Nipsey Hussle earned accolades for his music, but for many fans, it was his connection and investment in South LA’s Crenshaw District that cemented his legacy.
On Saturday, seven years after his death, the city formally dedicated the intersection of Crenshaw Boulevard and Slauson Avenue as Nipsey Hussle Square. More than a thousand people, including longtime girlfriend Lauren London, his two children, and Hussle’s family, gathered at the intersection to pay tribute to the rapper, born Ermias Joseph Asghedom.
The metal sign at the intersection reads:
August 15, 1985 – March 31, 2019
Nipsey Hussle Square
“The Highest Human Act is to Inspire”
“He made sure to show love to where he was from. This is his square. He owns the square. So why not give it to him?” Arielle Austin, a fan from Inglewood, told The LA Local during the ceremony.
Hussle was shot and killed in 2019 in the parking lot of The Marathon Clothing, the store he bought two years earlier on Slauson near Crenshaw, according to the Los Angeles Sentinel. For many in the community, it was a tremendous loss because, despite his former gang ties, he preached unity, empowerment and used his own money to invest in the area.
The store Hussle owned has since been transformed into the Neighborhood Nip Foundation, with his brother Sam Asghedom, also known as Blacc Sam, as the face of the organization. The lot is being reconstructed and will be called Nipsey Hussle Plaza, according to the foundation’s website.
Last year, the organization hosted turkey and toy giveaways for thousands of people during the holiday season.
Los Angeles City Council president Marqueece Harris-Dawson told The LA Local during the dedication that the city received tens of thousands of requests and petitions to honor Hussle after his death. Harris-Dawson said he received no opposition while getting the dedication approved.
“Whoever had the opportunity to be in Nip’s presence, you would understand the emotional reaction that people are having,” Harris-Dawson said. “His ability to motivate, inspire, encourage and touch people with the love of high expectations, is something you don’t see everywhere.”
Hussle’s rap career took off in 2005 when he released a mixtape called “Slauson Boy Volume 1.” By 2018, he’d received a Grammy nomination for “Victory Lap.” He was nominated just months before being gunned down.
A child is placed on his dad’s shoulders at the Nipsey Hussle Square unveiling in South Los Angeles, CA, Feb. 28, 2026. (Semantha Raquel Norris / For The LA Local) 
Urban cowboys attend the Nipsey Hussle Square unveiling in South Los Angeles, CA, Feb. 28, 2026. (Semantha Raquel Norris / For The LA Local) 
Community members remember Nipsey Hussle at the plaque unveiling in South Los Angeles, CA, Feb. 28, 2026. (Semantha Raquel Norris / For The LA Local) 
Community members take photos in front of the a Nipsey Hussle mural in South Los Angeles, CA, Feb. 28, 2026. (Semantha Raquel Norris / For The LA Local) 
A boy plays chess at the Nipsey Hussle Square unveiling in South Los Angeles, CA, Feb. 28, 2026. (Semantha Raquel Norris / For The LA Local) 
Nipsey Hussle’s father Dawit Asghedom speaks at the square plaque unveiling in South Los Angeles, CA, Feb. 28, 2026. (Semantha Raquel Norris / For The LA Local) 
Brian Love and his rooster, 46 Sanders, at the Nipsey Hussle Square unveiling in South Los Angeles, CA, Feb. 28, 2026. (Semantha Raquel Norris / For The LA Local) 
Nipsey Hussle’s mother Angelique Smith speaks at the square plaque unveiling in South Los Angeles, CA, Feb. 28, 2026. (Semantha Raquel Norris / For The LA Local) 
Kameron Carter, son of Lauren London and Lil Wayne, speaks at the Nipsey Hussle Square unveiling in South Los Angeles, CA, Feb. 28, 2026. (Semantha Raquel Norris / For The LA Local) 
A crowd gathers at the corner of Slawson Avenue and Crenshaw Boulevard for the Nipsey Hussle Square unveiling in South Los Angeles, CA, Feb. 28, 2026. (Semantha Raquel Norris / For The LA Local) 
Big Boy attends the Nipsey Hussle Square unveiling in South Los Angeles, CA, Feb. 28, 2026. (Semantha Raquel Norris / For The LA Local) 
Roman Combs shows off his paintings at the Nipsey Hussle Square unveiling in South Los Angeles, CA, Feb. 28, 2026. (Semantha Raquel Norris / For The LA Local)
After gaining success in music, Hussle coined the phrase “The Marathon” to highlight his journey from artist to entrepreneur and community activist. Now, his family has turned the phrase into a movement, amending it to “The Marathon Continues” as they honor his life and legacy through the foundation, the online Marathon Clothing store and the recently launched Marathon Burgers.
Another fan, Quandra Hart, who calls herself Chosen Empress, said she feels spiritually connected to Hussle and believes his music and even his life, served a higher purpose.
“If you really listen to his music, it gives you the key to the streets and how to get out of the streets,” she said. “It’s all coded. You have to decode everything. He was a genius on the move.”