Nipsey Hussle was loved and highly respected by some of the most notable figures in the nation. Nip made a name for himself after he sold mixtapes out of his trunk for $100 each. Jay-Z took notice and bought dozens of CDs. "I got a DM on Twitter from a respected hip-hop journalist and he was just like, 'Hov respects the move, salute,' Nip told MTV in 2013. "A little while later, I got an email that came through my team that was like, 'Roc Nation, on behalf of Jay Z wants to buy 100 units. Who do we pay? When can we get the shipment out? '” A $10,000 check followed, and Nipsey kept going until his death on Sunday. The 33-year-old’s passing sparked emotional messages from many of his peers. Hov must've known the potential of the man in which he was investing. As a number of public figures paid their condolences on Sunday, it was clear that Nipsey's impact spoke for itself: Watching Nipsey inspired me to invest and own in our communities. He was a solid man who loved his woman, his family and his community. This hurts. — Issa Rae (@IssaRae) April 1, 2019 This is so painful! @NipseyHussle was doing great work for the people. Keep his legacy alive by carrying on his work! Sending love to his family. Rest in Power King 👑 pic.twitter.com/hE2MNibbZ7 — Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) April 1, 2019 The Game riding around Slauson at 4am speaking on Nipsey Hussle 💔 pic.twitter.com/JQOH4i2LlQ — RapTV (@the_raptv) April 1, 2019 🖤 A post shared by Ava DuVernay (@ava) on Apr 1, 2019 at 11:02am PDT Rest easy, Nip. Now, check these out: Nipsey Hussle Was Scheduled To Meet With LAPD To Discuss A Solution For Gang Violence The Day After He Was Killed Nipsey Hussle Killed In Shooting Outside His LA Store Ed Buck Reportedly Waited 15 Minutes Before Calling 911 For Timothy Dean, Second Black Man Who Died At His Home<doc-sep>Nipsey Hussle fans are in a susceptible position for more than one reason. For one, the exploration of the Dr. Sebi conspiracy wheel conflates the real motivation behind his killing or lack thereof. Regardless of how many public eulogies come into effect, Nipsey's death has given rise to a flurry of peripheral conversations, some with little to no relation to the issue at hand. Larry Busacca/Getty Images As a colleague of mine put it so eloquently, Nipsey was a distinguished man whose pride was an inextricable part of his being, like the effects of a double-edged sword. Unfortunately, Nipsey's death has also given rise to opportunism, as a news report pitting Jay-Z as the donor of a $15 million trust fund for Nipsey's children, was proven false. Many compassionate fans took the headline at face value, without consulting the article itself. The headline was incidentally generated by a "fake hip-hop blog," among the thousands that come-and-go on a daily basis. As you might expect, the fallout from the story was pretty disastrous, as only a select few of social media's commenters have chosen to be proactive in their push towards a real-time petition made out to Nipsey's children. And yet, many of the commenters are still presumptuously leaning on Jay-Z to lead the cause.<doc-sep>A meeting requested by slain rapper Nipsey Hussle with Jay-Z's Roc Nation entertainment company and officials from the Los Angeles Police Department on combating gang violence will still take place. Los Angeles Police Commissioner Steve Soboroff told NBC News on Monday that representatives from Roc Nation requested that the meeting proceed out of respect for Hussle, who was an advocate for his native South Los Angeles. The meeting was to occur Monday but the date now is undetermined. The Grammy-nominated rapper, born Ermias Asghedom, was fatally shot outside his clothing store in Los Angeles' Hyde Park neighborhood on Sunday afternoon. He was 33. Hussle was shot multiple times in the parking lot of The Marathon Clothing, a store he opened in 2017. He was pronounced dead at a hospital, police sources said. The shooting left two others wounded, according to police. Police have not yet named a suspect or a motive for the shooting. Soboroff tweeted Sunday that he and Police Chief Michel Moore were to meet with Hussle on Monday afternoon to "talk about ways he could help stop gang violence and help us help kids." "Many of us will join together to stop what ever caused your, and so many other tragic unnecessary killings," Soboroff said in a tweet Sunday. Hussle first gained acclaim in hip-hop for his three-part mixtape series, “Bullets Ain’t Got No Name.” His debut album, “Victory Lap,” was nominated this year for best rap album at the Grammy Awards. Hussle had been associated with a street gang, the Rollin 60s Neighborhood Crips, which he had attributed to his circumstances. “I’m not promoting it. I’m just speaking on it,” he said in a 2010 interview with Complex. “I’m more focused on giving solutions and inspiration more than anything.” Hussle was also an entrepreneur and philanthropist. "Nipsey was not only one of the greatest artists we worked with but an amazing father and leader in his community," his record label, Atlantic Records, said in a statement Sunday. "One of the kindest and brightest stars in the universe, he was inspiring to all. We will miss him, his music and everything he stood for." Hussle invested in Vector 90, a co-working space in South Central Los Angeles, where young people can take classes in science, technology and mathematics. He described the center as a "bridge between Silicon Valley and the inner city." At last year's Afrotech conference, Hussle said that he hoped to expand the program to other cities, such as Atlanta, Washington and Baltimore. He is survived by his longtime girlfriend, actress and model Lauren London, with whom he had a son, Kross, and by a daughter, Emani, from a previous relationship.