The marathon continues
In 2018, the Crips, an LA gang with which Hussle was associated, registered as a company and according to the press release they put out, they wanted to focus the gang’s energy away from violence and on community work instead.
Earlier this month, the Crips apparently trademarked Hussle’s slogan “the marathon continues” and are looking to use it for community activities, including “arranging and conducting youth sports programmes”, The Blast reports.
The publication said the documents filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office show they plan to develop educational manuals for community organisers and those working in gang prevention and intervention activities.
It’s not yet clear if Hussle’s family have approved the trademark, or whether they are working with the Crips on this initiative, but it is clear Hussle has motivated many people to fight to improve their communities and this continues, despite his death.
Nipsey Hussle’s legacy continues on even after his death
Nipsey Hussle’s work continues to thrive even after his death. Before he was shot in Los Angeles on March 31, the West Coast rapper – whose real name was Ermias Asghedom – was on a trajectory to the top of the charts.
After releasing a series of mix tapes, in February last year, he brought out his long-awaited debut album Victory Lap. He was nominated for rap album of the year at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards.
Here are four ways the rapper’s work continues to thrive beyond the grave.
NipseyHussle x Puma
Puma confirmed during the Wall Street Journal’s Future of Everything Festival last week they are still planning to release their collaboration with Hussle.
He was working on a collection co-branded by Puma and his apparel label The Marathon Clothing. A few weeks before his death, he had announced on Instagram that the first collection was expected out later this year.
“We’re going to continue to release some product that we’ve created with him,” said brand and marketing global director Adam Petrick at the festival. “We’ve also got some charity activations that we’ll do to support what he was doing in Crenshaw and trying to continue the work that he was doing through his foundation.”
Crenshaw is the neighbourhood in south Los Angeles where Hussle grew up.
Petrick said the brand was going to maintain its link with the rapper, working with his family as well as helping to support his children Kross and Emani.
New music still coming through
On May 17, DJ Khaled dropped the single Higher from his latest album Father of Asahd. The song features John Legend and Hussle.
It is the first official Hussle song to be released posthumously and, according to Khaled, the video was filmed days before the rapper was killed. Khaled said all proceeds from the track would go to Nipsey’s children.
Documentary
Hussle was in the middle of working on a controversial documentary about Honduran herbalist Alfredo Darrington Bowman, popularly known as Dr Sebi, when he died. Actor Nick Cannon has vowed to complete the documentary.
Cannon made the announcement on Instagram, saying “they can’t kill us all”, in reference to the conspiracy theory that Hussle was murdered by a US government agency because of Sebi’s claims about curing diseases such as Aids and cancer.
The marathon continues
In 2018, the Crips, an LA gang with which Hussle was associated, registered as a company and according to the press release they put out, they wanted to focus the gang’s energy away from violence and on community work instead.
Earlier this month, the Crips apparently trademarked Hussle’s slogan “the marathon continues” and are looking to use it for community activities, including “arranging and conducting youth sports programmes”, The Blast reports.
The publication said the documents filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office show they plan to develop educational manuals for community organisers and those working in gang prevention and intervention activities.
It’s not yet clear if Hussle’s family have approved the trademark, or whether they are working with the Crips on this initiative, but it is clear Hussle has motivated many people to fight to improve their communities and this continues, despite his death.