Editor's note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.
Known for his music and endless acts of community activism, Ermias Asghedom, more commonly known as Nipsey Hussle, renovated Crenshaw, California. Hussle became an advocate for improving community relations, as he spent time and energy into educating and providing a pathway for the black youth.
The advocate also invested in a self-owned clothing store called The Marathon Clothing as he displayed advocacy of ownership and financial literacy, expanding that knowledge to others.
Widely proclaimed as the Tupac Shakur of this generation, the untimely demise of Nipsey Hussle has left a lasting imprint on the small neighborhood of Crenshaw, but on a larger scale, it has left a lasting impression on the black community as a whole.
The parallel between Shakur and Hussle is seemingly undeniable - while only 33 years old, Hussle was a rapper that was quite multifaceted.
Juggling the obligations of a philanthropist, activist, businessman and more, he managed to use his voice to dismantle the efforts of injustices across the board, much like the late Shakur himself.
Both artists used music to harbor the expression of their rough upbringings, resonating with black youth the most. They also used their platforms to speak up for unwanted intolerance rooted in ongoing oppression and injustices and worked to empower the black community one by one.
However, they also died with an unfortunate, but common, outcome.
Hussle preserved and fought against the same black struggles that would lead to his untimely demise on March 31, 2019: senseless violence.
Gun violence in these underdeveloped and underrepresented communities is very prominent.
According to The Atlantic, despite the fact that African-Americans account for just 8 percent of the Los Angeles' population, they make up 36 percent of homicide victims. Meanwhile, white people make up 29 percent of the Los Angeles population but are only 5 percent of the city’s homicide victims.
This has struck a taboo conversation of when will this unnecessary violence within the black community stop? When will the permanent downfall of others stop? How many deaths have to occur for a proper resolution to happen?
Hussle was a father, husband and human being who was taken by the hands of another black man. The main question at hand is, how many communities, families and friends have to be affected by trauma?
It’s a question that shouldn’t have to be posed since there is no answer, leaving Hussle as the pinnacle of the story he spent most of his time on earth rewriting.
It’s safe to say Hussle’s art and acts of work will not go unnoticed and is perhaps more present in the culture more than ever now. Prior to his unfortunate departure, Hussle was "set to hit the race with a full stride when he was taken out the game", yet his marathon still continues today.
Nipsey Hussle was a philanthropist, businessman and advocate who worked to fight oppression and injustice against the black community.
