The Marathon Don't Stop: The Life and Times of Nipsey Hussle
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- Create Date：2021-04-02 02:31:24
- Update Date：2025-09-06
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- Author：Rob Kenner
- ISBN：1982140291
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Summary
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。
In the ten years since he first met Nipsey Hussle in the offices of Vibe， journalist Rob Kenner followed Hussle's career， paying close attention to the music and business movement he was building in Los Angeles。 Ten years later， they spoke again。 To Kenner， it became clear that Hussle had been underestimated his entire life--not just for his artistry but also for his intellect and intentions。
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。
Combining on-the-ground reporting and candid interviews with Hussle's friends， family， and peers， The Marathon Don't Stop traces the life and work of an extraordinary artist， placing him in historical context and unpacking his complex legacy。 For the first time ever， members of his inner circle will speak about the man they knew and his determination to maintain integrity amidst the treacherous extremes of street life and the rap game。
The Marathon Don't Stop is a journalistic account of Nipsey Hussle's life and times， making sense of the forces that shaped a singular figure in hip hop culture。
In the ten years since he first met Nipsey Hussle in the offices of Vibe， journalist Rob Kenner followed Hussle's career， paying close attention to the music and business movement he was building in Los Angeles。 Ten years later， they spoke again。 To Kenner， it became clear that Hussle had been underestimated his entire life--not just for his artistry but also for his intellect and intentions。
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。
Combining on-the-ground reporting and candid interviews with Hussle's friends， family， and peers， The Marathon Don't Stop traces the life and work of an extraordinary artist， placing him in historical context and unpacking his complex legacy。 For the first time ever， members of his inner circle will speak about the man they knew and his determination to maintain integrity amidst the treacherous extremes of street life and the rap game。
The Marathon Don't Stop is a journalistic account of Nipsey Hussle's life and times， making sense of the forces that shaped a singular figure in hip hop culture。
Reviews
Jeremy
，
Gives context to his music and story。 Feels symbolic to read it 2 years to the day after he died。
Untamed Publishing
，
The Marathon Don’t Stop is an inspiring tale of the life of Nipsey Hussle。 The author takes us on a guided-tour journey from that fateful day， to young Ermias， through his entrepreneurial spirit， to his legacy; detailing the impact he made from the corner of Crenshaw and Slauson to around the world。 The accounts of Nipsey Hussle， not only as a business man and rap artist， but as man’s man showed his unwavering love for his family and friends， and for his neighborhood and the black culture that h The Marathon Don’t Stop is an inspiring tale of the life of Nipsey Hussle。 The author takes us on a guided-tour journey from that fateful day， to young Ermias， through his entrepreneurial spirit， to his legacy; detailing the impact he made from the corner of Crenshaw and Slauson to around the world。 The accounts of Nipsey Hussle， not only as a business man and rap artist， but as man’s man showed his unwavering love for his family and friends， and for his neighborhood and the black culture that he was so proud to be apart of。 This book is a testament to the man who will forever be known as Hussle The Great， and a blueprint for everyone to pick up the baton that he left behind because the marathon continues and it don’t stop。 Thank you NetGalley for this book and we are voluntarily leaving an honest review。 。。。more
Doris
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Listened to the ebook after purchasing HC！Full disclosure I was concerned since it’s an unauthorized biography pieced together with interview， video and magazine clips and the family hasn’t posted the book。 I was happy to hear at the end of the book that a portion of the proceeds will be donated to Nipsey’s Estate and his Neighborhood Nip Foundation。 I love the way #robkenner addresses the systemic segregation of Culver City pretty early on and explains how the gang culture in California is set Listened to the ebook after purchasing HC！Full disclosure I was concerned since it’s an unauthorized biography pieced together with interview， video and magazine clips and the family hasn’t posted the book。 I was happy to hear at the end of the book that a portion of the proceeds will be donated to Nipsey’s Estate and his Neighborhood Nip Foundation。 I love the way #robkenner addresses the systemic segregation of Culver City pretty early on and explains how the gang culture in California is set up， how your address determines your placement on the LAPD Gang assumptions list which gives them carte blanche to do a lot of questionable things to the citizens。 