Nipsey Hussle has been laid to rest.
On Friday, friends and family of the slain rapper, including his longtime love Lauren London, gathered together to say their final goodbyes to the prolific artist at an intimate and private funeral at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Los Angeles.
With London, 34, was the couple’s 2-year-old son Kross Asghedom and her other son Cameron Carter, 9, with rapper Lil Wayne.
In a photo taken of the ceremony, dozens of mourners can be seen surrounding Hussle’s casket, moments before he was buried.
The “Hussle & Motivate” rapper’s private funeral comes just one day after his emotional memorial at the Staples Center.
London shared one of her final farewells to Hussle, born Ermias Joseph Asghedom, calling him “the love of my life.”
“Never would I prepare for something like this so bear with me, all,” the actress told the crowd of 21,000 in the Staples Center that had gathered to pay their respects.
Beginning her eulogy with a text message she wrote on Jan. 21, London, who was dressed in all white with black sunglasses, read the loving words she put together for her boyfriend of six years.
“Ermias was asleep one morning and I was watching him because I used to love to watch him sleep and I wrote him a text while he was sleeping so when he woke up he would read it,” said London, who also shared a copy of the text message in the funeral’s pamphlet.
“I want you to know I feel real joy in my heart when I’m around you. I feel safe around you. Protected. Like a shield over me when you’re around, I am totally myself when I’m with you,” London had written. “You’ve made me into more of a woman. You’ve given me an opportunity to really love a man,” she continued.
Hussle’s mother Angelique Smith also spoke at the memorial, holding back tears as she opened up about her son, their years together and her hope for the South Los Angeles community he left behind.
“I have perfect peace. I am happy. I am complete. I am strong. And if I can feel this way, you can, too,” she told the thousands of mourners. After calling Hussle’s father Dawit Asghedom to the stage, she talked of finding comfort and guidance through her spirituality.
“We call on the energies who guide and protect us as we make our way in life. We call on our ancestors to join us at this service,” she said, before naming deceased family members. “I would ask that all of our ancestors guide and protect us.”
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Smith went on to recount how she learned her son had been shot on March 31. She shared that she had sensed something bad was going to happen in the weeks leading up to the moment. “I had not slept for two weeks leading up to this event on Sunday. When I went there I was not at perfect peace,” she recalls of turning up at Hussle’s Marathon Clothing store that day. Hearing from police that he’d been shot: “My spirit said ‘Oh, that’s it.’ ”
Rapper Jay-Z also shared a tribute to Hussle in the program.
“‘Top of the top,’ this is how Nip always greeted me in the morning as if he was reminding me that he was steadfastly holding on to the top of the top of his own life string and destiny!” JAY-Z, 49, wrote in the program, obtained by Complex.
“So, Top of the top – Nip,” said JAY-Z of Hussle, who worked closely with Hov’s record label Roc Nation and was a close friend.
“The world just got to see a flash of your brilliance. You were a curious soul who was evolving at a speed that was truly inspiring. The seeds you have planted are already bearing fruit,” he continued.
“The outpouring of admiration is testimony to the love and respect you’ve farmed. Sleep well King. The Marathon continues as a line of energy for all of us to consider. LOVE AND LIGHT JAY,” JAY-Z concluded.
RELATED: Lauren London’s Son, Cameron Carter, Remembers Nipsey Hussle At Memorial Service
Hussle was gunned down in front of his Los Angeles clothing store, Marathon Clothing Company. Two other men were also shot, though they survived their injuries.
He died from gunshot wounds of both the head and torso, the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner confirmed. “Paramedics were called and was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead at 3:55 p.m.,” the coroner said, in a statement obtained by PEOPLE. He was 33.
Eric Holder, 29, has since been charged with Hussle’s murder, as well as two counts of attempted murder and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon, according to a release from the Los Angeles County’s District Attorney’s Office.
On April 4, he entered a plea of not guilty in court. The aspiring rapper could face a maximum sentence of life in state prison if convicted.
from PEOPLE.com http://bit.ly/2UcnQIR
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