Former U.S. President, Barack Obama, legendary singer, Stevie wonder and rapper, Snoop Dogg, eulogised slain rapper, Nipsey Hussle in a} very emotional memorial in los angeles on thursday.
Obama wrote a letter to the family, which was read by karen Civil, Hussle’s friend and business partner, where he praised Hussle’s attempts to revitalize the gang-plagued neighborhood where he was raised, and where he was gunned down in March.
“While most people observe the Crenshaw neighborhood where he grew up and see only gangs, bullets and despair, Nipsey saw potential.
“He saw hope,” Obama’s letter said, referencing his efforts to build a skills-training center and a co-working space.
The memorial was held at the 21,000-capacity Staples Center, a sports and pop concert venue, which was packed with fans wearing white and blue for the three-hour memorial.
The ceremony was followed by a 25-mile (40-km) procession through the streets of south los angeles.
Fellow california rapper, Snoop Dogg recalled Hussle’s former connections with the disreputable Crips gang that the musician later parlayed into efforts to combat gang violence.
“For God thus idolised the planet, that he gave US an honest Crip, the late great neighborhood Nip. Rest in peace,” Snoop Dogg said.
He called the Grammy-nominated singer “a peace advocate” because of his work with all members of the community.
Wonder played his 1980 hit ‘Rocket Love’ and a version of Eric Clapton’s ‘Tears in Heaven’ to pay respects to Hussle.
Also, Nation of Islam leader louis Farrakhan said Hussle has become “to hip hop and rap what vocalist was to reggae”.
“He lived the gang life however he didn’t keep there. He lived the lifetime of the ‘hood however he rose on top of the pull of gravity,” Farrakhan said in a speech.
Hussle’s two-year-old son, dressed in a blue suit, was brought on stage in the arms of the musician’s girlfriend, model Lauren London.
Hussle, 33, was shot on March 31 outside a clothing store he owned in south los angeles. Shortly after, a stampede erupted at a neighborhood vigil for Hussle after reports of a gunman in the crowd.
A 29-year-old man on april 9 pleaded innocent to murder charges. Police said Hussle’s shooting was motivated by a private dispute, though it transpire in an exceedingly surge of gang-related violence in south los angeles in March.
Hussle, whose real name was Ermias Asghedom, was Grammy-nominated earlier this year for his debut studio album “Victory Lap”.