It was eye opening to say the least to know that children as young as 1 year old are placed on that list！ Most Nip fans know he was an avid reader and it was heartening to read that his mom didn’t think dressing “fresh” was important but if he wanted a book she would stop what she was doing to take him to the bookstore。 That resonated with me as I’ve been an avid reader since before it was a choice （no TV watching when I was young had to read a book）😂 While there weren’t any earth shattering revelations there was a lot of confirmation that many of his lyrics were about real life experiences through stories from friends and associates。 I was happy to hear that Vector 90 the mixed use workspace for the community that offers Stem classes and prepares residents for jobs in science and technology jobs is still up and running and to visualize Nips lyrics “So life is what you make it I hope you make a movement I hope opportunity survives the opportunists” on the wall connecting the floors was inspiring。 I could go on but I will say this was a wonderful biography that explored Ermias Asghedom and Nipsey Hussle extremely poignantly and effectively and I would read it again！ Well Done！ #themarathondontstop #themarathoncontinues🏁🙏🏾💙 。。。more
Julia
，
Robert Kenner takes an in depth look at the great influence that Nipsey Hussle had on so many during his tragically short life。 This biography uses interviews from the inner circle of friends and family close to Nipsey， his social media posts， his own interviews and music lyrics to tell the story of Ermias Joseph Asghedom and how he became Nispey Hussle。 Rob also explores the history of Los Angeles， California and the origins of systemic racism that plagues the city often viewed as a progressive Robert Kenner takes an in depth look at the great influence that Nipsey Hussle had on so many during his tragically short life。 This biography uses interviews from the inner circle of friends and family close to Nipsey， his social media posts， his own interviews and music lyrics to tell the story of Ermias Joseph Asghedom and how he became Nispey Hussle。 Rob also explores the history of Los Angeles， California and the origins of systemic racism that plagues the city often viewed as a progressive melting pot。 This work was not rushed and results in an extensive bibliography to prove it。 As another anniversary of his transition approaches， the legacy of Nipsey is one that can not be extinguished simple because the body is gone。 He liberated the minds of so many and stayed true to himself， his family， his community and his culture。 This book is a love letter to the fans of Nipsey Hussle and a well done introduction for those unfamiliar with the man。 Big thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Bitch With The Book
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I was blown away by this book。 I had no idea all of the things that made Nipsey Hussle so legendary。 Prior to his death， only one person has ever had their funeral in The Staples Center and that was Michael Jackson。 Since his death， Kobe Bryant。 What makes Hussle so legendary to be included with all of these greats？ Well pick up the damn book！Nip was LA。 He was raised by the streets and he was dedicated to give back to the streets。 You do not see many rappers or celebrities for that matter that I was blown away by this book。 I had no idea all of the things that made Nipsey Hussle so legendary。 Prior to his death， only one person has ever had their funeral in The Staples Center and that was Michael Jackson。 Since his death， Kobe Bryant。 What makes Hussle so legendary to be included with all of these greats？ Well pick up the damn book！Nip was LA。 He was raised by the streets and he was dedicated to give back to the streets。 You do not see many rappers or celebrities for that matter that rise to fame and put their community above all else。 His city invested in him and that idea was never lost on him and so he was adamant in investing into his city。 Whether it was starting businesses， building work spaces for his community to network， bringing in STEM classes to prepare residents for science and tech jobs， creating jobs， and even meeting with police to develop rapport， he wanted his city to have the same come up that he did。 "What's interesting about Nipsey Hussle is that his capitalism was activism。"His ending was so tragic and it truly was a devastating loss to the community。 The book captures how prominent his absence is but somehow at the same time， his presence is still abundant。 "The game is gonna test you。 Never fold。 Stay ten toes down。 It's not on you; it's in you。 And what's in you they can't take away。 And he's in all of us。"Thank you Net Galley and Atria books for the copy！ 。。。more
Regina Bradley
，
