Nipsey Hussle’s Mother Gives Emotional Speech at Son’s Funeral

Nipsey Hussle’s mother, Angelique Smith, delivered a powerful speech during the late rapper’s memorial service last week.

Taking the podium at the Staples Center on Thursday, April 11 in front of 21,000 people with her husband and Hussle’s father, Dawit Asghedom, at her side, Smith held back tears as she delivered a message of peace and reminisced on her late son.

“I want to do something that is very new to me,” she began. “I have perfect peace, I am happy, I am complete. I am strong and if I can feel this way, so can you.”

“We call on the creator of everything and on Mother Earth who sustains us. We call on the energies who guide and protect us as we make our way on in life. We call on our ancestors to join us at this service,” she continued. “And we ask those ancestors of Ermias Joseph Asghedom, to keep him company on his journey and we ask them to be there.”

Smith went on to recount how she had learned that her son had been shot and killed on Sunday, March 31 at the age of 33, revealing that she had “not slept for two weeks leading up to this event.”

“I felt spiritually in my soul as if Ermias was going to leave,” she said. “We had closer conversations through text messaging with one another. I think Ermias knew too. Because Ermias was doing things differently.”

Smith then urged the rapper’s fans and members of the community to embrace peace and a healthy way of living.

“I want to encourage you to choose a vegan lifestyle. I want to encourage you to let [go of] your use of alcoholic beverages and narcotic substances,” she said. “I want to tell you that we come from royalty and regality. I want to tell you that we are very loving and kind and a spiritual race of people. I want to tell you that we are very traumatized and pressurized people.”

“We have to be the light of change that we want in the world,” Smith added. “I’m very proud of my son. My son, Ermias Joseph Asghedom, was a great man.”

Hussle is survived by his longtime girlfriend, Lauren London, and their son, Kross. He is also survived by his daughter from a previous relationship, Emani.

Hussle’s accused murderer, 29-year-old Eric Holder, has pleaded not guilty to one count of murder, two counts of attempted murder and possession of a firearm by a felon.