DJ Khaled releasing song with Nipsey Hussle, donating proceeds to slain rapper's children
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Thousands of fans lined the streets of Los Angeles to say goodbye to rapper Nipsey Hussle following his memorial at the Staples Center.
USA TODAY
DJ Khaled is honoring the late Nipsey Hussle’s legacy with a new collaboration.Â
The artist, 43, announced on Twitter Wednesday that he will release a single with Hussle called “Higher” and will donate all proceeds to Hussle’s kids – Emani, 10, and Kross, his 2-year-old son with actress Lauren London.
“A gift from my brother Nipsey that we want to share with the world,” Khaled tweeted. “We miss you and we will forever keep your legacy going. The Marathon Continues.”
The “We the Best” rapper revealed that he and Hussle filmed a music video for “Higher” just days before Hussle was gunned down in South Central Los Angeles on March 31.Â
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“Recently, I embarked on a soul-searching journey down a road I never thought I would travel in a million years,” he wrote. “It began when a tragedy robbed the world of an enlightened soul, a brother, a father, a partner and my friend, Nipsey Hussle.”
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A gift from my brother Nipsey that we want to share with the world. We miss you and we will forever keep your legacy going. The Marathon Continues. 🏁💙
God Bless You. 🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/QZ5LUxwP03
— DJ KHALED (@djkhaled) May 16, 2019
Khaled said he decided to share the single featuring Hussle, whose real name was Ermias Asghedom, after receiving the “full blessing of the Asghedom family” and following much “prayer and reflection.”
“The very title of the song reminds us that vibrating on a ‘Higher’ level was the essence of Nipsey’s soul,” Khaled wrote. “It is in this spirit, of moving forward, of preserving his mission, that I, my co-writers, producers, and label partners are donating 100% of all our proceeds from ‘Higher’ to Nipsey’s children.”
The song also features John Legend, who described filming visuals for the single shortly before Hussle’s death.Â
RIP Nipsey. I just spent Thursday with him filming a video for a beautiful new song we created with Khaled. We filmed in Inglewood, close to where he grew up. He was so gifted, so proud of his home, so invested in his community. Utterly stunned that he’s gone so soon.
— John Legend (@johnlegend) April 1, 2019
“I just spent Thursday with him filming a video for a beautiful new song we created with Khaled,” Legend tweeted shortly after Hussle was killed. “We filmed in Inglewood, close to where he grew up. He was so gifted, so proud of his home, so invested in his community.”
Just three days before Hussle’s death, Khaled shared images from the video filming. “Bless up @nipseyhussle nothing but luv,” he wrote on March 28.Â
“Higher” will be featured on Khaled’s new album, “Father of Asahd,” which drops Friday.
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![Hundreds of supporters cheer and watch as Nipsey Hussle's casket passes The Marathon Store on the corner of Crenshaw and Slauson on April 11, 2019.]()
1 of 38![Los Angeles Resident Michael Strong mourns the loss of Nipsey Hussle in front of The Marathon Store on the corner of Crenshaw and Slauson on April 11, 2019.]()
2 of 38![The National flag of Eritrea lays over the casket of Nipsey Hussle as it passes The Marathon Store on the corner of Crenshaw and Slauson on April 11, 2019.]()
3 of 38![Hundreds of candles sit in front of The Marathon Store on the corner of Crenshaw and Slauson on April 11, 2019.]()
4 of 38![Supporters cheer as a Los Angeles Metro bus displays NIP on the side of the bus on the corner of Crenshaw and Slauson on April 11, 2019.]()
5 of 38![Members of the public joined Nipsey Hussle's 25.5 mile funeral procession through Los Angeles.]()
6 of 38![Members of the public joined Nipsey Hussle's 25.5 mile funeral procession through Los Angeles.]()
7 of 38![Members of the public joined Nipsey Hussle's 25.5 mile funeral procession through Los Angeles.]()
8 of 38![Members of the public joined Nipsey Hussle's 25.5 mile funeral procession through Los Angeles.]()
9 of 38![Raul Rico watches as the funeral procession for Nipsey Hustle drives past his business on Vermont Ave. in Los Angeles.]()