Rob Kenner is a master storyteller。 His research and tender writing about Nipsey Hussle's life is impeccable。 Kenner's scholarly research blends seamlessly with interviews by those closest to Nip to present Hussle as an intriguing and charismatic master planner， family man， entrepreneur， and thinker rather than a tragic figure that succumbed to the street violence he rapped so honestly about in his music。 Rob Kenner is a master storyteller。 His research and tender writing about Nipsey Hussle's life is impeccable。 Kenner's scholarly research blends seamlessly with interviews by those closest to Nip to present Hussle as an intriguing and charismatic master planner， family man， entrepreneur， and thinker rather than a tragic figure that succumbed to the street violence he rapped so honestly about in his music。 。。。more
Natalie White
，
Rob Kenner brings the culture of Crenshaw and the support of the LA Community to life through his vivid depictions of Nipsey Hussle's journey from student to rap mogul。 His interviews throughout offer even more insight into the young rapper's identity。 A must-read for those who are fans of Nipsey's work and even those who are looking to broaden their understanding of the distrust for police in LA neighborhoods。 Rob Kenner brings the culture of Crenshaw and the support of the LA Community to life through his vivid depictions of Nipsey Hussle's journey from student to rap mogul。 His interviews throughout offer even more insight into the young rapper's identity。 A must-read for those who are fans of Nipsey's work and even those who are looking to broaden their understanding of the distrust for police in LA neighborhoods。 。。。more
ReadnliftwithShar
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“Seize the opportunity， believe and take control of it then get on your marathon and grind til it’s over with” - Nipsey Hussle The Marathon Don’t Stop is a really thought provoking read。 It gives an insight to the life and times of the late rapper and Philanthropist， Nipsey Hussle。 It shows the grit， work ethic， and hustle mentality that he had for every aspect of his life。 The writer provides a non-biased perspective that the success didn’t happen overnight while giving detailed information a “Seize the opportunity， believe and take control of it then get on your marathon and grind til it’s over with” - Nipsey Hussle The Marathon Don’t Stop is a really thought provoking read。 It gives an insight to the life and times of the late rapper and Philanthropist， Nipsey Hussle。 It shows the grit， work ethic， and hustle mentality that he had for every aspect of his life。 The writer provides a non-biased perspective that the success didn’t happen overnight while giving detailed information and feedback from many of Nipsey’s peers。 He portrays the methodical efforts and tenacity that went into the man that Nip grew to be。 He speaks highly of how studious and ferocious Nipsey was with learning and how he chose to give back to his community。 Life is not a sprint， it truly is a marathon and I loved that this was the mantra that Nipsey chose for his life。 This book not only gives an eye opening view of Nipsey， it is an inspiring piece that can encourage anyone。 I received this book from @netgalley and the publisher @simonandschuster in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Magaly C。
，
The Marathon Don't Stop is an in-depth look at the life of Nipsey Hussle （RIP 3/31/2019）。 However， Rob Kenner goes beyond Hussle's life， this is also an in-depth view on the history of Los Angeles， CA （specifically the Slauson and Crenshaw areas）， the history of gang development， evolution of major players in hip-hop， and the racism prevalent in the entertainment industry。 California has this rep of being so progressive， but the book does an excellent job of displaying the racist policies in ho The Marathon Don't Stop is an in-depth look at the life of Nipsey Hussle （RIP 3/31/2019）。 However， Rob Kenner goes beyond Hussle's life， this is also an in-depth view on the history of Los Angeles， CA （specifically the Slauson and Crenshaw areas）， the history of gang development， evolution of major players in hip-hop， and the racism prevalent in the entertainment industry。 California has this rep of being so progressive， but the book does an excellent job of displaying the racist policies in housing/real estate development， the police （this wasn't covert。。。）， and the entertainment industry that are systematic in shaping and continuing to oppress Black folks in this country。 Kenner relies heavily on interviews with some of the major players in Hussle's life， social media posts， and interviews of Hussle， which includes a very extensive bibliography for each chapter。 I felt like I was watching a documentary on Nipsey Hussle （born Ermias Asghedom） and how LA influenced his art and creativity。 Kenner emphasizes Hussle's spirit of giving back to the community that shaped him and being a beacon of hope for younger generations to pursue creative interests and see their own value rather than the worth （or lack thereof） placed by society。 There was no set timeline of the narrative in terms of chapter breakdown because there was a lot of history and players intertwined with the major events of Hussle's life。 Nevertheless， I truly appreciated how in-depth Kenner goes into the history of the area beyond the scope of Hussle's life。 This is more than a biography on an influential person， this is a history book that touches the tip of the iceberg of the intricacies that shape a human life: this is the development of someone who was complex， well-respected， and left the world too soon。 。。。more
