Jay-Z Pens Heartfelt Tribute To Nipsey Hussle For Memorial Service

BYAron A.50.8K Views
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Jay-Z (L) and Nipsey Hussle attend the PUMA x Nipsey Hussle 2019 Grammy Nomination Party at The Peppermint Club on January 16, 2019 in Los Angeles, California.
Jay-Z's letter was printed in the memorial service pamphlets.

Nipsey Hussle was on his way to becoming a Jay-Z of the rap world: a revered penman with a brilliant entrepreneurial spirit. HOV's been an early supporter of Nip since the Crenshaw rapper pulled a bold business move to sell 1000 copies of his Crenshaw mixtape at $100 each which Jay later copped 100 copies of. As fans, peers, neighbors and family members poured into the Staples Center to pay their final respects, Jay-Z and Beyonce were not only in the building but the Brooklyn legend also penned a heartfelt tribute to the rapper in the memorial service program pamphlet.

 Vivien Killilea/Getty Images

Jay-Z, along with Kendrick Lamar and Barack Obama, shared heartfelt messages about the legacy of Nipsey Hussle and the impact he had on the planet within the time he was alive. Hov shares some words of wisdom, quoting Dr. Howard Thurman at the beginning of the letter. 

Read below.

Renown late Professor, Dr, Howard Thurman introduced us - many years ago - to the existence of a new black man...

“.... there is something in every one of us that waits and listens for the sound of the genuine in ourselves and that IT is the only true guide that we would ever have. And that if we cannot hear it, we will all of our lives spend our days on the ends of strings that somebody else pulls!”

“Top of the top,” this is how Nip always greeted me in the morning as if he was reminding me that he was steadfastly holding on to the top of the top of his own life string and destiny!

So, Top of the top - Nip

The world just got to see a flash of your brilliance.

You were a curious soul who was evolving at a speed that was truly inspiring.

The seeds you have planted are already bearing fruit.

The outpouring of admiration is testimony to the love and respect you’ve farmed.

Sleep well King, The Marathon continues as a line of energy for all of us to consider.

LOVE AND LIGHT, JAY"


About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.
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