Beloved LA Rapper Nipsey Hussle Shot Dead

33-year-old was killed outside store he owned
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 1, 2019 1:48 AM CDT
Updated Apr 1, 2019 6:52 AM CDT
LA Rapper Nipsey Hussle Shot Dead Outside His Store
In this March 29, 2018 photo, rapper Nipsey Hussle watches an NBA basketball game between the Golden State Warriors and the Milwaukee Bucks in Oakland, Calif.   (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)

"Having strong enemies is a blessing," rapper Nipsey Hussle tweeted Sunday. Hours later, the 33-year-old was shot dead outside the Marathon Clothing Company store he owned in Los Angeles' Hyde Park neighborhood. Police say two other men were shot and injured in the shooting in the store's parking lot and a suspect is still at large, NBC reports. Hussle, whose real name was Ermias Ashgedon, had often rapped about his youthful involvement with the Rollin 60's Neighborhood Crips gang and was involved in a street brawl in December, reports the San Francisco Chronicle. He was nominated for Best Rap Album for debut album "Victory Lap" at this year's Grammy Awards. "Today we lost a great musician," tweeted Mayor Eric Garcetti's crisis response team.

Hundreds of people gathered outside the store Sunday night to mourn Hussle, the Los Angeles Times reports. Residents described him as a pillar of the south LA community who owned several businesses on the block and was known to give jobs to struggling local people. Resident Glenn Taylor says Hussle once gave a pair of shoes to every kid at 59th Street Elementary School and also donated money to renovate its basketball courts. Los Angeles Police Commissioner Steve Soboroff says he and LAPD Chief Michael Moore had been due to meet with the rapper Monday to talk about ways to help kids and end gang violence. Pharrell Willilams, Drake, and Rihanna were among the many celebrities who paid tribute to Hussle on Sunday night, with Williams tweeting that he "inspired millions." (More Los Angeles stories.)

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