LOS ANGELES- Many fans of underground rap star and activist, Nipsey Hussle, whose name was Ermias Asghdom, were dumbfounded to learn the rapper and entrepreneur was gunned down yesterday in front of his clothing store yesterday in the Hyde Park area of Los Angeles. Now security footage has been leaked showing the assailant walk up to Hussle and a crowd and begin firing, hitting three people. After the initial shooting the assailant walks up and begins firing again at Hussle who is already on the ground. He was hit in the torso several times and in the head. The entire attack took 10 seconds.
Moments before being attacked, Hussle had just posed for a photo with the young daughter of a fan outside of his store.
He was known for many projects that went beyond music, many of which were community oriented like the Destination Crenshaw arts project as well as a co-working space called Vector 90 for young students to take classes in science, technology and math or STEM.
He also had plans to turn the property where his clothing store, Marathon Clothing, was into residential apartments with retail space.
The motive for his killing remains unclear while fans speculate on gang ties and violence, which has rocked LA recently, to his plans to meet with LAPD to discuss ways to stop gang violence in the community to his project to make a documentary on Doctor Sibel who claimed he discovered a cure for AIDS in the 80’s.
Hussle was affiliated with the Rollin’ 60’s Crips set when he was younger. The assailant is seen wearing a red shirt in the video, but it has not been determined as to whether it was gang related. Hussle is also wearing red as seen in the picture moments before he was killed.
What fans and celebrities alike, as well as the LAPD Police Commissioners agree on is that the 33 year old Grammy nominee had much more to offer and the community was robbed of someone actively giving back to build it up.
WARNING: Video is graphic and may be disturbing to viewers.
