YG to Donate Album Proceeds to Nipsey Hussle's Children
The Marathon continues.
On the eve of the release of his fourth album 4REAL 4REAL, YG is opening up about Nipsey Hussle’s death and the impact it had on him. The Compton rapper was planning a surprise album release on April 12 to coincide with his performance at Coachella. But after his friend was gunned down on March 31, everything changed.
“When the shit happened with the homie, I’m like, ‘Damn. I can’t put my album out. I can’t be promoting this shit,'” YG told Big Boy on REAL 92.3.
The entire album was recorded prior to Nipsey’s death, but he was unsure about releasing the music until he spoke to Nipsey’s brother, Blacc Sam, who gave him his blessing. “He said, ‘Bro would want you to put your music out and turn up.'”
The album cover is a tribute to Nipsey and YG is donating a portion of proceeds to Nipsey’s two children, 10-year-old Emani and 2-year-old Kross. “I put that ‘In Loving Memory of Nip’ on the album cover because I’m giving his kids a percentage of every song on the album. By time they get 18, from me, they gon’ have a bag,” he said.
4REAL 4REAL, MAY 24TH pic.twitter.com/tymm0wmQ2N
— STAY DANGEROUS (@YG) May 21, 2019
During the interview, he also recalled where he was when he heard that Nipsey had been shot. “I was at Mustard’s house. We was watching the Duke vs. Michigan game and I was texting [Rams running back] Todd Gurley, ’cause we all neighbors, and me and Todd Gurley had a bet.”
His longtime friend Jade, who worked for Nipsey’s Marathon store, called him and told him that Nipsey had been shot four times. He and Mustard got in the car and drove to the hospital, but before they arrived, they learned he had passed away. “That shit ain’t right. Homie supposed to be here,” said YG.
“I got a big question mark on life. I don’t understand how somebody like that, that really cared about people that he didn’t have to care about, make it out of some shit where ni**as don’t really make it out of, get nominated for the Grammy, all that […] I just felt like, how do God take somebody like that away from the people? I just don’t get it. I’m not accepting it.”
4REAL 4REAL drops at midnight. On Thursday, YG performed his Mustard-produced single “Go Loko” with Tyga and Jon Z on “Ellen.”