A memorial service was held today for rapper Nipsey Hussle in Los Angeles, California.
Singers Stevie Wonder, Jhené Aiko, Anthony Hamilton and Marsha Ambrosius performed musical tributes for the late rapper. His girlfriend, actress Lauren London, also took the stage and shared a text she wrote to him.
The Eritrean-American rhymesmith was beloved not only for his Grammy-nominated music — he dropped a dozen or more mixtapes before releasing his studio debut, “Victory Lap,” to acclaim last year – but also for his activism and entrepreneurship.
We’re wrapping up our live coverage, but if you’re looking for more on Nipsey’s life and career, you can…
A 25.5-mile funeral procession for rapper Nipsey Hussle will take place after his memorial service at the Staples Center, according to the Los Angeles Department of Transportation.
The funeral procession will travel through Inglewood, South Los Angeles and Watts, the department said in a statement.
It appears that the funeral procession will also pass by Nipsey’s business, The Marathon Clothing store — the scene of the March 31 shooting, according a map posted on the Staples Center’s website.
You can watch Nipsey’s funeral procession here.
Pastor Shep Crawford reminded those assembled that God understood their pain.
“He too had a son who he lost at 33 and a half years,” Crawford said, referencing Jesus.
The minister and gospel musician spoke about how he didn’t have to eulogize rapper Nipsey Hussle because “he lived a life where he eulogized himself.”
“There’s no doubt in my mind that he was anointed by God,” Crawford said of the rapper.
The minister went on to say that God crammed a great deal into Hussle’s life knowing that he didn’t have much time.
“Nipsey lived in his 33 years what most of us won’t do if we had a 1,000 years,” Crawford said.
Crawford encouraged others to do their part to continue Nipsey’s legacy.
“He’s just now turning this marathon race into a relay race,” Crawford said. “Meaning that if he has let go of the baton, you have to pick it up and run till you can’t run no more.
Stevie Wonder hopes the death of Nipsey Hussle causes people to say enough with gun violence.
The legendary singer spoke of meeting Hussle and his girlfriend Lauren London. Wonder said he mourned the loss of “such a great man.”
Wonder, who also performed last year at Aretha Franklin’s funeral, said he was praying that this country’s leaders could be moved to pass better gun control laws.
Nipsey was shot and killed near his store in Los Angeles.
“It’s unacceptable,” Wonder said. “It’s almost as if the world is becoming blind.”
The singer performed a bit of his hit “Rocket Love,” which he said he was told was one of Nipsey’s favorites.
He also sang the Eric Clapton hit “Tears in Heaven,” ending it with “We love you Nipsey. God bless you.”
Rapper YG took a moment to remember his close friend Nipsey Hussle.
YG said while he and Nipsey were from rival gangs, they were close. They talked about their goals, family and friends. Nipsey also gave him books to read, he said.
“That’s my brother from the other color,” YG said. “He was like a real big brother to me.”
He went on to say that he would will miss Nipsey.
Superstar rapper Snoop Dogg brought some levity to Nipsey Hussle’s memorial.
Snoop had those gathered laughing sharing stories about how he didn’t listen to Nipsey’s tape at first and how the rapper suggested he open an amusement park called “Doggyland.”
He also offered Nipsey’s girlfriend Lauren London love in his remarks.
He said seeing Nipsey with London reminded him of him and his wife’s relationship and called her a “queen” to Hussle’s “king.”
“See what we lose focus on is every real black man needs a real black woman in his life,” Snoop said.
The rapper said he would be available for the couple’s children if he’s needed in the future.
Snoop also shouted out Hussle’s mother and father.
He praised his father, Dawit Asghedom, for raising him well.
Snoop said he often would see Asghedom at Hussle’s clothing store being incredibly proud of his son.
Snoop talked of how Nipsey crossed boundaries, being a member of the Crips gang and working with other artists who were members of the rival Bloods like rapper “The Game.”
Snoop saluted Nipsey’s casket before he left the stage.
“For God so loved the world that he gave us a good Crip, the late great neighborhood Nip,” Snoop said. “Rest in peace cuz.
Dawit Asghedom, the father of rapper Nipsey Hussle, remembered his son as the baby who was born with the umbilical cord around his neck, but still fought to survive.
Asghedom spoke of the devastation of losing his family to divorce and how much love there was within that family.
The rapper, he said, helped so many people around the world and was more beloved than his family had ever imagined.
Asghedom said he believed that perhaps his son had accomplished his mission on earth.
“At 33 years old he had accomplished more than anyone else could have accomplished,” he said.
The moment so many had waited for happened when actress Lauren London took to the microphone to share her love of Nipsey Hussle.
The couple was together for more than five years and had one of the most enduring fairytale romances in hip hop.
“Never was I prepared for anything like this so bare with me y’all,” London told those gathered.
They shared a young son, Kross Asghedom, and it was also for him she said she mourned.
“My pain is for my 2-year-old who probably won’t remember how much his dad loved him,” London said tearfully.
The actress shared a text she wrote to the rapper, whom she called “Hussle,” while he was sleeping on January 21 in which she wrote several loving sentiments, including, “I feel safe around you, protected,” and “You’ve been my turn up and my church.”
London included Los Angeles residents in her thoughts of Hussle who she called “majestic” because of how much he meant to the city.
