American rapper Nipsey Hussle adapted his stage name from Nipsey Russell, an iconic black comedian and actor. Born Ermias Ashgedom in Slauson, California, his early calling card was injecting hazy humor into his rhyme style à la Snoop Dogg, but his flow owed more to the unflinching gangland narratives of early hip-hop kingpin Ice-T. A full-fledged member of one of the more notorious subsections of the Crips gang, Nipsey Hussle became a quick mixtape favorite in the late 2000s with his gritty street observations. Starting with Slauson Boy in 2005, the rapper issued a trio of Bu...