10 of 38![Vehicles in a funeral procession for Nipsey Hussle move slowly through Los Angeles after memorial services at the Staples Center.]()
11 of 38![Vehicles in a funeral procession for Nipsey Hussle move slowly through Los Angeles after a memorial services at the Staples Center.]()
12 of 38![A driver takes a selfie as the funeral procession for Nipsey Hussle stops while driving through Los Angeles.]()
13 of 38![A funeral procession for Nipsey Hussle moves through Los Angeles following a memorial service at the Staples Center.]()
14 of 38![A man shoots video on his cellphone of Nipsey Hussle's funeral procession following a memorial service at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.]()
15 of 38![People gather to watch and shoot video of Nipsey Hussle's funeral procession following a memorial service at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.]()
16 of 38![The funeral procession for Nipsey Hussle makes it way through Los Angeles as people watch and shoot snapshots.]()
17 of 38![Angelique Smith and Dawit Asghedom, right, speak onstage during the Celebration of Life memorial service for their late son, Nipsey Hussle, at the Staples Center.]()
18 of 38![Samiel Asghedom speaks onstage about his brother during Nipsey Hussle's Celebration of Life at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.]()
19 of 38![Snoop Dogg speaks during the Celebration of Life memorial service for the late Nipsey Hussle at the Staples Center.]()
20 of 38![Louis Farrakhan, speaks during the Celebration of Life memorial service for the late Nipsey Hussle at the Staples Center.]()
21 of 38![Louis Farrakhan speaks during the Celebration of Life memorial service for the late Nipsey Hussle at the Staples Center.]()
22 of 38![Stevie Wonder performs onstage during Nipsey Hussle's Celebration of Life at Staples Center in Los Angeles.]()
23 of 38![Pastor Shep Crawford speaks during the Celebration of Life memorial service for the late Nipsey Hussle at the Staples Center.]()
24 of 38![People arrive to attend the Celebration of Life memorial service for rapper recording artist and social activist Nipsey Hussle, April 11, 2019 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.]()
25 of 38![Thousands of people arrive to attend the ceremony 'Nipsey Hussle Celebration of Life' to honor the memory of the late rapper at the Staples Center Stadium in Los Angeles, April 11, 2019.]()
26 of 38![A lone candle rests against a wall full of messages commemorating slain rapper Nipsey Hussle outside The Marathon Clothing store as people wait for a funeral procession to pass, April 11, 2019, in Los Angeles.]()
27 of 38![People arrive to attend the Celebration of Life memorial service for rapper recording artist and social activist Nipsey Hussle, on April 11, 2019 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Hussle, born Ermias Ashgedom, was fatally shot outside his Marathon Clothing store in South Los Angeles on March 31, 2019.]()
28 of 38![A makeshift memorial site for slain rapper Nipsey Hussle is filled with candles outside The Marathon Clothing store, April 11, 2019, in Los Angeles.]()
29 of 38![Vehicles taking part in the procession arrive for the Celebration of Life memorial service for late rapper Nipsey Hussle.]()
30 of 38![A fan of late rapper Nipsey Hussle arrives to attend the Celebration of Life memorial service for late rapper Nipsey Hussle.]()
31 of 38![Artist Gift Davis works on a portrait of rapper Nipsey Hussle as fans wait in line to attend a public memorial at Staples Center in Los Angeles.]()
32 of 38![A silver hearse at the Celebration of Life memorial service for late rapper Nipsey Hussle.]()
33 of 38![A large image of Nipsey Hussle, is carried into the Staples Center for a memorial service in Los Angeles.]()
34 of 38![People arrive to attend the Celebration of Life memorial service for Nipsey Hussle in Los Angeles.]()
35 of 38![People console each other as they arrive to attend the Celebration of Life memorial service for Nipsey Hussle in Los Angeles.]()
36 of 38![Fans and community members gather along the procession route for Nipsey Hussle following his memorial at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, April 11, 2019.]()
37 of 38![US rapper Master P answers questions from the media as he attends the ceremony 'Nipsey Hussle Celebration of Life' to honor the memory of the late rapper at the Staples Center Stadium in Los Angeles, April 11, 2019.]()
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