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R.I.P. Nipsey Hussle - Revisiting Victory Lap



I was shocked to hear about Nipsey's murder earlier this week. The L.A. rapper had been active for nearly 15 years when he finally released his major debut "Victory Lap" last year to both critical and fan acclaim. He was the poster child for how hard work and dedication finally pay off when you don't let go and don't compromise. His message of approaching life as a marathon rather than a sprint resonated with all audiences no matter where you're from or what your upbringing was. He really was bigger than life, and like a Tupac before him, his message touched a lot of people and he was trying to do a lot of good for his community.

Outside of the "Victory Lap" album, his discography is very long and you should check out his "Bullets Ain't Got No Name" and "Marathon" mixtape series. It's been just over a year since "Victory Lap" released and as I was listening to it yesterday I couldn't help but think that it has classic album potential. I was already ranking it number ONE  Rap/Hip Hop album of last year and now would definitely put it my top 5 so far this decade.

From the opening celebratory track to the last hidden bonus track, "Victory Lap" brings you into Nipsey's world of constant grind and never ending search for self-improvement. This album definitely has a mood of its own and sounds like nothing else.

Every single song on the album is a potential single, and most turned out to be released as singles long after the album came out. Take the title track for example, where Nipsey Hussle raps gems like "Yeah, look I'm finna take it there/This time around I'ma make it clear/Spoke some things into the universe and they appeared/I say it's worth it, I won't say it's fair/Find your purpose or you wasting air" over a banging beat supported by Stacy Barthe's singing, showing you don't have to dumb it down to make a hit.



The YG-assisted "Last Time That I Checc'd" has him trading bars of wisdom with a rival gang affiliate over a beat you would normally only expect to hear pure bragadoccio raps on.





And the list goes on with a star-studded cast with some of the most popular and most talented names in urban music from Kendrick Lamar, to Cee-lo and P. Diddy. The hits are too many to name and each song has its load of lessons and insights into how to find a way to a successful life.

"Victory Lap" is the ultimate blueprint to success through hardship and will resonate with everyone who strive to do better in life. Nipsey's passing away is heartbreaking, but this piece of music will ensure a long-lasting legacy for the sunny state figure. R.I.P. Nipsey. Your music will always live on.



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