Rapper Nipsey Hussle was shot to death Sunday afternoon outside the Los Angeles clothing store he owns, the Los Angeles Times reports. He was 33.
Two other men were injured in the shooting, which took place at Marathon Clothing’s store on Slauson Avenue. Hussle sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at a local hospital. Shortly before he was shot, Hussle sent an ominous tweet:
TMZ reports that their law enforcement sources say they are seeking a suspect and believe the killing to be gang-related. Hussle has spoken about his past as a member of the Rollin’ 60s, a Crips-affiliated gang faction. In recent years, though, Hussle has been known for community service, entrepreneurial ventures, activism, and music: In addition to his clothing line, record label, and real estate investment syndicate, in 2018 he opened Vector 90, a co-working space in South Los Angeles that includes a center dedicated to addressing diversity issues in STEM fields. For Hussle, whose interest in music led him to learn how to build computers in order to record himself, providing STEM mentoring was a natural way to give back to the community:
I remember being young and really having the best intentions and not being met on my efforts. You’re, like, “I’m going to really lock into my goals and my passion and my talents,” but you see no industry support. You see no structures or infrastructure built and you get a little frustrated.
Musically, Hussle was at the top of his game: After making his name with promotional stunts like the pop-up shop where he sold 1,000 copies of his self-released mixtape for $100 a copy and collaborating with fellow Los Angeles rapper YG on the anthem of our current political moment, “Fuck Donald Trump, ” he partnered with Atlantic Records in 2017. The partnership seemed to be going well; his major label debut Victory Lap was nominated for Best Rap Album at the Grammys this year. He had a son with actress Lauren London in 2016 and a daughter from a prior relationship.