Nipsey Hussle‘s longtime dream is being fulfilled in his honor. The rapper’s hope to expand his Marathon Clothing retail empire is underway, thanks to his very own family.
During a recent interview with The Guardian, Nip’s older brother Samiel Asghedom announced that his family purchased a commercial property in the Melrose Arts District, where they plan to open another Marathon Clothing Store. “This second location is a dream that Nipsey always had,” he explained. “It’s important that his kids are able to see his plans fulfilled.”
The original store at Crenshaw Boulevard and Slauson Avenue launched in 2017, becoming a success in the LA neighborhood. While community members were excited, police deemed the store a “nuisance” and site for gang activity and increased their presence in the area, trying numerous times to shut the location. The doors were eventually closed after Hussle was shot and killed outside of the establishment, and the site was transformed into a memorial where fans can continue to pay homage to the late rapper.
Nipsey’s family, however, plans to continue his legacy on Crenshaw and Slauson in other ways. According to Asghedom, they will renovate and reopen Steve’s Barber Shop to give youth free haircuts and build a real Hussle memorial site with their remaining commercial lot. “We want a place where tourists and fans can come to pay homage versus a place that was all about sales,” he explained. He said they intend to fulfill Nip’s dream of creating a youth program similar to the one that played a vital role in his decision to become a musician.
“Everybody out of that program, including my brother, ended up pursuing a successful music career,” Asghedom said. “Just a little effort and a little resources directed toward the youth can really make a big impact. … So a youth center would be the best thing we could put there, in the vein of what Hussle stood for: something to inspire the youth and teach them skills that they can use to be productive and legitimate when they become adults.”
In regards to Nipsey’s music, Asghedom said that there are plenty of unreleased Nipsey tracks in the tuck, which he hopes to drop on a soundtrack alongside a film about his brother’s life. Until then, he said that his family is grateful to be reminded of Nip’s impact.
“People from all walks of life have shown their love and respect for Nip: reporters, book writers, actors, doctors, lawyers, athletes, everybody,” he said. “They understood what Nip was trying to do and the mantra and the movement of the Marathon. That’s what Nip wanted—to inspire people. I think that was his genius.”