Barack Obama Honors Nipsey Hussle as He Sends Heartwarming Letter to His Family on Day of Memorial
Former President Barack Obama sent Nipsey Hussle's family a touching letter honoring the rapper's legacy.
On April 11, 2019, friends and fans of Nipsey Hussle gathered at Staples Center in Los Angeles to pay a final tribute to the murdered rapper.
Among the many luminaries honoring Hussle, was former President Barack Obama, who sent the bereaved family a letter memorializing Hussle's legacy.
"While most folks look at the Crenshaw neighborhood where he grew up and only see gangs, bullets and despair, Nipsey saw potential. He saw hope. He saw a community that, even through its flaws, taught him to always keep going."
A LETTER FROM THE 44TH PRESIDENT
Over 20,000 mourners crowded into Staples Center to bid one last goodbye to Hussle, and in a particularly moving moment, Karen Civil, the rapper's business partner, read out a letter sent to the family by former US President Barak.
An emotional Civil struggled through the letter with a heartbroken catch in her voice, to share Obama's message with the hushed audience.
BARACK OBAMA EXPERIENCED NIPSEY'S MUSIC THROUGH HIS DAUGHTERS
The former President starts his missive by explaining that even though he never met Hussle, he had heard his music through his daughters, Malia, and Sasha who were fans of the rapper.
Los Angeles City Council honored Nipsey Hussle by documenting his legacy into the public record
BARACK OBAMA PRAISED NIPSEY'S COMMITMENT TO HIS COMMUNITY
Obama wrote glowingly of Hussle's faith in the troubled and violence-ravaged Crenshaw community in which he grew up.
He cited Hussle's determination to invest and help his community by building a skills training center, and a coworking space.
NIPSEY WAS WORKING TO END VIOLENCE IN CRENSHAW
Hussle, who was gunned down in front of the clothing store he had opened in Crenshaw on March 31, 2019, was scheduled to meet key figures of the LAPD the next day to confer on a way to end the violence ravaging the neighborhood.
On April 12, the Los Angeles City Council honored Nipsey Hussle by documenting his legacy into public record, and dedicating the Crenshaw Boulevard/Slauson Avenue intersection as “Nipsey Hussle Square.”
NIPSEY HUSSLE'S KILLING
On March 31, 2019, LAPA launched a manhunt for the gunman who shot down rapper Nipsey Hussle in front of his Marathon Clothing store in Hyde Park.
The man later identified as Eric Holder, 29, walked up to the rapper and shot him several times in the torso, and once in the head, before fleeing the scene in a car driven by an unidentified woman.
Holder is a suspected gang member who was seen approaching and conversing with Hussle shortly before the shooting.
Holder left, only to return with a gun to kill the rapper. Holder was apprehended by the police and has been charged with Hussle's murder.
He is being held in solitary confinement since authorities fear that other prisoners would threaten his life for killing the beloved rapper.