More Things You Never Knew About Nipsey Hussle

Ermias Asghedom emerged on the rap scene as Nipsey Hussle and debuted his self-released mixtape Slauson Boy Volume 1 in 2005.

From the start, he was determined to change the game, all while giving back to his community, becoming an established businessman, and launching his own record label, All Money In Records. He was a true embodiment of one of KRS-One’s greatest quotes: “Rap is something you do. Hip hop is something you live.”

Nipsey was murdered outside of his The Marathon Clothing store on March 31, 2019, and as we continue to honor his legacy and send love and support to Lauren London, his family, and friends, we’ve discovered more information about the admirable emcee who was wise beyond his years.

Here are a few more things you never knew about the late Nipsey Hussle.

His family roots 

To understand more about Nipsey’s life and upbringing, it’s important to look deeper into his family tree. His maternal grandmother, Margaret Boutte grew up in New Orleans in the 1930s. During that time, the city was segregated and struggled with intense racial inequality. Nipsey told Baller Status that in the ‘40s, his grandma moved to South Los Angeles in search of a better life.

She purchased a house on Slauson Avenue — the same house where his mom, Angelique Boutte Smith, was raised.

In the DJ Khaled song “Higher,” Nipsey reveals his dad Dawit Asghedom met his mom at the Century Club. The rapper told Parle magazine his parents split up when he was three, and his mom lived just five minutes away from his grandma’s house. Nipsey would spend time at both homes, up until his mom remarried.

He wasn’t fond of her new husband, so around the age of 14, he made his grandma’s house his permanent residence for a bit. Nipsey said, “My granny always had good advice for me. She never judged me and always believed in what I was trying to do, as far as music.”

He dropped out of high school 

According to The Guardian, Nipsey’s high school accused him of breaking into the computer lab. Because of that incident, he chose to drop out of school. He said that his mom tried to talk some sense into him by stressing the importance of getting a good education.

He was spending so much time out on the streets, school was put on the back burner, and he eventually joined the Rollin’ 60s Crips.

Family over everything 

He told Baller Status that his inner circle consisted of his immediate family members. He said his entire family worked together to help propel his career.

At one point, his dad was assisting with the logistics of his tour schedule, and he could be frequently spotted working behind the cash register at The Marathon Clothing Store. Nipsey’s brother Sam Asghedom also played a strategic role behind the scenes as his “mentor and chief day-to-day manager.”

Sam maintained his role as Nip’s bigger brother on all levels. Nipsey said, “Even when I try to give him s**t, he turn it down like, “Nah, I got my own, boss. Just save your money. We’re going to invest and open a business. We don’t need no handouts.”

Nipsey considered himself blessed because none of his immediate family members displayed any kind of jealousy toward him after he became successful in the rap industry.

He said they gave him nothing but sincere love and never depended on him for anything. He added, “Don’t nobody ask me for nothing. They don’t assume that I got the bill when we go out.”

No pen and paper needed

When he first became serious about making music, it would sometimes take him two to three days to write and record his songs. But he told Baller Status that when he heard other artists like Jay-Z and Raekwon of WuTang were recording their records without writing down their lyrics, he decided to challenge himself to see if he could do the same.

The father of two told the magazine he would write down the concept and the hook, but as for the verses, he began recording them off the dome.

His 2010 mixtape The Marathon was the last project he ever wrote lyrics for. He told NPR, “I get a more passionate delivery when I just go in the booth and let the music talk. It’s less rigid and it’s less structured.”

The movie role that never happened

Early on in his career, Nipsey was able to work with many of his peers. He listed a few of his favorite collaborators as Drake, The Game, and Snoop Dogg.

The feeling was mutual between him and Snoop. The Long Beach rapper told Us Weekly in 2010 that Nipsey was one of his favorite rappers. Many people noticed the physical similarities between them too, and their resemblance was one of the reasons filmmaker Benny Boom wanted Nipsey to play the role of Snoop Dogg in the 2017 film All Eyez On Me.

Benny told Too Fab because of Nipsey’s busy music and touring schedule, as well as his dedication to community work, he didn’t have enough time to commit to the filming schedule.

The role was eventually given to actor Jarrett Ellis, but Benny said, “I’m definitely upset, cause Nipsey was my guy. I am upset that we didn’t get an opportunity to have him in the movie.”

Life-changing moments 

The most pivotal moments in his life occurred during his two trips to his dad’s home country of Eritrea During his first three-month trip, he was just 18-years-old, and he said the visit helped him fill in a lot of blank spots in his life.

Another life-changing moment happened in 2008 when Barack Obama became president. In an interview, Nipsey said he thought Obama was a “sincere dude.” And Nipsey was very impressed by Obama’s commitment to healthcare reform.

Though he wouldn’t realize it during his lifetime, Nipsey made an impact on Obama, as well. During his April 2019 memorial, Karen Civil read a letter that was written by the former president.

Obama explained how he was touched by Nipsey’s dedication to rebuilding his neighborhood, and he added, “I hope his memory inspires more good work in Crenshaw and communities like it.”

Unexpected fans 

The Victory Lap artist not only inspired his fans, but he was highly respected in the entertainment industry as well. Actor Ving Rhames was headed off to South Africa to film a movie. And to keep him occupied during his trip, he told HipHopDx in 2010 that his step-daughter loaded up his iPod with some music.

One of the songs just so happened to be a Nipsey track. Ving told the publication, “A lot of what he was saying was so honest and truthful.”

He listened to Nip’s music for seven weeks straight and he said the lyrics really hit home because they perfectly described his own upbringing on the streets of Harlem.

Ashanti is another artist who had a close connection to the rapper. She told Entertainment Tonight that if she ever needed some motivation, she knew she could always count on Nipsey.

During one of their last text message conversations, she told the rapper she needed to record in the studio, but her allergies were acting up. Ashanti said Nipsey told her he had the perfect remedy, and he began recommending a bunch of different herbs that would alleviate her symptoms.

The R&B singer said, “And he was sending me links and like, ‘Sis, I got you, you gotta try this.’” Ashanti described Nipsey as having an amazing spirit and a pure heart. She added, “He was always willing to help and always really positive.”

As we continue to keep Nipsey’s family and friends uplifted in prayer, let us know which of these facts about his life shocked you the most.