Stevie Wonder called for stricter gun-control laws during a performance at the memorial of the late rapper Nipsey Hussle. “It’s a heartbreak because it’s so unnecessary,” Mr. Wonder said at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday. “We still are living in a time where ego, anger, jealousy is controlling our lives. It is so painful to know that we don’t have enough people taking a position that says, ‘Listen, we should have stronger gun laws.’” “It’s unacceptable. It’s almost like the world is becoming blind,” said the singer, who is blind. “I pray that we will grow. I pray that the leaders who have a responsibility to perpetuate life will do it by making sure that the laws will make it so very hard for people to have guns.” Hussle, a rapper and community activist, was fatally shot outside his store, Marathon Clothing, in South Los Angeles on March 31. A 29-year-old man named Eric Holder, whom police said had confronted Hussle earlier in the day, was charged with the rapper’s murder. Former President Barack Obama paid tribute to Hussle in a letter that was read at the memorial, saying the late musician left behind “a legacy worth of celebration.” Sign up for Daily Newsletters Manage Newsletters Copyright © 2021 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.<doc-sep>Stevie Wonder performed at a memorial for rapper Nipsey Hussle on Thursday. (CNN) — The appearance of the legendary Stevie Wonder at Nipsey Hussle’s funeral is just what the rapper wanted. Nipsey told the world so in his 2016 song “Ocean Views,” which described how he wanted to be remembered after his death. “My precedures, stay crackin ‘til my life’s low / Then when I die, blue rag around my rifle / Hundred-thousand in my coffin, that’s just life though / Play a Stevie Wonder song, smoke some flight, bro / Crack a pint of Actavis then pour in some Sprite, bro / Until that day I’m walking toward what’s in my sights, though,” he rapped. The two men hailed from different musical genres, but actually share some similarities. Both were born in less than privileged circumstances – Wonder in Saginaw, Michigan, and Nipsey in South Central, Los Angeles – and were destined to be in the music industry. They both have also firmly cemented themselves as activists as well as musical artists. Over the years Wonder has championed multiple social causes including famine relief, AIDS and the ending of apartheid in South Africa. Nipsey found his purpose closer to home. The rapper not only spoke on community empowerment through entrepreneurship, but he also walked the walk with various ventures, including his music label and his Marathon Clothing store, as well as his talent and marketing company, Marathon Agency, and his Proud 2 Pay campaign to distribute his music. Nipsey Hussle was more of a movement than a musician In many ways, Wonder was ahead of his time in seeing the importance of technology in music. “He’s always the first,” Lamar Mitchell, one of Wonder’s technology assistants, told Popular Science in 2009. “He was the first one to have a sampler. … He was one of the first guys messing with drum machine technology.” Likewise, Nipsey Hussle was a tech enthusiast who at a young age learned how to build a personal computer. Nipsey’s brother, Samiel Asghedom, spoke at his memorial Thursday of how the rapper later got ahold of software that he added to the computer to be able to record music on it. The artist used his knowledge of technology to make his Marathon Clothing store one of the first “smart” stores in the hood. “In our culture, there’s a narrative that says, ‘Follow the athletes, follow the entertainers,’” the rapper said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times last year. “And that’s cool, but there should be something that says, ‘Follow Elon Musk, follow (Mark) Zuckerberg.’” Wonder performed a bit of his hit “Rocket Love” at the memorial, which he said he was told was one of the rapper’s favorites. He also sang the Eric Clapton song “Tears in Heaven,” ending it with “We love you Nipsey. God bless you.”<doc-sep>"Love you, Nipsey. God bless you," Stevie Wonder said at the slain rapper's public celebration of life Stevie Wonder Honors Nipsey Hussle, Calls for Gun Control at Memorial: 'It Is a Heartbreak' Stevie Wonder honored Nipsey Hussle’s life and fulfilled the late rapper’s wish. After Hussle’s family and girlfriend Lauren London paid tribute to the slain rapper at the Staples Center, Wonder, 68, took the stage. Get push notifications with news, features and more. “I had the pleasure through someone I was very close to … who arranged a meeting for myself to have a meeting with him for us to talk,” the singer said of meeting the rapper. “It is a heartbreak to again lose a member of our family. It is a heartbreak because it’s so unnecessary.” Wonder went on to call for gun control. “We, to be a civilized nation, civilized world, we still are living in a time where ego, anger, jealousy is controlling our lives. It is so painful to know that we don’t have enough people taking a position that says: ‘Listen, we must have stronger gun laws. It’s unacceptable. '” Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder. | Credit: Tidal Wonder added: “It’s almost like the world is becoming blind. … I pray that we grow; I pray that the leaders who have a responsibility to perpetuate life will do it by making sure that the laws will make it so very hard for people to have guns and to take their frustrations out.” Wonder then sang “Rocket Love” in addition to Eric Clapton’s “Tears in Heaven,” which he ended by saying: “Love you, Nipsey. God bless you.” Just before the ceremony began, The Blast broke the news that Wonder would be singing “Rocket Love,” a track from his 1980 album Hotter Than July. The performance fulfilled Hussle’s longtime wish, which he outlined in his 2016 track “Ocean Views.” “Then when I die, blue rag around my rifle/ Hunnid thousand in my coffin, that’s just light dough,” he rapped on the song. “Play a Stevie Wonder song, smoke some flight bro/ Crack a pint of Act then pour in some Sprite bro.” Wonder also performed at Aretha Franklin’s funeral in August 2018. Rapper YG and producer DJ Mustard were also named honorary pallbearers for Hussle, according to the memorial pamphlet obtained by The Blast. Hussle, 33, died from gunshot wounds of both the head and torso on March 31, the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner confirmed. “Paramedics were called and [Hussle who was born Ermias Joseph Asghedom] was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead at 3:55 p.m.,” the coroner said, in a statement obtained by PEOPLE. Hussle is survived by his two children: daughter Emani from a previous relationship and son Kross, 2, with his girlfriend, actress Lauren London, 34. London spoke at the memorial, saying in part: “To Ermias, the love of my life. You know what it is. Grief is the final act of love. My heart hears you, I feel you everywhere. I’m so grateful that I had you. I love you beyond this Earth. Until we meet again, the Marathon continues.” She previously paid tribute to her boyfriend of five years on Instagram, sharing a slideshow of photos of them together with their family. “I am completely lost,” London wrote. “I’ve lost my best friend, my sanctuary, my protector, my soul. We are lost without you babe — I have no words.” 61st Annual Grammy Awards - Arrivals Nipsey Hussle | Credit: David Crotty/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images Eric Holder, 29, has since been charged with one count of murder, two counts of attempted murder and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon, according to a release from the Los Angeles County’s District Attorney’s Office. On April 4, he entered a plea of not guilty in court. Holder could face a maximum sentence of life in state prison if convicted.<doc-sep>Moving tributes from Nipsey Hussle’s family members and friends during the late rapper’s memorial service today at Staples Center in Los Angeles culminated quite beautifully with a few words and songs from Stevie Wonder. The singer opened by expressing thanks for knowing Hussle, born Ermias Asghedom, and shared his hope that the artist’s murder last month might at last inspire meaningful gun policy reform. “It is a heartbreak to again lose a member of our family. It’s a heartbreak because it’s so unnecessary,” Wonder said. “It is so painful to know that we don’t have enough people taking a position that says, listen, we must have stronger gun laws. It’s unacceptable. It’s almost like the world is becoming blind.” Wonder went on to perform “Rocket Love” on piano, introducing the song, “I was told that this was one of his favorite songs that I had done, so I’m going to try to do a little bit of it for you now.” Wonder also performed Eric Clapton’s “Tears in Heaven” on steel guitar. Hussle rapped on his own 2016 song “Ocean Views” about wanting Wonder to play at his funeral. Hussle’s brother, sister, father, and widow Lauren London, as well as Snoop Dogg and YG, also spoke at the memorial service. Journalist Karen Civil read a note by Barack Obama, and tributes written by Kendrick Lamar and Jay-Z appeared in the service’s program. The memorial followed a stretch of nightly vigils outside Hussle’s local clothing store, where he was fatally shot on March 31. You can read Stevie Wonder’s full statement and watch his performance below.<doc-sep>
Stevie Wonder sang at Nipsey Hussle's memorial service on Thursday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, and also called for stronger gun control laws in the wake of Hussle's death. Hussle was fatally shot on March 31 outside his clothing store in South Los Angeles. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced on April 4 that Eric Ronald Holder Jr. was charged with fatally shooting Hussle and wounding two others in Los Angeles. The two other men survived. Wonder sang his song "Rocket Love," which he said was one of Hussle's favorite songs of his, and then launched into a cover of Eric Clapton's "Tears In Heaven." "It is a heartbreak to lose a member of our family," Wonder said, adding that he had previously met Hussle as well as Hussle's girlfriend, Lauren London. "It is a heartbreak because it's so unnecessary. We, to be a civilized nation, civilized world, we still are living in a time where ego, anger, jealousy, is controlling our lives. It is so painful to know that we don't have people taking a position that says, 'Listen, we must have stronger gun laws.' It's unacceptable. It's almost like, the world is becoming blind. "I pray that we will grow, that the leaders that have a responsibility to perpetuate life will do it by making sure that the laws will make it so very hard for people that have guns and to take their frustrations out to kill life," he continued. "I'm very happy that in his short life he was able to motivate people and I hope that it motivates you enough to say, 'Listen, enough of people being killed by guns and violence.' I hope that we just don't talk about it, but we are able to make a difference for our future." RELATED CONTENT: Nipsey Hussle Celebration of Life Memorial Service: Stevie Wonder Calls Rapper's Death 'So Unnecessary' Lauren London Cries at Nipsey Hussle Memorial: 'I've Never Felt This Type of Pain Before' Master P Emotionally Recalls Working With Nipsey Hussle Days Before Death (Exclusive)