It’s been a few days since Nipsey Hussle was gunned down outside of his store in Los Angeles, and since then people have been honoring him in various ways.
For example, a lot of fans have gotten tattoos, and NBA shooting guard J.R. Smith did as well. He posted a photo of his tatt April 3 on Instagram.
At some point “Black Ink Crew” boss Ceaser Emanuel noticed that people were honoring Hussle with tattoos, so he said everyone can get free images of Hussle or his lyrics on them for free in all Black Ink shops.
“The world we live in is getting scarier by the day,” he wrote Tuesday on Instagram. “Over the weekend we have lost a loved one; #NipseyHussle. His sudden passing has shock all of us … Nipsey touched a lot of souls and hearts , he was a inspirational and honorable hero and leader.”
“In honor of the Young Black role model , Black Ink wants to express our condolences by giving out free tattoos that represents and honors this astonishing icon. #blackinkcrew THIS SPECIAL NEVER ENDS … THIS IS FOREVER.”
The words “inspirational,” “hero” and “leader” that Emanuel used in his post mirrors what others have said about Hussle, before and after he was tragically taken.
The word inspirational has been used due to his do-it-yourself mentality, because in 2013 Hussle sold his “Crenshaw” mixtape for $100 each, and in a relatively quick time made $100,000.
Jay-Z even bought 100 copies himself, and that was while Hussle was still an independent artist.
Some might say the word “hero” that Emanuel used is also fitting, because instead of Hussle leaving his neighborhood behind, he invested in local real estate, opened a clothing store in a plaza that he bought and he always expressed the importance of ownership.
“We playing the long game. We don’t want the money to stop when we go,” said Hussle in a 2018 interview. “When we can’t work no more. We want it to outlive us, we want it to be generational.”
He also opened a co-working space called Vector 90 for young tech enthusiasts in his area of L.A. In the past, the rapper said he wanted to make the path between his South L.A. neighborhood and Silicon Valley shorter and easier to navigate.
The word “leader” could be considered another accurate description, since Hussle wore his altruism on his sleeve and encouraged everyone to think community instead of just themselves.
After Emanuel shared his post about the free tattoos, people seemed incredibly appreciative.
“So dope,” someone wrote under his post. “Only the real know you genuine with where you are coming from with this type of love. Spread the love cease!”
