Weeks after rapper Nipsey Hussle was shot and killed outside his Los Angeles store, his sister, Samantha Smith, is reportedly seeking guardianship of his daughter.
Hussle, who was born Ermias Asghedom, passed away on March 31 at the alleged hands of Eric Holder outside his business named Marathon. Smith reportedly wants custody of his oldest child and only daughter Emani, 10. TMZ reports that Smith filed legal documents in Los Angeles and asked the L.A. Supreme Court for guardianship and reportedly stated that Emani’s mother was unfit to have full custody of the young child. The outlet suggests that Hussle was the sole guardian for Emani before his untimely death. Samantha also states that she has always played an integral part in her niece’s life and wants to continue doing so in light of her brother’s demise. Smith also said she has “always been a presence in Emani’s life and along with the rest of Emani’s paternal family has assisted in her care,” per The Blast .
According to The Blast , Emani’s mother’s name is Tanisha, who uses the name “Chyna Hussle” on her social media platforms. Tanisha is not in the entertainment industry, and there’s no clear reason as to why she wouldn’t be considered for custody of her daughter, despite Smith’s claims that Tanisha provides an “unstable environment” for Emani. Hussle’s father, Dawit, has also reportedly signed Smith’s petition for custody. While a judge has yet to rule on the guardianship petition, Smith will be the sole person to make decisions for Emani if it is approved by the courts.
Hussle also has another child, Kross, 2. The toddler is the “Victory Lap” artist’s only child with longtime girlfriend Lauren London. People reports that since his death, Lauren has remembered her fallen boyfriend on social media, even posting a photo of the two of them last week with a caption stating how much she misses him. At Hussle’s funeral on Thursday, April 11, London provided a tearful eulogy to a reported 21,000 people.
“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 on January 21 in a text to Hussle. “You’ve made me into more of a woman.”
Emani, Kross, and London’s son Cameron were also in attendance and joined Hussle’s family and friends in remembering him at the Los Angeles Staples Center.