Book Reviews By Tara
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I am totally in my feelings as I write this。 Rob Kenner did a phenomenal job with this biography！ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐩 is an emotional journey that touched my heart in ways I honestly didn’t expect。 What made this journey so impactful is that it took me through Nipsey’s entire life， from his birth to after is assassination。 Let me be clear in stating there is no fluff in this book。 No B。S。 about his romantic relationships （ 𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘯 𝘕𝘪𝘱𝘴𝘦𝘺’𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘓𝘢𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘯 𝘓𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘰 I am totally in my feelings as I write this。 Rob Kenner did a phenomenal job with this biography！ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐩 is an emotional journey that touched my heart in ways I honestly didn’t expect。 What made this journey so impactful is that it took me through Nipsey’s entire life， from his birth to after is assassination。 Let me be clear in stating there is no fluff in this book。 No B。S。 about his romantic relationships （ 𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘯 𝘕𝘪𝘱𝘴𝘦𝘺’𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘓𝘢𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘯 𝘓𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘯） no mentions of beefs Nip may have had， and no TMZ gossip type of foolishness。 In other words， this is a solid body of work。 TMDS explains just how a person like Nipsey can end up in a gang。 I found every story in this book significant。 This biography is packed with information that allows a reader like me， someone who didn’t know much about Nipsey， to walk away feeling as if I knew the legend personally。 After reading this book I honestly feel cheated！ Cheated that such a great man is no longer here， and I’m just learning the details of his prolific life！Reading this book was like being on a roller coaster。 The first few chapters was like going uphill， it’s a little slow， but weighted with necessary details and information about LA’s history and the climate that created Nipsey。 Then came the middle of the book， the top of the hill， this is where everything picked up。 I could clearly see the direction Kenner was taking。 I embraced the story。 There was no turning back。 I was fully invested。 Then came the final chapters， the dramatic， fast paced pinnacle that caused my heart to pound！ This part of the book made me want to scream！ It brought tears to my eyes。 To take in Nipsey’s entire story at one time makes for an extremely emotional read。 Understanding everything he stood for， only to be murdered， is so freaking heartbreaking！ One of the saddest moments was reading how Nipsey often spoke of one day selling out the Staples Center。 Only to sadly accomplish that goal at his memorial。Although I found this narrative heartbreaking， I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the inspiration I gained as I read Nipsey’s story。 The author mentions books that Nipsey read。 I wrote down the titles and ordered them for myself。 I wrote down lessons shared throughout each chapter。 And as a result， I feel like I’ve now been passed a piece of the touch！ The Marathon Don’t Stop！ Also， Kenner does an amazing job of detailing how the marathon was built。 I highly recommend this book for everyone！ It is not reserved for Nipsey fans only。 Because in the end， this is the story of how one man turned nothing into something！ He stood for what he believed。 And he truly did it his way！（ 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 Amistad Books 𝘢𝘯𝘥 Simon and Schuster 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘷𝘪𝘢 Netgalley 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸）。 𝘗𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘛𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘥𝘢𝘺， 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 23𝘳𝘥 。。。more
Lena
，
[Source: ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。]The Marathon Don’t Stop is the book I’ve most anticipated since it was announced in 2019。 Nipsey Hussle’s official debut album， Victory Lap， is deeply personal to me and remains in near-daily rotation three years after its release。 His sudden murder in 2019 rocked me with shock and disbelief that was more acute than what I felt as a 13-year-old hearing of Tupac Shakur’s death。 This book， then， is a fitting opp [Source: ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。]The Marathon Don’t Stop is the book I’ve most anticipated since it was announced in 2019。 Nipsey Hussle’s official debut album， Victory Lap， is deeply personal to me and remains in near-daily rotation three years after its release。 His sudden murder in 2019 rocked me with shock and disbelief that was more acute than what I felt as a 13-year-old hearing of Tupac Shakur’s death。 