The Scene staff
News broke on March 31 that Ermias Joseph Asghedom — a Grammy-nominated recording artist, songwriter, philanthropist, activist and entrepreneur known professionally as “Nipsey Hussle” — was fatally shot outside his Los Angeles store, Marathon Clothing.
A lot was going on the morning I found out about his death. I was trying to make sure my son and I got through our morning rituals. My husband, Darius, had just arrived home from work. He was resting on the edge of our bed, checking the news on his phone. I was in the bedroom, trying to decide which book bag I would carry to school.
Then Darius said to me in a soft voice, “Nipsey Hussle died.”
A rush of sadness flowed through my veins. I felt nauseous, light-headed and angry. The room got quiet; Darius and I didn’t say anything to each other for quite a while, then I broke the silence with a deep breath and just walked away from the negative energy that had filled the room.
The rest of the day was like a blur. My mind was foggy. I couldn’t focus. My mood and diet were all over the place.
Hussle was born on Aug. 15, 1985, in Los Angeles, where he was first recognized for his mixtapes. I won’t go too much into his background or upbringing. A quick Google search will answer most questions.
I was introduced to his music when I met my husband. Whenever it was his turn to pick a song, he would make sure we got in a healthy dose of Hussle.
At first I didn’t care for his music, but I became a fan and an admirer of his work in the community when he dropped “Victory Lap” in 2018. I was inspired and motivated by the entire album. From the beats that were chosen to the lyrics –Everything was so well thought out.
Hussle’s death felt different for so many reasons. He was exposed to the “real world” at a very young age, leading him to get involved in illegal activities, but he was still able to make something out of himself.
He was an example of how your past doesn’t have to be who you are. You can draw your own blueprint.
Hussle was trying to elevate his community and empower minorities in America. He was working with the LAPD on stopping gang violence, restoring neighborhoods with new developments and building a 1.3-mile open-air museum called Destination Crenshaw to celebrate black history and culture. He invested in the young. He educated people on health. He was producing a documentary on the holistic Dr. Sebi.
The community lost someone who was passionate about making Earth a better place and ending senseless gun violence.
According to authorities, Hussle was shot due to a personal dispute with the suspect, Eric Holder, 29. Holder was arrested and charged with murder on April 2.
It’s heartbreaking, not only for Americans who lost a great leader, but for the man who shot him.
I wonder what that man’s story was, what his upbringing was like, the types of trauma he faced in his life.
Many young black men and women trying to make it on the streets. They often come from broken homes, and black trauma is already in their DNA, going back to the slavery faced by their ancestors.
Today’s struggles add to the mix and —without knowledge of how to heal — people end up like the killer of Nipsey Hussle. How can they begin to fix something imbedded in their roots?
After the death, an uprising of violence in Los Angeles resulted in 26 shootings, including 10 deaths.
We need better laws on gun control. Why can they easily buy a gun of their choice for a decent price, but they can’t get a healthy meal for less than $20? Missouri became a conceal-carry state in January 2017. No permit is required to carry a firearm openly or concealed, but the state still issues permits on a “shall-issue” basis for reciprocity with other states.
The law maintains that “There is no requirement to register firearms or obtain a purchase permit, and some specially trained school employees are allowed to carry firearms on school grounds.
Permits are issued at the local level by county sheriffs to residents only who must be at least 19 years old.”
How scary is that?
Most 19-year-olds still get help with expenses from their parents and stay on their parents’ health-insurance policies. How can they be allowed to own guns? Who even decided that this was the appropriate age?
I am filled with so many questions, but no answers. I know killing is not the answer. We need to have conversations about restoring the foundation of how to deal with rejection, stress and hatred.
It’s time to break the cycle and truly think about how we can help broken communities so we don’t lose another Nipsey Hussle. Rest in love.