ones received an outpouring of condolences from Los Angeles
and beyond, including messages from a number of professional athletes.
The Los Angeles Clippers paid respect to Nipsey Hussle with a pre-game tribute, in which an
image of the emcee was displayed on the jumbotron as his song, "Last Time That I Checc'd," blared
through the speakers.
The Clippers' cross-town rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers, posted a touching tribute to the rapper
on the team's Twitter feed, and star player LeBron James posted a tweet that read:
"So so SAD man!!
DAMN man this hurt."
The Golden State Warriors star frontman, Stephen Curry, called Nipsey Hussle’s death a "sad,
sad, tragic event."
The basketball pro and rapper had recently teamed up in 2018 to record a segment for
Curry’s webshow, 5 Minutes From Home.
Fighting to end gang violence
Nipsey Hussle wasn't shy about his gang ties.
He infused his affiliation with the Rollin' 60s Crips into his music, but he said he wasn't
trying to celebrate that lifestyle.
The rapper once told Complex magazine:
"In my eyes, it's like, 'Nah I'm not promoting it.
I'm just speaking on it.'"
"But just, you know, try to represent the principles that I grew up on in rap music."
After his death, Police Commissioner Steve Soboroff tweeted that Nipsey Hussle had requested
a meeting with him and Jay-Z's Roc Nation entertainment company to discuss ways to stop
gang violence and help local kids.
Tragically, the rapper was murdered just one day before that scheduled meeting with Soboroff.
Nipsey Hussle’s efforts to bring peace to the streets won't be in vain, however.
Soboroff told NBC News that representatives from Roc Nation requested to reschedule the
meeting and, quote,
"... proceed out of respect for Hussle, who was an advocate for his native South Los Angeles."
Chaos at his memorial service
Mourners descended upon The Marathon Clothing store to remember the Grammy-nominated musician
and community organizer, but the memorial was far from peaceful.
Page Six reported a "stampede of mourners on the streets at about 8:20 p.m. local time"
during the April 1st candlelit vigil, and rumors spread about gunfire at the scene.
"While we were clearing the area, there were rocks and bottles being thrown at police officers.
We have at least one officer that was injured tonight."
A memorial that was erected in Nipsey Hussle's honor was destroyed in the melee, but volunteers
reportedly worked diligently throughout the night to clean up the debris.
According to NBC News, volunteers took time re-lighting candles, replacing other items,
and sweeping garbage, including shattered glass candle holders.
Thanks to those efforts, a peaceful memorial was resurrected, and there were few reminders
of the previous night’s disorder as mourners continued to visit and pay their respects
to the beloved rapper and advocate.