A Look At Nipsey Hussle's Relationship With Lauren London
When Lauren London and Nipsey Hussle connected, they quickly became a power couple. Both of them had been in the industry for years: London had her breakthrough with the film "ATL," which led to award nominations and TV roles, while Hussle had built up a loyal fan base as a rapper and worked with artists like YG, Drake, and Snoop Dogg. And it was one of his much-hyped mixtapes that actually led to them meeting.
"I did not slide into his DMs," London later clarified to GQ. "My homeboy did." After she got her hands on "Crenshaw," his limited edition mixtape, Hussle suggested that the actor could swing by his shop for a box of clothes. "Because we're both from L.A., we had a lot of friends in common," she told GQ, recalling that many people had said they'd be good together. "I pulled up to his shop on Crenshaw and Slauson, and he was like, 'You want to hang out?'" Their impromptu first date ended up at an unorthodox location: her aunt's house. "So we drove around the city, and to my surprise, he knew my aunt," London recalled, adding that they ate there and then drove around talking long into the night. "From there, it was just... easy. It felt so natural for us to be in each other's lives."
Keep reading to find out more about the couple and how the tragedy of Nipsey Hussle's death affected Lauren London.
Lauren London got pregnant and passed on a role
Although Lauren London won audiences over in shows like "The Game," her career met a setback when she had to turn down a big opportunity. "Lauren was handpicked by John Singleton to do 'Snowfall,'" Nipsey Hussle told GQ. "She read, got the part, shot the pilot ... did stunts ... this was her dream role." But before she could actually join the show, the couple received an unexpected bombshell: London was expecting their first child together.
"It was the toughest decision of my career by far," London stated, adding that it became a significant fork in the road for her. "Do I choose my soul or myself? I went with my soul." Hussle insisted that he never forced her to decide either way. "I learned then that what she believes in, she really believes in." She later took a break from acting after Hussle's death in 2019, as she told ET, and no projects involving her were released for two years. "Moving forward in my life, I kind of don't want to do anything that I can't really truthfully contribute," she commented. In 2022, she starred in the film "Without Remorse" with Michael B Jordan. The "Creed" actor said of his costar, "Her strength was inspiring and truly incredible, you know? Nip was somebody that I admired and looked up to ... I felt like, specific to this character and their relationship on screen, it felt like it was an opportunity that — if she was up to it — that could be something for her to let some of that out."
They had a son in 2016
Lauren London and Nipsey Hussle became a family in 2016 with the birth of their baby boy Kross Asghedom. London already had one child with Lil Wayne, per People. London had dated the rapper on and off from when she was 16, and they had welcomed a son into the world in 2009. Hussle also had a daughter from a previous relationship.
As his publicist later told GQ, Hussle was a devoted father. "He was such a family man. He loved his babies," she recalled, adding that he always drove his daughter to school every day. "He was a very gentle father," London agreed. "Extremely gentle. Very present." Hussle told NBA star Stephen Curry that his priority was to make sure he set a good example for his kids. "Just to raise good people ... that have a foundation of principle, a foundation of integrity," he said. Hussle also commented that he had changed a lot since becoming a father to his daughter and son. "It's crazy to see the shift that's happening," he reflected. "In my case, it brought a better version of me out. ... That's probably the best thing I did."
In 2021, London shared a birthday tribute to young Kross on Instagram, pairing it with a photo in which the youngster looks eerily like his late dad. TMZ reported that both of Hussle's children would be provided for, since each is entitled to half of his estate.
Lauren London was Nipsey Hussle's 'muse'
Like many musicians, Nipsey Hussle was inspired by the relationships in his life. And his love for Lauren London was no exception, as he proved on Instagram by calling London "My muse for the last 4 years. A lot of her energy went in this new album," he wrote in 2017, crediting her with inspiring him for years. The rapper joked that London probably deserved some of the publication rights to his music, before adding, "I gave her a baby tho so we even." The actor later revealed that she had a role to play on "Victory Lap," per Revolt. "Fun fact: the voice that says 'Victory Lap' on the album is me," London shared, telling her followers that she had been sitting in the studio with baby Kross during its recording.
London also spoke about her appreciation of his music, particularly the songs that addressed Hussle's beliefs and activism. "He's gotten more of a platform to be really clear about his message, because before he was just making rap gang-bang music," she told GQ. "But I think he has a purpose in all the raps, and that's coming to light." She expressed her happiness that he was finally getting the widespread recognition he deserved. In the couple's joint video for GQ, she shared that "I Don't Give a F***" is one of her favorite Nipsey Hussle songs.
They briefly split up in 2017
Fans of Nipsey Hussle and Lauren London were disappointed in November 2017 when the couple split up. "We are deciding to separate and raise our son together as the main priority," Hussle tweeted, per Complex. "This was a mutual choice and we will function with each other as family [with] love and respect." He also indicated they did not regret their time together, making it clear that there were no hard feelings. London didn't make any announcements on her own social media, other than a short and cryptic tweet: "Love. That's it."
Their breakup didn't last long, however. The pair were seen together again in February 2018 at the release party for his long-awaited debut album "Victory Lap," as Rolling Out reported. And a few months before they attended that event, BET noted that Hussle and London exchanged a few flirtatious comments on Instagram, which, of course, sparked speculation about what was going on between them.