She concluded her remarks with a message to the rapper.
In an emotional tribute, Nipsey Hussle’s brother Samuel Asghedom said his brother just wanted to inspire his community.
“Everything he said in the music was who he was,” Asghedom said.
Asghedom recalled how he and his brother worked small jobs like watering lawns and washing cars to make some quick change.
“We worked hard all day and it seemed Nip would just put in 10 mins and come back with two, three hundred,” he said.
Rapper Nipsey Hussle’s parents, Angelique Smith and Dawit Asghedom, came together to honor their son.
The pair took to the stage and Smith got very personal during her remarks, which were sometimes punctuated by her emotion.
She spoke of having been raised in a tumultuous household, marrying an abusive man which she said had an impact on the rapper. Smith also remembered how she conceived him on her birthday, Nov. 15.
Smith said she and her son were extremely close and her spirit was troubled in the weeks prior to his murder.
She said both she and her mother are intuitive and knew that death was coming for the rapper.
Smith felt that so deeply that when she arrived at his store and police told her the rapper had been shot, she knew it was over.
She also spoke highly of the child she bore — recalling of how as a child he helped her when they were driving and her car’s engine caught on fire.
She likened it to what has been happening in the community.
“Our engine is on fire,” she said. “We are burning, but we are not destroyed.”
Her son “had such beautiful energy” and was “a superhero,” she said.
Smith encouraged people to adopt a vegan lifestyle, avoid alcohol and be positive.
“I have perfect peace,” she said. “I am happy, I’m complete, I’m strong. And if I can feel this way so can you.”
“We have to be the light of change that we want in the world,” Smith said.
Home movies added a personal touch to Thursday’s memorial.
The young rapper was shown playing, performing for the camera and traveling on airplane to Africa.
Nipsey Hussle’s Eritrean culture took center stage several times during the service.
Eritrea is a northeast African country and the rapper was shown on one of the videos learning to speak his culture’s native language.
It also offered a glimpse into the relationship the star, who was born Ermias Joseph Asghedom, had with his father.
“I love you Daddy,” a young Hussle was shown telling his father.
Singer Jhené Aiko just performed a somber version of her song “Eternal Sunshine.”
She was one of three singers who performed at Nipsey Hussle’s memorial service at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Earlier, singers Marsha Ambrosius and Anthony Hamilton performed musical tributes for Nipsey.
The young son of Nipsey Hussle and his daughter were among a group of the rapper’s family who appeared on stage at his memorial.
Nipsey’s girlfriend Lauren London and her son, whom she shares with rapper Lil Wayne, also appeared on stage. Her son recalled a dream he had of Nipsey. In it, he said he was playing in the ocean and Nipsey showed up.
“I realized Ermias told me what heaven was like. He told me it was paradise,” he said.
“Our brother never left the hood.”
In remarks at Nipsey Hussle’s memorial, Minister Louis Farrakhan compared the late rapper to the reggae legend Bob Marley.
“What do I mean by that,” Farrakhan said, “he is the prophetic voice of all in the community.”
Nipsey was known for rising from the streets of South Los Angeles to become a Grammy-nominated artist, businessman, and activist.
Farrakhan made note of Nipsey having been a part of the Crips street gang.
“He lived the gang life, but he didn’t stay there,” Farrakhan said, referring often to the rapper by his birth name, Ermias Asghedom.
The Nation of Islam leader also focused on how the rapper strived to bring together the Crips and their rival gang, the Bloods. In remembering him, Farrakhan said, others should honor that.
“When we celebrate Nipsey, we must celebrate unity,” Farrakhan said.
Karen Civil, Nipsey Hussle’s longtime friend, social media and marketing strategist, read a letter from former President Barack Obama.
In the letter, the former president said he knew of the rapper’s music because of his daughters.
He praised the social activist for lifting up and investing in his South Los Angeles community.
“He set an example for young people to follow and is a legacy worthy to follow,” Obama wrote.
Mourners got a glimpse into Nipsey Hussle’s life with moving tribute showing photos of the slain rapper.
Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” played as photos of Nipsey were displayed on a large screen during the service.
Here are a few of the photos shown during the tribute:
The memorial service for Nipsey Hussle kicked off with a DJ and a live band in a musical tribute to the slain rapper.
Songs including his hit “Victory Lap” were played.
“It’s a victory baby,” DJ Battlecat yelled to those gathered. “The marathon continues!”
“The Marathon” is the name of Nipsey’s mixtape released in 2010.
According to a program obtained by CNN, the farewell to Nipsey Hussle will be star-studded.
The legendary singer Stevie Wonder is set to perform.
His appearance is fulfillment of something the rapper apparently wanted for his service.
In his 2016 song “Ocean Views,” Hussle mentioned Wonder and described how he wanted to be remembered after his death.
Singers Jhené Aiko, Anthony Hamilton and Marsha Ambrosius are also set to pay tribute to the artist who was gunned down March 31 in Los Angeles near a clothing store he owned.
Just a quick programming note: The memorial service was scheduled to start at 1 p.m. ET but it appears they’re slightly behind schedule. When it does begin, you should see it in the video player above. If you don’t see the live stream (which currently shows an image of Nipsey), please refresh the page.
