Swae Lee Gifts Crete Academy Kids XBoxes At Nipsey Hussle Memorial Court

BY Erika Marie 1.5K Views
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Swae Lee
The school is home to homeless and poverty-stricken youths.

It didn't take long for Nipsey Hussle murals and graffiti art to pop up all around Los Angeles following the murder of the beloved community activist emcee. However, one memorial that stood out from the rest can be seen at the Crete Academy charter school whose basketball court has been dedicated to the slain rapper. His likeness overtakes 78-feet of the school's court, an artistic vision created by Gustavo Zermeno. Crete Academy, which is just blocks away from the Marathon Clothing store, is a non-profit institution and the educational home to homeless and poverty-stricken youths, and their aim is to uplift and build character in the next generation of leaders.

On Wednesday, another artist visited the school, this time with hopes of sharing a little bit of love during this holiday season. As the children were assembled on their Nipsey-painted court, Rae Sremmurd's Swae Lee surprised the kids with an appearance. Expectedly, deafening screams of excited were abounding, but things were taken to a higher octave when Swae Lee announced that he was giving the children XBoxes.

Following the big reveal, Swae encouraged the students to stay on the right path with positive attitudes. Meanwhile, Swae will reunite with his brother Slim Jxmmi as Rae Sremmurd as the duo headlines the Winter X Games stage in Aspen, January 23-26, 2020 as alongside Alesso, ILLENIUM, and Bazzi. It'll be the first time Rae Sremmurd makes an appearance at the Winter X Games, so keep an ear out for that, as well.


About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.