This book， then， is a fitting opportunity for fans and newcomers alike to better understand the full trajectory of Nipsey’s life as “the Tupac of his generation。”In this biography， Kenner examines Nipsey’s life from the lens of， unsurprisingly， a marathon。 Starting with his childhood in South Central Los Angeles and following his resolute pursuit of success on his own terms， The Marathon Don’t Stop is a retrospective of Nipsey Hussle as a multifaceted man — Ermias Asghedom — not just a Crip turned rapper。Kenner approaches The Marathon Don’t Stop as one would expect of a journalist。 It is abundantly clear that Kenner did ample research， with an extensive bibliography to back up more than a decade of covering Nipsey’s career。 There is a plethora of new interviews from Nipsey’s neighborhood， music， and business associates and family members to provide insight， which is coupled with existing media coverage。 Where Nipsey’s own words are used， they come from an expansive collection of print， online， and video interviews， as well as his own social media posts。 Interviews are a mix of those conducted with the author as well as those sourced from outlets， representing more than a decade of coverage。 The result is a narrative that unfolds from various perspectives， with an honest and balanced portrayal of the complexity of Nipsey’s relationships， experiences， and legacy。The Marathon Don’t Stop isn’t solely focused on Nipsey， though。 Kenner certainly provides background for Nipsey’s life and gives the personal and professional chronologies one would expect。 However， it’s impossible to speak of Nipsey’s upbringing and career without also scrutinizing the environment that made him who he was。 In doing so， Kenner provides context not just for the Los Angeles of Nipsey’s experience， but he explains how Los Angeles’ political， social， and economic conditions evolved over decades to create the unique circumstances that led to Nipsey’s gang affiliation， pivot into music， and eventual success as a community investor and activist。In an industry where artist exploitation is an open secret， Nipsey was renown for eschewing the same pitfalls as other artists who simply wanted to make it big。 He wanted to have that success， but， as Kenner demonstrates， he also had a code that dictated how he moved toward that goal and how he leveraged that success。 The Marathon Don’t Stop highlights the wins and losses Nipsey and his team experienced on his rise。 Even as a die-hard fan， it’s difficult to know the intimate details from simply following headlines and lyrics; Kenner synthesizes publicized incidents with intimate details from those who were involved first-hand。 One thing becomes clear — Nipsey learned and played the game well。 But in games， there are always winners and losers。 And Kenner details， with heart-rending precision， how Nipsey’s willingness to look out for the neighborhood eventually led to his death。It’s worth noting that The Marathon Don’t Stop is an unauthorized biography。 Kenner leans heavily on primary sources， and the book is dense with information。 But lacking in that are the voices of some of Nipsey’s family。 So while the book holds incredible depth， there is no getting around what feels like the missing perspectives of those who were undoubtedly closest to him speaking directly with this author since Nipsey’s death。 It’s hard to read a biography about Nipsey without wondering how much more insight could be learned from those who held notably close relationships with him — those who are now at the helm of making sure his marathon continues。The Marathon Don’t Stop is important reading for long-standing fans of Nipsey Hussle or those learning of him after his death。 Kenner has crafted an comprehensive book that will leave any reader with a far greater understanding of Nipsey Hussle’s life， career， death， and legacy than can easily be gleaned in any single place。 。。。more
Desi Wolff-Myren
，
The Marathon Don’t Stop is the story of。 Nipsey Hussle， one of hip hop’s most notable icon。 This book tells the story of his beginnings on the street and how he built his empire from the ground up。 Using interviews， the author gives insight to Nipsey’s early life， events that influenced him， and set backs that pushed him to keep moving forward。As a fan of his song “FDT” （if you know， you know） I was interested in learning more about this figure。 Knowing literally nothing about him， I was impress The Marathon Don’t Stop is the story of。 Nipsey Hussle， one of hip hop’s most notable icon。 This book tells the story of his beginnings on the street and how he built his empire from the ground up。 Using interviews， the author gives insight to Nipsey’s early life， events that influenced him， and set backs that pushed him to keep moving forward。As a fan of his song “FDT” （if you know， you know） I was interested in learning more about this figure。 Knowing literally nothing about him， I was impressed with the lengths he went to keep giving back to his neighborhood， and the effort he put into planning for its future。 Overall， a good read about a life cut tragically short。 。。。more
Tiffany Tyler
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