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Nipsey Hussle may be gone, but the rapper’s legacy lives on through his music and his children. He will be the focus of a tribute during tonight’s BET Awards, but more importantly, he was honored by his daughter Emani during her recent elementary school graduation.
In a short speech, the 10-year-old Emani thanked her father for being a positive role model. “I want to begin by sharing my thankfulness for my mom for believing in me, and my dad, for always being there for me,” she said to the rest of the class. The speech was posted on social media, as were photos of Emani in her graduation attire.
Nipsey Hussle’s Daughter Emani Paid Tribute to Him During Her Elementary School Graduation
Emani graduated today💙. I know Nipsey is so proud, she’s such an intelligent young lady 🙌🏾.
This is the first time that Emani has spoken publicly about her dad. While she and her brother Kross were encouraged to speak at the rapper’s funeral, she declined. “Give the kids some love, they’re a little nervous,” said Hussle’s fiance Lauren London.
Many will remember that Emani attended the 2019 Grammy Awards. Hussle was nominated for Best Rap Album of the Year, for his studio debut, Victory Lap, and Emani stole the show by appearing in a white dress alongside her rapper dad. Photos of them on the red carpet are still on Hussle’s Instagram, which you can check out below.
Hussle Will Also Be Honored Tonight at the BET Awards
Emani currently lives with her aunt, Samantha Smith. The latter has been spearheading the fight for legal guardianship, as she believes that Emani’s mother Tanisha Foster, is unfit to raise children on her own. TMZ reports that lawyers for Hussle’s family believe they can keep Emani out of Foster’s custody by highlighting the hardships faced by Foster’s teen daughter, who is currently in juvenile detention for petty theft. Foster also has yet to claim her.
Following Hussle’s death, Samantha paid tribute to him and assured him that his family will be taken care of. “I got Lauren. I got Emani. I got Kross. I got Sam, he is my responsibility now,” she wrote in the caption. “He is my big little brother. I got mommy and Granny and Pop. You gave me so many tools.”
Hussle Will Be Given the Humanitarian Award at the 2019 BET Awards
On the heels of Emani’s tribute, Hussle will be honored at the BET Awards with a Humanitarian Award. DJ Khaled, John Legend, and YG will also take the stage to give a performance in his honor.
Given the inclusion of Khaled and Legend, it’s likely they will perform a tweaked version of the track “Higher”, which features a posthumous verse from Hussle. He is also nominated in the category of Best Male Hip-Hop Artist.