The Marathon Don't Stop
The Life and Times of Nipsey Hussle
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- $26.99
Publisher Description
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
This “beautiful tribute to a legendary artist” (Quincy Jones) is the first in-depth biography of Nipsey Hussle, the hip-hop mogul, artist, and activist whose transformative legacy inspired a generation with his motivational lyrics and visionary business savvy—before he was tragically shot down in the very neighborhood he was dedicated to building up.
For Nipsey Hussle, “The Marathon” was more than a mixtape title or the name of a clothing store; it was a way of life, a metaphor for the relentless pursuit of excellence and the willpower required to overcome adversity day after day. Hussle was determined to win the race to success on his own terms, and he wanted to see his whole community in the winner’s circle with him.
A moving and powerful exploration of an extraordinary artist, The Marathon Don’t Stop places Hussle in historical context and unpacks his complex legacy. Combining on-the-ground reporting and candid interviews, “Rob Kenner has given us the book the world—and hip-hop and pop culture—has been waiting for…one that should be celebrated alongside the best biographies ever about iconic figures we have loved—and lost” (Kevin Powell, author of When We Free the World).
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Journalist Kenner debuts with an arresting biography of the late hip-hop artist and activist Nipsey Hussle. Tracking down Hussle's family members and friends, Kenner chronicles his subject's life, from his childhood in Los Angeles's Crenshaw neighborhood to his murder there at age 33. Hussle grew up reading computer magazines and built a computer from a pile of discarded parts, and as a teenager was a member of the Crips. To support himself, Hussle started going on "get-money missions," selling everything from weed to DVDs. From there, he turned his love of rap into a hustle, burning mix CDs, which he sold for $5. He soon began rapping on his own mixes, and his popularity—charted by Kenner with a contagious reverence—soared after Jay-Z purchased 100 copies of his mixtape Crenshaw in 2013. Nearly a decade later, his official debut album, Victory Lap, was nominated for a Grammy. Hussle returned his success to his neighborhood, starting businesses that employed felons, and a STEM program to "bridge the gap between South Central and Silicon Valley." Only a year after his album's release, Hussle was shot and killed outside of a store he'd just opened, prompting widespread grief in the music industry. This is a story of determination and heart that no music fan will want to miss.
