US rapper Nipsey Hussle, a Grammy-nominated artist, died aged 33.
The man convicted of gunning down beloved Los Angeles rapper Nipsey Hussle more than three years ago was sentenced to 60 years to life in prison in a Los Angeles courtroom Wednesday.
Eric R. Holder, Jr. was found guilty of first-degree murder last July for killing Hussle – whose real name is Ermias Asghedom – outside Hussle’s South Los Angeles clothing store in 2019. Two bystanders were also hit and injured in the incident.
Superior Court Judge H. Clay Jacke announced Holder’s sentence on Wednesday after hearing from one of Hussle’s friends as well as reading a letter from Holder’s father.
His sentencing hearing had been postponed several times, including most recently on Nov. 3.
The sentencing has been delayed in part so defence attorney Aaron Jansen could argue to reduce Holder’s conviction to manslaughter or second-degree murder, which the judge rejected in December.
Hussle grew up in south Los Angeles, where he was a member of the Rollin’ 60s street gang as a teenager.
He opened the Marathon Clothing store as a way of investing in his community. Before his death, he had also reached out to the Los Angeles Police Department to discuss ways to help prevent gang violence in the neighbourhood.
The rapper, who won two posthumous Grammy awards for best rap performance and best rap/song collaboration in 2020, had two children with actor Lauren London.