This time last year, Nipsey Hussle attended the Grammy Awards as a first-time nominee. The Los Angeles native, who earned a nod for his long-awaited feature length studio album, Victory Lap, hit the red carpet alongside his daughter, Imani, and partner Lauryn London. Despite losing the category to Cardi B, Hussle’s landing a nomination after years of grinding in the rap game, was a victory within itself.
“It ain’t expect nothing,” he told Big Boy’s Neighborhood last last year of being nominated.. “It’s been some talk around it so if the list would’ve come around and I wasn’t on it, I wasn’t going to be disappointed.”
Two months after the award show, the 33-year-old rapper and entrepreneur was gunned down in the parking lot of his clothing store. Hussle’s tragic death seemingly expanded his fans based an illuminated his legacy and influence, and according to a report from Hits Daily Double, the Grammys will pay tribute to the late recording artist during this year’s ceremony. It’s unclear who will participate in the supposed tribute as the Recording Academy has yet to confirm (or deny) the rumor.
Hussle also received three posthumous Grammy nods for Best Rap Song, Best Rap Performance and Best Rap/Sung performance. The ceremony is expected to feature performances from Tyler the Creator, H.E.R., Charlie Wilson, Lil Nas X, BTS, Lizzo, and Aerosmith with Run DMC, and more.
The 62nd annual Grammy Awards air on Jan. 26 on CBS.