The memorial for slain rapper Nipsey Hussle brought thousands to Staples Center, from fans who grew up in his neighborhood to big-name celebrities.
Among those spotted at the memorial were Usher, Snoop Dogg, Puff Daddy, Meek Mill, Pusha T, Big Sean and 2 Chainz.
The program includes tributes from his brother, longtime girlfriend Lauren London, music mogul Jay Z, rapper YG, actress Issa Rae and basketball player Russell Westbrook.
Lights inside the arena were dimmed as tracks from Hussle’s Grammy-nominated album “Victory Lap” played. Fans — some dressed in blue and others wearing shirts from Hussle’s clothing brand with “Crenshaw” scribbled on the front — slowly filled the cavernous space.
Amanda Stephens, 25, was running on adrenaline and no sleep when she rushed through the 7th Street Metro center in downtown Los Angeles just after 8 a.m., switching trains amid the morning commuters.
“I couldn’t miss Nip,” she said as she took her seat on a Blue Line train for the short ride to Staples Center. Stephens, who was still wearing her security guard uniform, had finished an overnight shift in North Hollywood an hour before and was headed directly to the memorial. She said she planned to stash her backpack in a friend’s car on the walk from Pico Station.
“You know, this is about to be crazy,” she said.
Full coverage: Nipsey Hussle gunned down in South L.A. »
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Nipsey Hussle’s hearse passes by his clothing store on Slauson Avenue.
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The procession for Nipsey Hussle along Slauson Avenue.
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A hearse carrying the casket of Nipsey Hussle drives through a huge throng near his clothing store on Slauson Avenue in South Los Angeles.
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People climb on a Los Angeles police car parked on Slauson Avenue as the procession for Nipsey Hussle passes.
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Cindy Lynn of Los Angeles takes a selfie in front of a mural of Nipsey Hussle near the late rapper’s Marathon Clothing store.
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People celebrate the life of Nipsey Hussle as his funeral procession passes the Watts Towers.
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A woman holds a Nipsey Hussle memorial program in Watts.
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Herb Johnson of Los Angeles pays his respects to Nipsey Hussle on a wall near the late rapper’s Marathon Clothing store.
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People stand on the roof of Slauson Donuts to view the funeral procession.
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The procession passes by Nipsey Hussle’s clothing store on Slauson Avenue.
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The procession in Watts.
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A child rides a dirt bike in the procession following the hearse in Watts.
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Fans wave as the hearse carrying Nipsey Hussle’s body departs Staples Center in a procession after the rapper’s memorial.
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Fans wave as Nipsey Hussle’s hearse departs Staples Center.
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Fans line the street outside Staples Center as Nipsey Hussle’s funeral procession departs.
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Pallbearers carry Nipsey Hussle’s casket at the memorial service at Staples Center.
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Stevie Wonder performs during the memorial.
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Angelique Smith, left, and Dawit Asghedom, Nipsey Hussle’s parents, speak at the memorial service.
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Snoop Dogg speaks at the memorial.
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Stevie Wonder at the memorial.
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Romero “Slumbaby” Roberson, right, designed the shirt he wore to the memorial.
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Fans gather for the memorial.
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Freemasons attend the memorial.
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People console one another at the memorial.
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People gather along the procession route.
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Outside Staples Center.
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Mourners arrive at Staples Center.
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Fans of rapper Nipsey Hussle wait in line to attend a public memorial at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
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A silver hearse arrives at Staples Center for the memorial service for rapper Nipsey Hussle, whose given name was Ermias Asghedom.
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Security is in place at Staples Center ahead of a memorial for slain rapper Nipsey Hussle.
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Artist Gift Davis works on a portrait of rapper Nipsey Hussle as fans wait in line to attend a public memorial at Staples Center.
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Artist Gift Davis paints a portrait of Nipsey Hussle as people arrive to attend the slain rapper’s memorial ceremony.
(Etienne Laurent / EPA/Shutterstock) “This is history,” Chris Deshotel, 30, interjected from across the train aisle. Deshotel and two friends were also on their way to the memorial.
Stephens said that it had been “a rough week.”
“I really had to take his videos and stuff in increments,” she said. “I thought, ‘OK, I’ve done too much Nip for today. I need to tune out.’”
But the Watts native said she was “done crying.” Today was about celebrating Hussle’s life and legacy.
After the memorial service at Staples Center, a 25.5-mile funeral procession is to travel through South L.A., Watts and Inglewood.
