Nipsey Hussle’s Mother Urges People to Go Vegan at Memorial Service

During a memorial service honoring late rapper and celebrated community activist Ermias “Nipsey Hussle” Asghedom, his mother Angelique Smith spoke about her son and urged everyone watching to go vegan. “I want to encourage you to choose a vegan lifestyle,” Smith said before recommending that people limit their consumption of alcohol and narcotics.

More than 20,000 people gathered at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, April 11 for the memorial service, including vegan singer Stevie Wonder who performed his song “Rocket Love” in honor of the late rapper and called for stronger gun control laws. “It is a heartbreak because it is so unnecessary,” Wonder said. Vegan artist and friend of Hussle Jhené Aiko also gave a musical tribute to the rapper during the memorial. Prior to his death, Hussle planned to work with the Los Angeles Police Department on a program to reduce gang violence, invested in local schools and STEM Education Incubators with the purpose of helping young people to gain training and professional development tools, and opened local businesses that employed community members.