Nipsey Hussle: Update
By: Sharon Perrin
Nipsey Hussle: Update on what he’s been doing and where he’s heading in music
Nipsey Hussle’s been on that 2015 grind – the LA-based rapper made headlines in January this year when he made downloads of his latest album, Mailbox Money, available for free online – and charged $1000 for physical copies, of which only 100 were released. Hussle reportedly sold at least sixty hard copies by the middle of the month, while allowing fans who couldn’t stump up the cash free access to his music.
It’s a proven Hussle method – he did the same in 2013 when he released 1000 hard copies of the Crenshaw album, named after the South Los Angeles street he grew up on, for 100 bucks each – production sold out and Jay-Z reportedly grabbed 100 copies for himself. Also in January, Hussle’s long awaited European Mailbox Money Tour kicked off in Paris, stopping in seventeen different cities including Milan, Stockholm, Amsterdam, Berlin and London. Back at home, on June 25 TMZ posted that Nipsey had been arrested after leaving a recording studio in Burbank, CA. The report said he got pulled over for driving with no license plates and was charged with possession of codeine – the cops said they found it in his vehicle along with soda, Styrofoam cups and ice.
Nipsey’s lawyer denied that he was illegally in possession of the drug, telling HotNewhipHop.com he was “prescribed the cough syrup as a remedy” because he “couldn’t project his voice without treatment.” He went on to defend Hussle, saying his car was parked when he was approached by the cops, and that he “told them where the cough syrup was.” He claims Hussle was arrested because of a traffic warrant, and that he has provided the court with a copy of his codeine prescription. Hussle bailed out after being cited, and went on to tweet “Lol, I’m not in jail. Stop playin. #mailboxmoneytour” He was back in time for the BET Awards on June 28, where he called out Charlamagne Tha God for playing social media fashion police with his lady Lauren London.
Charlamagne had tweeted that London had “left her waist trainer at home” for the event, leaving Nipsey to hit back by tweeting a YouTube clip of Charlamagne nearly being jumped by a group of guys back in 2012. Away from Twitter drama, on July 11 in Tulare, California, Hussle hosted the Mac Dre Day celebration alongside Baby Bash, Kool John “HBK”, J.Diggs and Husalah.
On July 22, Nipsey is hitting Houston for Trae Day, a free annual community event presented by Angels by Nature and 93.7 The Beat.
The celebration, named in honor of Texas-born rapper Trae Tha Truth, also features T.I, J Cole, Rick Ross, TY Dolla $ign and more, and is offering free school supplies, backpacks, immunizations, HIV testing and music. July 22 was named Trae Day in 2008 by Houston Mayor Bill White, to recognize Trae’s commitment to his hometown. Hussle’s entire music collection is about to be released on Apple Music in the next few weeks, and his Marathon clothing was just made available for pre-order on July 15.
