On March 31, 2019 it seemed as if the world stopped when news sources reported the death of artist/ community leader/ entrepreneur Ermias J. Asghedom or most widely known to the world as Nipsey Hussle. Nipsey Hussle was an advocate for change especially for his community in the South Los Angeles neighborhood of Crenshaw and when he passed away, cities around the U.S. were truly heartbroken by this great loss. A year later from the day of his passing and although it still hurts to know that he is no longer on this Earth, it is beautiful to see how his spirit continues to impact communities around the U.S.
Nipsey was many things to many people but what made him stand out so profoundly as an artist, musician, and businessman and the reason why we chose to pay homage to him on the anniversary month of his death, is because of his commitment to his community. He was a great community leader because of these two things: (1) used his voice to speak up for his community, (2) used his skills and talents to deliver positive change to his community. Nipsey showed the world how to not only hustle to change one’s current circumstances but to motivate others through this hustle to make positive changes in not only their life but also in the lives of those they interact with.
Nipsey’s work of giving back to his community isn’t a new idea. And if we look around our neighborhoods, we can possibly identify at least one person who not only gives back to their community but who also hustles and motivates others around them to be a positive change within the community. Maybe that person is a teacher, parent, sibling, business owner, corking professional, or maybe it’s you? Regardless of who that person may be, giving back and being a catalyst of positive change especially in our underserved communities does not require fame but two important skills: strategy and dedication, which is what Nipsey Hussle applied to his various community projects. When strategy and dedication are applied to uplifting underserved communities we begin to live by Nipsey’s mantra to hustle and motivate and become a lighthouse of hope to children and adults in these underserved communities and forgotten neighborhoods.
To learn more about the work of Nipsey Hussle, click here.
Photo credit: LA Magazine
*In his final studio album, Victory Lap, a song from the album that embodied his work ethic is the song “Hussle & Motivate” which is also the title of this article.