In 2019, London and Hussle proved their compatibility by filming an interview together for GQ where the rapper answered questions about his partner. Besides talking about their shared love of tacos, Hussle described London as "charismatic, honorable, and emotional." He also shared that her favorite thing about him was his spirit.
Engagement rumors bubbled up
As a couple who spent five years together and had a child, Nipsey Hussle and Lauren London faced a lot of scrutiny about whether they would ever tie the knot. TMZ even reported that they had images of the pair posing for an engagement shoot in Los Angeles, although Hussle insisted that they had been taking photos for a magazine spread rather than celebrating any upcoming wedding. "IT AINT A Engagement Shoot," he tweeted at the time. "It's a @GQMagazine Shoot w My Girl." Despite his statement, TMZ still claimed that several sources close to the pair had confirmed the engagement. After Hussle's murder, his death certificate stated that he had never been married.
London later declared that their love ran deep beyond any labels. "A spiritual relationship is without the ego. We are together, I bring you up and inspire you, and you inspire me," she told Angie Martinez, per Complex, admitting that she hadn't really thought about what made their relationship unique until Hussle's death. "A lot of times we are such in our ego that we are in possession of another person. We're not experiencing them, we're not totally loving them and letting them be free."
Nipsey Hussle was murdered in 2019
Nipsey Hussle's life came to a tragic early end at age 33 when he was fatally shot outside his Los Angeles clothing store by Eric Holder Jr. According to NBC News, Holder had argued with Hussle beforehand about rumors that Holder had become a police informant. Although Hussle was rushed to a hospital after the shooting, he could not recover from being shot at least 10 times. He was pronounced dead on March 31, 2019. In 2022, Hussle's killer was convicted for first-degree murder and for wounding two other people.
The beloved rapper's death prompted a ceasefire between the local Crips and Bloods while the Los Angeles gangs gathered to mourn their hometown hero. Unfortunately, as the Los Angeles Times reported, the alley near where the tragic event took place continued to be marred by crime and violence, leading to a temporary closure — this despite murals dedicated to the late rapper popping up nearby.
Even Barack Obama spoke about the tragedy, mourning the loss of Hussle's community activism. "While most folks look at the Crenshaw neighborhood where he grew up and see only gangs, bullets, and despair, Nipsey saw potential," the former president wrote in a letter that was read aloud at Hussle's memorial, per CNN. Lauren London also spoke at the memorial, although she later admitted that she nearly couldn't bring herself to go through with it. And it was Diddy who helped her select an outfit other than her original choice. She explained on the "Angie Martinez IRL Podcast," "I didn't even want to get dressed, I was going to wear sweats. Puff pulled me aside and was like, 'Look, you have showed everybody what it looks like to hold a man down and to love him, now show them what it looks like when it all crumbles. That's your responsibility.'"
Diddy helped Lauren London through the funeral
The death of Nipsey Hussle hit Lauren London hard. "There was a time I couldn't take a shower, there was a time when I didn't even laugh," the actor said on "Angie Martinez IRL." The funeral was particularly difficult for London. "I always say the front row at the funeral is different," she mused. "I can honestly say God was carrying me through that ... 'cause I didn't even want to get dressed. I was going to wear sweats." The actor was so distraught that mega producer Sean "Diddy" Combs had to reach out to reassure her before it was time for her speech at the memorial. "Puff, Puff pulled me aside and was like, 'Look, Boog, you have showed everybody what it looks like to hold a man down and to love him. Now show them what it looks like when it all crumbles. That's your responsibility,'" London recalled.
Combs and London have known each other for years and their close relationship even sparked rumors that they were romantically involved in 2020, per Page Six; Combs referred to the actor as a sister and London completely denied any speculation that she was dating again after her bereavement. The rapper also shared an emotional video after Hussle's death, entreating fans to love and support each other. "Enough is enough. We have acquired too much knowledge to be in the situations that we're in," Combs declared, assuring viewers that nobody was alone.
Lauren London continues to honor Nipsey Hussle's memory
The city of Los Angeles embraced Nipsey Hussle as a local hero, particularly after his untimely death. Not only did the rapper have an intersection named after him, per NBC News, but August 15 was also officially declared Nipsey Hussle Day in Los Angeles. And on August 15, 2022 — what would have been his 37th birthday — a ceremony was held to unveil his Hollywood Walk of Fame star.
"I think I speak for the entire city of L.A. when I say that we always knew that Hussle was destined for greatness. This moment only amplified that for us," London told a watching crowd at the ceremony, per ET. As driven as he was, she noted that he never let that drive compromise his values or identity. "That doesn't mean forgetting where you come from, but it requires acknowledging the reality you were born into and the power you have to change that reality for the better," she said before adding that she hopes the star not only serves as a tribute to Hussle's memory, but continues to inspire. "I hope [the star] encourages you to break away from whatever might be holding you back and for you to run your marathon until God says that it is finished," she said, noting that Nipsey Hussle's star on the Walk of Fame would remind others to run their own marathon. "Nip will forever live in our hearts," she stated.