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April 1 (UPI) -- Ermias Ashgedom -- better known as rapper Nipsey Hussle -- was shot dead in Los Angeles late Sunday, a day before he was set to meet with police to discuss gang violence. The Grammy-nominated rapper was shot outside his clothing store, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said. The entertainer died of his injuries at a hospital, officials said.
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Two others were injured in the gunfire, but not seriously.
Nipsey Hussle was set to meet Monday with Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners President Steve Soboroff "to talk about ways we could help stop gang violence and help us help kids."
"Our hearts are with the loved ones of Nipsey Hussle and everyone touched by this awful tragedy," Garcetti said. "L.A. is hurt deeply each time a young life is lost to senseless gun violence. My Crisis Response Team is assisting families coping with shock and grief."
The 33-year-old rapper had spent years in his youth as a member of the Rollin' 60s gang in Los Angeles. He grew up in South Los Angeles and remembers "being young, riding your bike through the hood getting shot at," he told VladTV in a 2014 interview.
"I grew up in gang culture," he told the Los Angeles Times last year. "We dealt with death, with murder. It was like living in war zone."
His first studio album last year, Victory Lap, was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 2019 Grammy Awards.
Los Angeles police have not yet identified a suspect.
Hours before he was shot Sunday, Nipsey Hussle tweeted, "Having strong enemies is a blessing."
Friends, fans and mourners gathered at his store in Hyde Park late Sunday and early Monday.
"He was like family to me," childhood friend Marquesha Lawson said. "He cared about us. We cared about him."
