A solidified legend and figurehead of self-determination in the culture, the late #NipseyHussle built an entire career by consistently taking risks and betting on himself. From his 2005 debut ‘Slauson Boy Vol.1’ to ‘Victory Lap’ in 2018, Nip displayed an incredible commitment to growing and creating on his terms. His is a story of self-belief.
In 2010, Nipsey opted out of a deal with Epic Records and went independent with his landmark ‘The Marathon’ tape on his aptly titled All Money In label. Never one to hold back music, consistent mixtape releases gathered Nip plenty of respect from artists and built his reverence on the West Coast.
Towards the end of creating his ‘TMC’ mixtape, Nipsey came across the novel ‘Contagious’ by Jonah Berger. Friend and mentor, Big Bob knew the determined rapper would appreciate the book, which covers the journey to acclaim for stories. One specific story that stuck out was Stephen Starr creating a commotion with a $100 cheesesteak loaded with the most decadent ingredients, including foie gras, wagyu ribeye, and truffle cheese whiz.
This inspired Nipsey’s infamous Proud2Pay campaigns, beginning with his ‘Crenshaw’ mixtape in 2013. Announcing hardcopies of the project for sale at $100 caused a stir in an era of free access through download sites like DatPiff and 2dopeboyz. Some already saw Nipsey as having reached a plateau in his career, and this approach didn’t make much sense.
One thousand physical copies of ‘Crenshaw’ sold out in 24 hours, all priced at $100, proving his self-worth as an independent artist. Jay-Z even bought 100 copies himself. The success of such a risky play garnered even more admiration for the LA rapper, but he had more in mind with the release of his follow-up tape ‘Mailbox Money.’
The next release from Nipsey saw him double down against the criticism he received for pricing ‘Crenshaw’ at $100. ‘Mailbox Money’ would be limited to 100 physical copies priced at $1,000 each. According to Nip, in 2015, a mere 60 copies were sold, just enough to make a statement on the value of music and influence future artists’ independent ventures.