Nipsey Hussle honored on 40th birthday with Los Angeles Metro station renaming
The Los Angeles Metro is honoring the late hip-hop rapper Nipsey Hussle by renaming a station after him.
On what would've been his 40th birthday, Metro has temporarily renamed the Hyde Park Station near Crenshaw Boulevard and Slauson Avenue the "Nipsey Hussle Station" through the end of the month.
Zoe Zeigler, executive officer of Marketing at Metro, said the collaboration with Nipsey Hussle's estate and his family is all about continuing his legacy and highlighting the impact he had on the community.
"This was really a true partnership. They actually reached out to us, really knowing that Nipsey was a part of this community," Zeigler said.
Zeigler explained that the partnership is part of Metro's Culture Series that aims at celebrating Angelenos who have helped shape LA culture.
"We couldn't be happier to launch the Metro culture series with the Nipsey Hussle estate and his family," Zeigler said. "This is a true embodiment of what we're about, culture, community and forward progress."
Zeigler said Nipsey used to ride the "108 bus... off of Crenshaw and Slauson all the way to the Blue line, going from South Central to Watts."
Metro has also released two limited-edition Nipsey Hussle TAP cards. Eulanda Lynn Matthews waited in line at the temporarily renamed "Nipsey Hussle Station" to get her hand on one of the cards.
"I want to show my support and my love and give my prayers out to his family," Matthews said. "I know as a community we miss him."
She said that although some people just saw him as a rapper, he was much more than that. She described him as someone who invested in his community and was trying to do good until his death.
The TAP cards will only be available for purchase in person.
Places to get the limited-edition Nipsey Hussle TAP cards:
- Hyde Park Station (K Line)
- Crenshaw Station (C Line)
- Slauson Station (J Line)
- Compton Station (A Line)
- Hollywood/Vine Station (B Line)
- Expo/Crenshaw Station (E Line)
Nipsey Hussle, whose real name is Ermias Asghedom, was a Grammy-award-winning rapper from South Los Angeles. He was gunned down outside of his clothing store, Marathon Clothing, in 2019 near the Hyde Park Station.