Born into a world, beautiful. Landing in a terra firma of mud. A mind, innocent. A mind, free. That innocence corrupted. A life, having not taken a thousand breaths, torn asunder by the hardened teeth guiding this nation. Stand? For what?

America has always been the home of the brave, but it has never been the land of the free.

Ermias Davidson Asghedom (Nipsey Hussle) provided the blueprint for future rappers - talented lyricists - destined for the industry. On top of showing them how to think beyond Hip Hop, he also showed them how to combat Mumble Rap - a weapon designed by the opposition to our covert empowerment movement, which has been underway, through song, since slavery of which America, herself, has yet to atone for.

If a man, woman, or child of color dies in this dizzying world of theirs, trust that OUR reincarnation wouldn't come in the form of no goddamn tree. We would be buried as cannabis. A beautiful people with the perfect hue, doomed to be routinely smoked by those with seeming unfettered impunity, the...