People are talking about how he came back wearing a red shirt, tiptoeing through the alley. He went to the right and started his actions, which makes me think this was planned out. First off, red shirts aren’t exactly common in the neighborhood. I don’t have any personal stakes in Nipsey Hussle’s story—I wasn’t involved with him and didn’t benefit from anything he was doing. Nipsey wasn’t signed to me, and I don’t make money from his Crenshaw shirts or any of that. I focus on my own projects. My mom and I started NP, which was under a 10-year contract from 2009 to 2019.
Recently, Nipsey’s brother, Black Sam, opened up about Nipsey’s death, stirring up new suspicions about whether record executive and former Crips leader Big U had a role in setting Nipsey up. Black Sam’s chat with Big Boy was intense, covering everything from his childhood to the heartbreaking day Nipsey was taken away.
The interview had everyone on edge because Nipsey’s loss still feels fresh. Even though Eric Holder is serving a 60-year sentence, many people feel that there’s more to the story that hasn’t come to light. New details about Big U’s behavior after Nipsey’s death have surfaced, and some fans think he seemed more celebratory than mournful, which didn’t go unnoticed. People are comparing his reaction to how some rappers flaunt on social media when one of their rivals is taken out.
Now, there’s speculation that Black Sam might believe Big U played a part in Nipsey’s death based on what he said in the interview. The red shirt seen in the alley could be a distraction or part of a bigger setup involving other groups like the Englewood families or the BPS.
To me, it seems like the person was either on a mission or was really nervous. They were supposed to hit the alley fast, but instead, they checked out the scene, probably to make sure Nipsey wasn’t around. Nipsey’s tragic shooting happened in broad daylight in front of his Marathon Clothing store in South Central LA on March 31, 2019, around 3:18 p.m. In a shocking act of disrespect, after being shot at least 10 times, Nipsey was even kicked in the head.
It was a devastating scene in Los Angeles as rapper Nipsey Hussle was captured in his final moments on video. Paramedics rushed to his side, trying desperately to save him, while onlookers were left stunned. Unfortunately, Nipsey wasn’t alone; two other people were caught in the crossfire and all three were taken to the hospital. Despite the urgent efforts, Nipsey was pronounced dead at 3:55 p.m., leaving the world in shock. At just 33 years old, his passing was a tremendous loss. Nipsey left behind his partner, Lauren London, their son Cross, and his daughter Ammani from a previous relationship with Tanisha Foster.
Lauren London poured her heart out in a touching tribute: “I had to write something because I’ve never felt this kind of pain before. But I believe in God. Nipsey’s soul was something special. He was the strongest man I’ve ever known—a gentle father, a patient leader, and a guiding light. He was incredibly smart and always hungry for knowledge. He’d listen to audiobooks at night, and I’d tease him about it, but I thought it was one of the coolest things about him. He’d start his days by playing music for the kids, lighting sage, and filling our home with positive energy so we could face the day with strength.
My heart aches for our 2-year-old, who might not remember how much his dad loved him. I don’t fully understand this loss, but I remember Nipsey always saying, ‘The game is going to test you. Never fold. Stay 10 toes down. It’s not on you, it’s in you, and what’s in you, they can’t take away.’ He’s a part of all of us. To Los Angeles, this pain is ours. We’ve lost someone truly rare and real. Though we’ll never be the same, as Nipsey said, ‘The marathon continues.’ I love you beyond this earth, and until we meet again, the marathon continues.”
As for the investigation, the police quickly zeroed in on Eric Ronald Holder Jr., who was 29 at the time. It was revealed that Holder wasn’t a random stranger but someone Nipsey knew, with the incident believed to stem from a personal dispute. Holder was arrested on April 2nd, 2019, and placed in solitary confinement. By May 9th, 2019, he faced a grand jury indictment, charged with one count of murder, two counts of attempted murder with a firearm, and possession of a firearm by a felon.
“We, the jury, find the defendant, Eric Ronald Holder Jr., guilty of first-degree murder.” That’s what the jury said after Holder was found guilty on multiple felony charges, including the murder of Nipsey Hussle, whose real name was Ermias Ashedom. The trial, which had been pushed back several times, finally started in June 2022. It was a high-stakes drama, with Holder’s defense claiming the shooting was a spur-of-the-moment decision, while the prosecution argued it was planned. Evidence showed that Nipsey and Holder had a heated argument right before the shooting, sparked by rumors that Holder had cooperated with authorities in another case. On July 6, 2022, the jury delivered their verdict, and by February 22, 2023, Holder was sentenced to 60 years in prison.
For the murder charge alone, Holder received a sentence of 25 years to life, plus an additional 25 years to life for a separate enhancement allegation, bringing his total to 50 years to life. Overall, his sentence is 60 years to life. The court also suggested that Holder be placed in a facility where his mental health needs can be properly addressed.
