Nipsey Hussle became a known figure due to his success as a rapper. However, his business acumen was arguably more impactful. Before his untimely death, Nipsey Hussle was setting up a plan to stop gentrification in the South Los Angeles community, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Nipsey and his business partner and real estate developer David Gross were scheduled to meet with Republican Sen. Tim Scott to advance their investment fund, “Our Opportunity.” Their meeting with Scott would have allowed them to take advantage of a tax incentive for economically disadvantaged communities that was included in President Donald Trump’s overhaul of the federal tax code in 2017. According to the National Council of State Housing Agency, over 100 opportunity zone funds have been set up across the nation with the goal of raising $24 billion.
Nipsey and Gross’ initiative would have implemented plans to develop majority Black communities across the nation. Along with with the revitalizing the community, the plan would have also allowed members of the community to invest with Nipsey and Gross that would have provided access to an ownership stake in different projects.
During an interview with rolling out in 2018, Nipsey shared why investing into the Black community and promoting tech was so important to him.
“I became Nipsey Hussle because I could burn my own CDs and sell them from the trunk of my car,” Nipsey told our publication. “You used to have to go to a big studio to record. Now you don’t have to sign a deal to get into the studio … We have to be in tech as hip-hop artists and people from the streets. We can’t just be surrounded by tech, addicted to tech — YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram — but not involved in tech. I think that is where we have to go.”
