Memorial spotlights the man behind Nipsey Hussle rap persona

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Thursday’s memorial service for Nipsey Hussle has put a spotlight not only the slain rapper, but Ermias Asghedom, the man who would become the beloved hip-hop artist.

Speakers at the memorial frequently called Hussle by his given name, recounting stories from his childhood and tales of his more recent efforts to try to lift his South Los Angeles community.

After the three-hour ceremony at Staples Center, Hussle’s casket engaged in a 25-mile procession through the streets of Los Angeles. Crowds tried to get the best glimpses they could of the hearse, while some chanted “Nipsy! Nipsy!”

The procession took a lengthy pause outside Hussle’s The Marathon clothing store, where he was shot and fatally wounded March 31. It ended at funeral home as night fell.

It remains unclear on when Hussle will be buried.