Los Angeles has formally recognized one of its own. Nearly five years after Nipsey Hussle’s death, the city renamed the intersection of Crenshaw Boulevard and Slauson Avenue in tribute to the late rapper, cementing his impact on the neighborhood he championed.
Family, city leaders, and supporters gathered Saturday for the unveiling. Among them was his longtime partner, Lauren London, who reflected on a memory that now feels prophetic.
“When me and Nip first started dating, we would drive by over here and he would be like, ‘You know, Boogie, one day, they’re gonna name this whole section after me.’ And here we are today,” she said.
Los Angeles City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Councilwoman Heather Hutt, and California State Assemblyman Isaac Bryan attended the ceremony, underscoring the moment’s civic weight.
Blacc Sam, Nipsey’s older brother, addressed the crowd with emotion, reminding those present how deeply the artist was tied to the area. “I think that everybody who knew Hussle knows that Hussle loved the area. Crenshaw and Slauson meant everything to bro,” he said. “This corner has a lot of memories.”
Nipsey Hussle was fatally shot outside his Marathon Clothing store in March 2019. In a past interview with Big Boy TV, Blacc Sam spoke about security measures at the shop and lingering questions surrounding that day.
“Somebody [would] come to the shop, they know we in the doorway,” he began. “When Hussle pull up, we in the doorway. You’re gonna see me with a hoodie on and I got a pistol on me. You’re gonna see one of my team members in the hoodie in the doorway with a pistol.”