Even with Holder’s conviction and life sentence, some people feel like there’s more to the story. Rumors started flying that Holder might not have acted alone and that someone else might have been pulling the strings. That’s where Eugene “Big U” Henley comes into the picture. Big U, a music executive who used to manage Nipsey, has a past with the Rolling 60s Crips and served 13 years in prison before making a name for himself in the music and film industries. Since Nipsey’s death, Big U has faced suspicion from fans and insiders alike. Producer Loose Cannon, who’s related to Nipsey’s first child’s mother, caused a stir by saying on the No Jumper podcast that Big U had called him before Nipsey was shot, thinking Nipsey was already dead. Shockingly, just 30 minutes later, Holder shot Nipsey.
“He FaceTimed me and said, ‘Nipsey just got shot.’ I was stunned, so I hung up and tried calling Nipsey right away. When he picked up, I told him, ‘I love you, cuz,’ and we had a quick chat. Did you mention the call you got from Big U? No, I didn’t say anything. My cousin is Nipsey’s baby mama, so I thought maybe I could have stopped it or at least warned him. What do you mean by ‘stopped it’?
“Well, after talking to Nipsey, I thought Big U might have been mistaken. Then about 30 minutes later, my friends were blowing up my phone saying Nipsey had been shot. I was confused—Big U called me, I panicked and called Nipsey, and he answered. I didn’t even think to warn him because the situation with Big U and Nipsey was always so unpredictable.”
“So, you think Big U contacted you too early? When Big U saw Loose Cannon’s comments, he responded by sending a cease-and-desist letter to No Jumper and Adam 22, which led to Adam removing the interview with Cannon. Despite this, Loose Cannon wasn’t backing down. He claimed that Big U’s reaction meant there was some truth to what he said. Loose later changed his story a bit, saying he never claimed Big U ordered the hit on Nipsey but suggested that Big U knew about the plan and didn’t warn Nipsey.
“Loose Cannon argued, ‘If you get a cease-and-desist and then send it to No Jumper, it means there’s some truth to what I said.’ Eddie Boy then went public, accusing Big U of being a snitch. However, he later contradicted himself. Wack called in and asked Eddie Boy about his accusations. Eddie Boy confirmed that Big U had informed him and others in jail about being labeled a snitch, but they chose to ignore it. This makes you wonder if Big U is still involved in street activities, working with the police, or genuinely committed to community projects like youth sports.
“So, am I being accused of twisting the story? I never said Big U was behind Nipsey’s death; I just suggested he knew about the attack and didn’t warn Nipsey. Things got more complicated when Nipsey’s brother, Black Sam, hinted in a recent interview with Big Boy that Eric Holder might have been sent by someone else to take Nipsey out. Sam said Holder first showed up at Nipsey’s store without a shirt, and the usual security wasn’t working properly that day. Holder came back later wearing a red shirt, which Sam pointed out wasn’t sold in that area. Soon after, Holder confronted Nipsey, and shots were fired.
“I was at the doorway when Nipsey arrived. You’ll see me in a hoodie with a pistol, and another team member in a hoodie with a pistol at the doorway—that’s just how we do things. Nipsey had just pulled up.”
So, it’s a busy Sunday, and things are all over the place. I wasn’t there, but it seems like they didn’t follow the usual protocol. Instead, they were caught up helping customers. From what I gather, the guy came by first without a shirt to scope things out. He checked the scene, saw no one was watching, then left. He came back later wearing a red shirt and slipped through the alley to get in. To me, this looks pretty planned out.
First off, you don’t see red shirts being sold around there—no local store carries them. So, showing up in a red shirt was probably meant to throw people off. It seems like he was sent with a specific purpose and was nervous. Instead of just going through the alley right away, he took his time to check things out, which makes it seem like he was trying to figure out what was going on.
Sam thinks that Eric didn’t get into any argument with Nipsey. If he had, he would have been attacked right away. Eric was on a mission, and his leaving and coming back indicates he knew what he was doing. There was no argument or immediate threat—just a planned attack in broad daylight. It leaves a lot of unanswered questions.
Did Eric have any real conversation with Nipsey? They did talk, but it wasn’t aggressive—just casual. Eric was clearly there for a reason, and something that happened earlier might have influenced his actions. Black Sam didn’t mention Big U by name, but Wack 100 jumped in, suggesting that Black Sam was hinting at Big U when talking about Eric’s mission. Wack 100 also brought up that Big U was unhappy when Nipsey brought DJ Khaled to the neighborhood without clearing it with him. This kind of resentment might have built up over time.
Black Sam didn’t dive into Big U’s past actions, but he did mention issues around Big U’s authority and Nipsey’s defiance. There was also a claim that Big U tried to confront Nipsey but was stopped by Fat. This might explain why Big U seemed to have a grudge against Nipsey.
Fans are noticing Big U’s odd behavior since Nipsey’s death, suggesting he might have been hurt by Nipsey’s success. Some think Big U felt overshadowed and didn’t like how Nipsey gained more respect and influence.
At the end of the day, only the person in custody knows the full story. What do you think about the rumors surrounding Big U’s possible role in Nipsey’s death? Do you believe he orchestrated it or just didn’t warn Nipsey?