The marathon continues, forever in our hearts: Honoring the legacy of Nipsey Hussle on what would have been his 39th birthday, it’s still undeniable that the rapper’s music was way more than just some rhymes over beats. It was an ode to growth and empowerment.
Reflecting on his own journey, the man born Ermias Joseph Asghedom encouraged listeners to chase their dreams relentlessly, and by that created anthems for those striving to overcome obstacles. Call it motivation, dedication, or other big words: Nipsey really exuded that hustle his moniker paid homage to. It might not even matter if Nipsey didn’t rap as great as he did – with the passion he had, he probably could have read the telephone book and it might have sounded like an eulogy to make it big.
In remembrance of the father, partner, rapper, entrepreneur, and activist whose spirit continues to inspire, we’ve compiled three of our favorite motivational tracks from Nipsey’s comprehensive catalogue:
“That’s How I Knew”
“I think we should dive off the deep end
Nipsey Hussle
Take you on vacation every weekend
Look, I be up at six, n*****s sleep in
I be at the Ritz puffin’ G Pens”
“Dedication” (feat. Kendrick Lamar)”
“I was mappin’ this out, I hit the heist backwards
Nipsey Hussle
Hoppin’ out the eighty-five in Reebok Classics
Ran a couple marathons just to get established
To make it happen, you got to have it.”
“Crenshaw & Slauson (True Story)”
“I’m used to people doubting I’d amount to much
Nipsey Hussle
I thrive off the challenge, I’m a childish f*ck”