<doc-sep>"It's like counseling," Tina Knowles said of her family group chat in the aftermath of rapper Nipsey Hussle's death Tina Knowles Says Her Group Chat with Beyoncé and Solange Is 'Comforting' After Nipsey Hussle's Death Tina Knowles spoke out about the death of rapper Nipsey Hussle, adding that her family is helping her get through the tough time. Get push notifications with news, features and more. “It’s like I have four girls. And it’s so funny because we are always on group chats,” Knowles told Shriver when asked how she keeps her family close. “And we’ll be on a group chat for two hours, just going back and forth and laughing about something or being sad about something.” “I’m sure you heard about Nipsey Hussle being killed, so we’ve been on this group chat… the sadness about that, and the disappointment,” Knowles added. “He’s on my son-in-law’s label and my son-in-law [JAY-Z] loved him so much.” “He was such a great guy that the whole community is sad, but it’s really comforting to be able to be on that group chat and talk about it,” she continued. “It’s like counseling.” tina-knowles Tina Knowles; Nipsey Hussle | Credit: David Livingston/Getty; Randy Shropshire/Getty The “Halo” singer previously shared a touching tribute to Hussle (né Ermias Joseph Asghedom) on Instagram, writing her message in the caption of a childhood photo of the late star. “I’m praying with every ounce of my heart for your family,’ Beyoncé, 37, wrote. “Rest In Peace, Nipsey.” This coming Thursday, a Celebration of Life and Legacy ceremony will be held for Hussle, who was shot and killed outside of his Los Angeles clothing store last week. The memorial will be held at the Staples Center in Downtown Los Angeles — a venue that holds 21,000 people. The service, which is scheduled for 10 a.m. – 12 p.m., will be free to California residents, with a maximum of four tickets being offered for each household. Tickets will be available beginning Tuesday at 10 a.m. Those interested can learn more information here. Hussle, 33, died from gunshot wounds of both the head and torso, the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner confirmed last Monday. “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. 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 Thursday, he entered a plea of not guilty in court. The aspiring rapper could face a maximum sentence of life in state prison if convicted. holder-hussle-2000x1333 Eric Holder; Nipsey Hussle | Credit: LAPD; Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images Holder has hired attorney Chris Darden, who famously was part of the prosecution team in O.J. Simpson’s murder trial, according to CBSLA. In the time since his death, Hussle’s loved ones have spoken out about the tragic loss of the rapper and activist. “[He was] somebody that believed in the process of hard work, determination and just the positivity of somebody staying in the area that he grew up in and making something out of nothing,” his brother Samiel Asghedom told ABC News. “He was a role model to the community, to the kids, and to the mothers and the grandmothers and the community that watched him grow up and seen him as a youngster, a family man, a father, raising his kids,” he added. The rapper’s girlfriend Lauren London paid tribute to her boyfriend of five years on Instagram last week, 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.”<doc-sep>
Last week, there were conflicting reports about a trust fund that Jay-Z had set up for Nipsey Hussle's children after their father passed away. After verifying the source of the rumors, we quickly determined that the news was not authentic and that no such donation had been made. Jay-Z was extremely close with Nipsey Hussle and the late Crenshaw rapper worked closely with Hov's label. It's been difficult for us to process Hussle's death and many of us are relying on our loved ones and friends to get through this. Tina Knowles, Beyoncé's mother, is leaning on her two daughters and Kelly Rowland to fully understand Nipsey Hussle's death as she revealed that they've been involved in lengthy group text messages about his untimely murder. Tina Knowles spoke with Maria Shriver on an episode of her podcast yesterday where she spoke about how her family has rallied together after Nipsey Hussle's death. Tina, Beyoncé, Solange, Kelly Rowland and Kelly's niece are all part of a group chat and they've been mourning together with Tina noting that it's been "comforting." "I’m sure you heard about Nipsey Hussle being killed, so we’ve been on this group chat… the sadness about that, and the disappointment," said Tina Knowles. "He’s on my son-in-law’s label and my son-in-law [Jay-Z] loved him so much. He was such a great guy that the whole community is sad, but it’s really comforting to be able to be on that group chat and talk about it." Beyoncé issued a statement after Nipsey's passing, writing that she was "praying with every ounce of her heart." Nipsey Hussle was scheduled to meet with LAPD and Roc Nation to discuss ways to reduce gang violence in his city the day after he was fatally shot. Shareif Ziyadat/Getty Images [via]