The Victory Lap

Determining whether to write this or not has been bothering me for sometime now.

I don’t consider myself someone who keeps up with music and/or artists. While I do know some things, I wouldn't voluntarily include myself in a debate about the best rappers/artists unless we were talking about Brandy and/or Monica.

So I write this cautiously.

The reason I felt compelled to write about this, on this blog, is because of the amount of symbolism surrounding the death of Nipsey Hussle. The inspiration for my blog posts are heavily based on my faith - AND how my mind connects events, actions, and words to come to greater conclusions about life.

Yesterday while speaking with a friend, I described Hussle's death as Biggie-esque. I recall the video of Biggie saying he felt like someone was trying to kill him, along with his album - Ready to Die - and his subsequent death.  

Then, I think of the title of Hussle’s album - Victory Lap. When I think of a victory lap, I think of a job well done. You’ve already won and now it’s a celebration - much like the one happening today; the 25 mile funeral procession is what I'd consider part of Hussle’s victory lap.

Then, I think of the GQ spread Hussle and Lauren London did last year. The pictures are iconic. It's as if someone shook up a can of love and sprayed it on top of a blank canvas. It was love realized. Love personified.

If I didn't know anything about him, one thing I knew for sure was that she (London) loves/loved that man.

I believe my emotional connection to him and his death was birthed out of her love for him. While I didn’t follow his music, I would visit her page and look at pictures of them. Then, I watched the interview...their GQ interview that was posted online DAYS before his death.

This entire sequence and timeline of events sent me into a reflective place. I don’t know if last year was London and Hussle's best year but it certainly seemed that way.

The pictures, the magazine spread, the interview, the album title...none of it seemed coincidental. Instead, it seemed divinely orchestrated.

While on the red carpet at the Grammys this year, London beamed with pride at the acknowledgement of him - his intelligence and his accomplishments. I felt like her response and head-nod was akin to her saying, “now you see what I see." Some of us were far too late on that.

This is a real life victory lap. I am touched, saddened, moved and all up in my feelings.

What sticks out most is that he left his mark on the world. His purpose was not lost on him - he knew what it was and he walked it out while on this earth.

I don’t believe this is the last we’ll hear from him. He said Lauren’s favorite thing about him was “his spirit” - that same spirit will live on forever.

So humbly I ask, are you walking out your purpose? One day you’ll have to do your very own victory lap and my prayer is that your purpose will have been realized.

Fulfill your purpose here on earth. Touch the lives of many...so when your time comes we can cheer you on as you do your victory lap into the arms of the Father.

Happy Waiting.