“You Don’t Have to Know Him to Know Him”
“You don’t have to know him to know him.” DL Hughley stated this on his show on Thursday speaking on the slain entrepreneur, rapper, community philanthropist Nipsey Hussle. I did not know anything about Nipsey Hussle until his death on March 31st, and since then I have learned more about Nipsey in a week than any person involved in community work. Erimas Nipsey Hussle was not the average rapper depicted in the media, specifically the white mainstream media. Sidebar: I learned more about Nipsey Hussle in a week than a person I have read about in history books. Not knowing about Nipsey Hussle, but seeing his work illustrates that he was a person on the rise, doing good for his community which has been neglected for decades by politics. Nipsey Hussle is a clear example of how to invest your community, specifically communities of color often overlook.
“Sidebar: I didn’t know anything about Nipsey; however, I learned more about Nipsey Hussle in a week than a person I have read about in history books.”
For the entire week, I listened to all Nipsey music, read about his life and can state the community has lost a real one. However, we gained his blueprint for the legacy he built to move his community and the culture forward.
Overtime:
For the entire week, I listened and still am listening to all Nipsey Hussle music and one song that resonates with me his overtime. Overtime is the first song I play because it places me in the mood of it’s time for action and doing overtime in my work for the best results. Learning about Nipsey and his work illustrates that he has put in overtime because Nipsey legacy is one to follow for all artists upcoming or already in the game, specifically young artists. Sidebar: it’s incredible to witness Nipsey Hussle work because it’s a narrative not often depicted about rappers. Moreover, for the entire world to see Nipsey work, the work of a rapper helps changes the negative depiction the mainstream media would illustrate.
“Sidebar: it’s amazing to witness Nipsey Hussle work because its narrative not often depicted from rappers.”
In the words of President Barack Obama, “while most folks looked at the Crenshaw neighborhood where he grew up and only saw gangs, bullets, and despair, Nipsey saw potential.” For the longest, neighborhoods like Crenshaw are not a priority, no investments are made, and many of the citizens are living in poverty or below the poverty rate. Nipsey Hussle vision in building creative spaces, mixed-used development, his clothing store and employing people in the community especially ex-felons is a clear example of investing in your community.
Sidebar: the hands-on work of investing in employing in the community is what Nipsey proved can be done and has shown us how to do it. The overtime Nipsey has put into his community despite the turmoil, Nipsey vision to improve his community and the citizens is the blueprint for all communities similar to Crenshaw.
“Sidebar: the hands-on work of investing in employing in the community is what Nipsey proved can be done and has shown us how to do it.”
The Marathon Continues:
Nipsey Hussle vision for his community is the blueprint for all communities like Crenshaw. What Nipsey has begun is a lifetime of community activists from hip-hop artists who understand the needs of the people and the community. Furthermore, as a person who can relate to the community and the citizens of Crenshaw, it’s a delight to witness a 33-year-old black man invest in his community to bring opportunities which are not available. An entire week, we celebrated the life of a community activist, rapper, father, business person who loved his community to go back and invest. The Marathon Continues because we have a blueprint to follow and our communities to uplift and invest.
Sources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNG0zHBushE
https://www.theroot.com/nipsey-hussle-s-community-legacy-10-hip-hop-artists-co-1834004084
https://afro.com/from-snoop-dogg-to-president-obama-tributes-to-community-activist-nipsey-hussle/
https://www.bet.com/music/2019/04/07/nipsey-hussle-community-activist-south-los-angeles-africa.html
http://www.artparty.space/2019/04/11/go-figure-nipsey-hussle-dataviz/
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/barack-obama-nipsey-hussle-tribute-letter-821288/