Source: Atlantic / Atlantic
Over time Nipsey Hussle has become a rare breed of rapper. One who’s been well known in the game for years but only recently dropped his debut album, Victory Lap. A certified rap veteran rookie if you will.
Either way Nipsey is now officially in the game and today the LA rapper checked into the Breakfast Club to chop it up with the morning trio about meeting Jay-Z back in the day, where Cardi B stands with him, and that comment he made that infuriated fans and the LGBT community.
Here are the 10 things we learned from Nipsey Hussle on The Breakfast Club.
1. Colors
Nipsey Hussle’s status and familiarity in LA allows him to rock red and get flamed up even though he’s a well known Crip.
2. Grindin’
Before signing with any label, Nipsey Hussle said his goal was to sell 50,000 units as an independent artist and get up to $15,000 a show. He knew if he sold 50,000 then he’d be able to negotiate a better deal with a major label.
3. Epic
Nipsey says when he signed with Epic Records he was on the run and planned to use that money to fight the case he knew was coming down the pike. Luckily he walked away with nothing more than a probation violation.
4. Jay-Z
When he sampled Jay-Z’s “Hard Knock Life” for “Hussle & Motivate,” Nipsey says that he went through Jay who originally negotiated his own sample back in ’98 to include a clause that every rapper after him could get the clearance to use the song. In other words, if a rapper wants to sample the Annie record, they can but have to go through Jigga to get the green light. Nipsey met Jay back in the day when Hova copped the lowrider from the “Best of Me” video from his man. Jay eventually copped 100 copies of Nipsey’s Crenshaw project for $100 a piece.
5. Dirty Money
Nipsey remembers that he and his brother buried a quarter million dollars in the backyard. Unfortunately they didn’t know that money grows mildew if you don’t stash it right and more than 100 grand got stuck together like one big lump of lint. It became useless. They couldn’t save it. Lesson harshly learned.
6. Reebok
Speaking on that unauthorized Reebok sneaker dubbed the “Nipsey Hussle QS,” Nipsey says that he never got behind that release nor did he get a check because they put “Rich” and “Rollin” on the heels tabs. Something he said he never agreed to and that thousands of people would have to be paid behind that alone. “I would’ve told the designers ‘No bro. Stay clear of that.’ You can’t copyright – that’s like putting Crip on a shoe or something. Who you gon’ pay?” He’s since signed a endorsement deal with Puma.
7. Cardi B
Touching on the subject of Cardi B, Nipsey says he loves her and anyone who don’t like her “is a hater” but he doesn’t have any interest in talking about Tekashi 6ix9ine’s situation in LA. He does say it’s in anyone’s interest not to publically disrespect an opposing gang, so he said what he said.
8. Cryptocurrency
After meeting with Marc Ecko about some unflattering things said about him in Complex, Nipsey says Marc put him onto cryptocurrency. Nipsey has since invested in a few cryptocurrency operations to keep that bag growing.
9. LGBT
Speaking on the LGBT community getting mad at him for some comments he made a few weeks back, Nip says he has no issues with that community and that he was just criticizing the media. “I would never want people to feel alienated or like ‘damn, an artist that I’m inspired by or look up to or respect my look at me as less than.’ That’s not what I meant.”
10. Clean Livin’
Nipsey is on his health kick and though he does have a history of substance use, he says he doesn’t even drink soda anymore much less alcohol. He wants to remain focused on life and his health. Props.
