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The world is still mourning the death of rapper Nipsey Hussle who was shot and killed in front of his Marathon Clothing store on March 31. The killing sent shock waves around the hip hop community, and people have responded in masse by supporting his latest release and first studio album, Victory Lap.
Since the tragic incident, Victory Lap has climbed to No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart, higher than when it peaked at No. 4 last year following the album’s release.
Victory Lap wasn’t just Nipsey’s first studio album, but it was his best project to date and was nominated for a Grammy for Best Rap Album this past February.
Four of Nipsey’s mixtapes also saw an increase in streams and shot up the Billboard 200. Crenshaw reached No. 63, Slauson Boy 2 moved up to No. 109, The Marathon got up to No. 179, and Mailbox Money at peaked at No. 192.
Despite the recent push to stream his music, Hussle’s death is still one that shouldn’t have happened to begin with. Eric Holder, the man listed as the main suspect in Hussle’s murder, was captured by the police on April 2 and was charged with the murder two days later.
Nipsey Hussle was instilling change in South Central Los Angeles, literally taking over the corners he grew up on, building retail stores and opportunities for the very people who grew up in his neighborhood facing the same challenges he had growing up.
His music told the tales of growing up in gang-riddled neighborhoods but used his resources to sell today’s youth on investing, non-violence and growing into the leaders that would change the hood.
Nipsey was scheduled to meet with the LAPD about ways to prevent gang-violence — especially in the Crenshaw district of Los Angeles. In the wake of his death, there have been many who have come out to say that they want to continue to push on the mission that Nipsey started to invoke real change for men and women of color in the communities that are often ignored the most by the state and local politicians.
