Nipsey Hussle had a vision for his people.
In addition to creating a youth foundation in Crenshaw, the Los Angeles rapper had plans to bring economic development to his neighborhood and other low-income communities around the country, including Puerto Rico, before his untimely death in March.
In a new interview with the Los Angeles Times, Hussle’s business partner, David Gross, opened up about their elaborate goals. According to Gross, the 33-year-old noted philanthropist aimed to create “the economic version of Black Lives Matter.”
“He wanted to be a symbol and really spark a movement,” Gross told the outlet. The duo intended to “acquire and develop transformative projects” by utilizing a tax incentive included in President Trump’s 2017 overhaul of the federal tax code. It offers tax breaks, “potentially substantial” as the Los Angles Times notes, to investors like Hussle and Gross who are willing to funnel capital into rebuilding poor communities labeled as “opportunity zones.”
Hussle’s neighborhood, Hyde Park, was one of the communities classified as an opportunity zone which allowed him to put his efforts there. He reportedly met up with several musicians and politicians, including Republican Senator Tim Scott from South Carolina to discuss ways to roll out his investment fund with Gross dubbed “Our Opportunity.”
The business partners also shared their plans to add 80 apartment units to the strip mall where Hussle’s Marathon Clothing store is located along with condos on top of shops with healthy food options. 20 percent of the housing units would be set aside for residents in the area and Gross says they had plans to invest with them so “they could own their homes.”
Following Hussle’s passing, Gross and other investors plan to continue his mission and will unveil the “Our Opportunity” fund later this month. As Lauren London declared at his funeral, “The Marathon continues.”