Honoring the life and legacy of Nipsey Hussle continues to take on various forms and mediums, including naming a basketball court in his memory and fans supporting his Marathon Clothing store.
Most recently, Charlamagne Tha God decided to put together an especially thoughtful tribute to give to the late rapper and entrepreneur’s partner, Lauren London. For the kind gesture, the “Breakfast Club” co-host commissioned renowned jeweler Greg Yuna to create a one-of-a-kind pendant featuring Nipsey’s portrait.
The custom gold piece, which even features engravings of the rapper’s tattoos, is absolutely gorgeous, full of detail and sure to receive praise from fans and London alike. Breaking down the process with Hypebeast, Yuna explained what went into making the custom piece.
“I originally wanted to make a tribute piece regardless of being approached, but to make one with this purpose was even more fulfilling,” Yuna shared with the publication. “I had to find the best picture of him that I thought would be most suitable and iconic. Then we make a cad and spend tedious endless hours on the computer trying to get as much detail as possible in so we can print it on a state of the art 3D printing machine. Finally, we cast it in gold and laser in the tattoos and do the finishing touches including the hand-selected full cut diamond in his ear.”
The pendant is two-sided, with the back featuring the phrase “God Will Rise,” a mantra that Nipsey lived by and even had tattooed on his face.
“The paisley on the back was a symbolic depiction of his roots and a lot of what he represented,” Yuna continued. “‘God will rise’ is what his name means and I think that says it all.”
While the jeweler, who has made pieces for everyone from Drake to Meek Mill to Victor Cruz, can only recall meeting Nipsey once, he noted he has the “utmost respect” for him, as well as praises him as a “phenomenal artist.”
Take a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the custom Nipsey Hussle pendant Charlamagne Tha God commissioned as a gift to Lauren London in the video below.