Every so often, a rapper is able to bust through “the glass ceiling” in a way that transcends the bars on which their empire was constructed. But for every Russell Simmons, there was a thousand rappers in the ’90s looking for a deal that couldn’t smooth-talk their way past the receptionist. Twenty years later, there are about 10,000 rappers for every Dr. Dre, Diddy and Jay Z, stuck in the cyber-abyss, surrounded by an incalculable amount of “Lil So-and-Sos” and “Young Such-and-Suches”. The internet is like one giant attic at your grandmama’s house, and you need about 10 Hattori Hanzos to slice through the clutter to garner even a lick of attention (the same can be said for sports/hip-hop sites). Some use frequency, others rely on shock; both methods depreciating credibility with each post along the way. With a few rare exceptions, only those possessing talent and creativity truly break through.
Meet Ermias Asghedom, better known commercially as Nipsey Hussle. And please believe, commercially is how he’d prefer you know him.
A proud son of Los Angeles, California, Nip has been waiting on his moment for a decade and a half that we know of. Now, his debut major release Victory Lap clocked in at number four on the Billboard charts in its opening week (moving 53,000 units), solidifying his place in the rap game. But as the debut major LP is a crowning achievement for most artists, it’s nothing more than a puzzle piece to Nip—a meticulously conceived segment of a master blueprint laid years before.
If you think 32 is slightly old to be making your debut, you’re right. Hussle Man is in this position completely by design though. Pushing all of his chips to the middle of the table on his own imprint, All Money In, Nipsey waited patiently for the perfect partnership with a major label. He even received an offer from Rick Ross to join Maybach Music Group but declined, citing the need for his team to receive the credit for building All Money In.
The 30,000-foot view is the only snapshot Nip can see. Upon the release of his highly acclaimed 2013 mixtape Crenshaw, Nipsey launched his “Proud2Pay” initiative—a campaign centered around taking pride in support of an artist and their vision. The limited first edition copies of the mixtape were sold for $100, an astronomical amount given most mixtapes are free, but the publicity this radical price point generated was of real value. However Crenshaw was also released for a far more traditional $10, and Neighborhood Nip magnanimously made the tape available for free for all the fans looking for a free download. Those who put their money up were rewarded with concerts, new material and rare gifts—all part of the Proud2Pay promise.
“My Cuban link, that’s 14k/My presidential, I wear it everyday/It symbolizes, how I’m enterprising/I came from lint in Dickie pockets so I emphasize it/You check the file and niggas say I kept it silent/But fuck the rumors, money talks and you make less deposits”
– Nipsey Hussle, “All Get Right”
Regardless of which route fans took, they were investing in far more than 21 songs—they were investing in an artist and a lifestyle. The artist: A walking embodiment of conviction. The lifestyle: One of a man whose rugged raps thrive off truth and an insatiable entrepreneurial spirit.
Nip Hussle also views ownership as paramount for anyone looking to build wealth. Not only does he own his masters, he also owns his own clothing line and clothing store, out of which he sells his music his own label put out. He makes appearances at the store and holds special events for the VIPs (e.g. pre-order purchasers or those who copped the $100 version of Crenshaw). He’s even in the process of creating technologically advanced tags on his merchandise that contain limited edition rewards. And by launching a business that provides artists with creative space that accepts cash or volunteerism as payment, he’s also investing in his community.
Sidebar: He has other business ventures on deck besides these. But you get the point.
While most bars you hear are about blowing cash, sipping lean, weed smoke, cars and women; a significant portion of Nipsey’s raps are about investments and attaining goals. Even the most tenacious song on Victory Lap, the lead single “Rap Niggas”, contains the bar, “Open trust accounts, deposit racks, nigga/Million-dollar life insurance on my flesh, nigga”. Sure, you’ll get your traditional rap subject matter, but don’t think you’re gonna get this gun talk and not hear some investment pointers. Nip the Crip has even broken into the cryptocurrency space.
It’s no coincidence why Nip has received co-signs from the rap elite: Jay Z dropped ten grand on 100 copies of Crenshaw, Diddy did his classic Diddy thing on Victory Lap’s “Young Niggas”, Master P is appearing on the “Rap Niggas Remix”—all self-made men who came from nothing only to grind their way into nine figures (no wonder his clothing brand is known as Marathon Clothing). Snoop, Scarface, Wale and the aforementioned Rick Ross have all either collaborated with Nip or showed him love over the years.
They see the 30,000-foot view, too. And the respect is reciprocated.
Every bar has an intricate purpose; every venture is calculated. Signing a deal with Atlantic last November wasn’t out of necessity, but it was the next phase of his master plan that saw him strategically wait until NBA All-Star Weekend in his hometown to release Victory Lap. Nipsey Hussle is a brand, an idea—becoming a legendary rapper would be nice, becoming hip-hop’s next mogul would be much better. It appears Nip plans to continue growing his brand until it’s “too big to fail”.