Nipsey Hussle’s legacy continues.
Nipsey Hussle’s family is keeping his mission and memory alive. According to the Los Angeles Times, the late rapper’s family has launched the Neighborhood Nip Foundation, which will be a vessel in his community that will create opportunities for the youth looking to break into the music industry.
“[Nipsey] was very adamant about being purposeful and intentional and giving back and doing that right where he came from,” said Steve “Steve-O” Carless, one of Nipsey’s partners and a co-founder of the Marathon Agency marketing firm. “For us, it’s an honor to know we are going to be able to carry that vision on in the future, and we want to make sure it has the fortitude that he had. We’re really excited about it, and this is just the first step.”
The Neighborhood Nip Foundation was inspired by a program Nipsey’s mother, Angelique Smith, discovered when he was a teen called Watts Tower, which gave him access to a recording studio for free.
Hussle’s brother, Samiel Asghedom, said that although the family is still laying out the foundation’s programming and initiatives, the focus is to bring opportunities to the community. “We used to talk a lot about [what the Watts Towers program] meant to him. A push, a little help can go a long way, and that’s what this foundation will 100 percent be about,” Asghedom said. “The foundation will be aligned with everything Nip believed in and what helped him.”
Atlantic Records, who teamed up with Nipsey’s All Money In label to release his debut album Victory Lap last year, has made a six-figure donation. “They wanted to be the first to donate,” said Asghedom. “It’s important we let people know that.”
Karen Civil, Nipsey’s friend and former business partner, also confirmed the donation via her Instagram page on Friday (Aug. 23). The exact amount of the donation, however, has not been disclosed.
“Nipsey will be forever missed, but his courageous, generous spirit lives on in his incredible music and the impact he made on the community. Nip’s love for the generation coming up behind him is a big part of what’s inspiring this foundation, and we’re proud to celebrate his life by supporting his legacy,” said Atlantic Records chairman and CEO Craig Kallman and chairman and COO Julie Greenwald.
Before Nipsey’s passing, he was working on a collaborative collection with PUMA and his Marathon Clothing brand, according to the Los Angeles Times. The collab will be released on Sept. 5, with 100% of the proceeds going towards the Neighborhood Nip Foundation.
“Nipsey always put his community first and we know he wouldn’t want it any other way. He was a visionary who believed in the power of optimism, inspiration and action and The Neighborhood Nip Foundation will continue his legacy as a champion of the people,” PUMA said in a statement.
Check out Karen Civil’s Instagram post:
Check out PUMA’s collab announcement with Nipsey Hussle’s Marathon Clothing brand:
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