Just the one word was trending on Twitter.
NIPSEY?
Why in the world would Nipsey Russell be trending on Twitter?
Oh. NOT Nipsey Russell.
Nipsey Hussle.
Who?
I knew Nipsey RUSSELL, of course. Met him, spoke to him on the phone...I somehow doubt that Nipsey Hussell knew Nipsey Russell. But I do hope that the name wasn't just a cash-in but a sincere tribute to an older performer who, as they say, paved the way.
But no, never heard of the guy before he died, which isn't unusual with rappers, is it?
I'm just not UP on my rappers.
How many can you name? You might recall Kurtis Blow, a guy Dylan liked. M.C. Hammer. Kanye. Fitty Cent. Snoop. The Pulitzer Prize Winning Kendrick Lamarr. (Or was that a Nobel Prize. Or did he get a Medal of Honor?)
Usually these guys would be more likely to get the Purple Heart.
OK, TMZ, tell me ALL about it:
Since the Internet always supplies you with more shit to waste your time, TMZ graciously figured if I enjoyed reading about one rapper being shot in the head, I'd LOVE to read these:
Within a few hours, the Twitter-ers who said, "He be shot in the head, that dont sound good" got the bad news.
NIPSEY was trending even more.
That's just a sample. ANYTHING happens, people will race to Twitter to curse, state the obvoius, or show off their favorite REACTION MEME.
Was he a gangsta? A crip? Was he a fine family man and a credit to the neighborhood with his store? Can you REALLY make so much money off rap music that you buy yourself a white suit and a white horse?
When a rapper dies, nobody's ever sure what vendetta, what war, what "shit" went down that caused the end of a Tupac or a Notorious or a Nipsey.
Probably few of the under 30 fans of Mr. Hussle even heard of Nipsey Russell, so it's only fair and logical that those on the other side of the age spectrum never heard of Hussle. The thing is, both sides would insist it's just as well.
I think most people should force themselves to listen to a few of the most popular rap songs, and rap fans might do well to at least tolerate a few minutes of YouTube watching George Kirby, Scoey Mitchell and Nipsey (among othes).
Nipsey was a very private guy, and pretty serious, too. He also protected his mythology, insisting that "Nipsey" was his real name. Perhaps, like the baseball player Pumpsie Green, he really had no idea how he got saddled with the nickname, and so he just took the easy way out and said his mother thought it up and he never asked why.
Like so many comedians, he was a serious guy, and seemed even more serious because his off-stage manner didn't involve being "on." Nipsey wasn't quipsy. I suppose one example of just how serious he was, would be the job he did interviewing Christine Jorgensen for an exploitation record. He does a good, sympathetic job. No joking around. On the liner notes, he is merely credited as "N. Russell." But yes, it's him.
Comedians of the late 50's and early 60's may have played a lot of gangster (not gangsta) nightclubs, but despite the Mafia connections and the rest of it, it's hard to think of any even semi-famous stand-up who got a cap popped into his ass.
Same with singers, and as the singer/songwriters became super popular in the 70's, not a one seemed to have the fate of a Tupac or a Notorious B.I.G.
Cat Stevens, James Taylor and Elton John seemed to behave themselves. At least, there wasn't any gunplay. If a rock star did some shooting up, it was to his own arm.
As for comedians, no, Nipsey Russell lived to a ripe old age.
Redd Foxx never had to recover from a bullet in his butt. Flip Wilson didn't get one in the neck, obliterating a tattoo.
Can we dial it back, you fine, fine ENTERTAINERS?
You don't need to settle shit with a gun.
Just think of how intimidating it was for LaWanda Page to get in your face and squint and say, "Out of the way, you fish-eyed fool."
There ya go.
No comments:
Post a Comment