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In this March 29, 2018, file photo, rapper Nipsey Hussle watches an NBA basketball game between the Golden State Warriors and the Milwaukee Bucks in Oakland, Calif.The Associated Press

Nipsey Hussle, the Grammy-nominated rapper, entrepreneur and advocate for his native South Los Angeles, was fatally shot outside his clothing store in that city’s Hyde Park neighborhood Sunday afternoon.

Nipsey Hussle, born Ermias Asghedom, was shot multiple times, according to The Los Angeles Times. The 33-year-old’s death was confirmed by a city official.

News of his death, in a shooting that left two others wounded, prompted an outpouring of support from the Los Angeles community that he championed.

“Our hearts are with the loved ones of Nipsey Hussle and everyone touched by this awful tragedy,” Eric Garcetti, mayor of Los Angeles, said in a tweet. “L.A. is hurt deeply each time a young life is lost to senseless gun violence.”

Actress Issa Rae, who also grew up in South Los Angeles, expressed her admiration for the rapper on Twitter.

“Watching Nipsey inspired me to invest and own in our communities,” Rae said. “He was a solid man who loved his woman, his family and his community. This hurts.”

Two other people were also wounded in the shooting, according to the Los Angeles Police Department, which did not immediately identify the victims. All three were shot in the parking lot outside The Marathon Clothing, a store that Nipsey Hussle opened in 2017.

At least one suspect fled from the scene in a car, Lt. Chris Ramirez, of the Los Angeles police, said Sunday. Police have not yet identified a motive for the shooting.

A Los Angeles fixture since the mid-2000s, Nipsey Hussle first drew widespread acclaim in hip-hop for his three-part mixtape series, “Bullets Ain’t Got No Name.” His stage name is a twist on comedian Nipsey Russell.

“Victory Lap,” his debut album, was nominated this year for best rap album at the Grammy Awards, losing to Cardi B’s “Invasion of Privacy.”

“My whole energy is just at a low right now hearing this,” rapper Drake, who collaborated with Nipsey Hussle, wrote on Instagram. “You were a real one to your people and to the rest of us. I’m only doing this here cause I want the world to know I saw you as a man of respect and a don. Rest easy my g.”

Rihanna also mourned the rapper’s death on Instagram, posting photos of him with his daughter at the Grammys in February.

“This doesn’t make any sense! My spirit is shaken by this,” she said.

Nipsey Hussle had collaborated with artists including Snoop Dogg and YG, drawing from his city’s tradition of gangster rap and intricate street-level storytelling. In 2013, he created industry buzz by creating only 1,000 physical copies of his mixtape “Crenshaw,” an independent release that sold for $100 at a pop-up shop and was freely available online. He said Jay-Z bought 100 copies.

“Nipsey was not only one of the greatest artists we worked with but an amazing father and leader in his community,” Nipsey Hussle’s label, Atlantic Records, said in a statement. “One of the kindest and brightest stars in the universe, he was inspiring to all.”

The rapper was a strong advocate for the South Los Angeles community where he was born and raised.

He has spoken out against gun violence and had planned to meet Monday afternoon with officials from the Los Angeles Police Department to talk about preventing gang violence, according to Steve Soboroff, the Los Angeles police commissioner.

He was also an outspoken representative of the Crenshaw neighborhood and helped to promote the community’s art and culture.

“From the beginning, Nipsey Hussle has been a critical part of #DestinationCrenshaw, even inspiring the name!” Marqueece Harris-Dawson, a city councilman who represents South Los Angeles, said on Instagram. “Destination Crenshaw” is a community project designed to promote black cultural history in South Los Angeles.

Last year, Nipsey Hussle, who taught himself how to build computers, helped to launch a center in the Crenshaw district dedicated to connecting underrepresented groups with technology companies.

“Growing up as a kid, I was looking for somebody — not to give me anything — but somebody that cared,” he told The Los Angeles Times. “Someone that was creating the potential for change and that had an agenda outside of their own self interests.”

Mark Ridley-Thomas, a Los Angeles County supervisor who represents South Los Angeles, said Nipsey Hussle “was a father, businessman, entertainer, and inspiration to many.”

“We mourn his sudden and tragic passing and send his family our deepest condolences,” he said.

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