Killer of Rapper Nipsey Hussle Jailed for at Least 60 Years

(FILES) In this file photo taken on February 07, 2019 Nipsey Hussle performs onstage at the Warner Music Pre-Grammy Party at the NoMad Hotel in Los Angeles. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES/ AFP)
(FILES) In this file photo taken on February 07, 2019 Nipsey Hussle performs onstage at the Warner Music Pre-Grammy Party at the NoMad Hotel in Los Angeles. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES/ AFP)
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Killer of Rapper Nipsey Hussle Jailed for at Least 60 Years

(FILES) In this file photo taken on February 07, 2019 Nipsey Hussle performs onstage at the Warner Music Pre-Grammy Party at the NoMad Hotel in Los Angeles. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES/ AFP)
(FILES) In this file photo taken on February 07, 2019 Nipsey Hussle performs onstage at the Warner Music Pre-Grammy Party at the NoMad Hotel in Los Angeles. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES/ AFP)

The man who shot dead Grammy-winning rapper Nipsey Hussle on a Los Angeles street in 2019 was jailed for at least 60 years on Wednesday.

Eric Holder had not denied killing Hussle -- a fast-rising star whose death sent shockwaves through the music world -- but his lawyers argued it was an impulsive crime that took place in the "heat of passion."

But a jury last year found Holder had acted with premeditation as he fired at Hussle at least 10 times following a dispute between the two men over claims the assailant was "snitching" to the police, AFP said.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge H. Clay Jacke sentenced Holder to a minimum of 25 years for the killing, with an additional 25 years because a gun was used in the crime.

Holder was given another 10 years for shooting and wounding two other men who were nearby.

The violent killing of Hussle, a former gang member, in front of a clothing store he owned triggered widespread grief in his native Los Angeles and among his superstar peers, who hailed his musical talents and community activism.

Raised in the city's Crenshaw district, Hussle, who was 33 when he died, had transformed the block he used to hustle on into a retail, job-creating hub for his Marathon Clothing company.

But he remained linked to the gang-ridden world he grew up in.

Holder, a 32-year-old gang member, and Hussle were both members of the same "Rollin 60s" Crips faction.

During the trial, prosecutor John McKinney said Hussle had told Holder there were rumors Holder had been "snitching," before Holder left the parking lot where the two were talking.

When he returned a short time later, Holder "pulls out not one but two guns and starts shooting" in an "explosion of violence."

The killing was captured on video.

In his closing argument, McKinney called the killing "cold-blooded" and "calculated," saying Holder had "quite a bit of time for premeditation and deliberation."

But Holder's attorney told jurors the killing was "an act of impulse and rashness" which should have been charged as manslaughter.

Aaron Jansen said his client, who he said suffered from mental illness, had already received death threats and that "his life in prison is going to be hell for as long as it lasts."

The judge said he would recommend Holder be housed in a facility that can address his mental health needs.

- 'He saw hope' -
The month after his 2019 killing, thousands of people gathered for a service in Hussle's honor, with Stevie Wonder and Snoop Dogg among those paying tribute, and former president Barack Obama penning a letter that was read during the service.

"While most folks look at the Crenshaw neighborhood where he grew up and see only gangs, bullets and despair, Nipsey saw potential," wrote Obama.

"He saw hope. He saw a community that, even through its flaws, taught him to always keep going."

Hussle -- real name Ermias Asghedom -- was posthumously honored with two Grammy Awards in 2020 for best rap performance for "Racks in the Middle" and best rap/sung performance for "Higher."

In August, on what would have been his 37th birthday, he was granted a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.



Disney Brings the Grid, and the Light Bikes, with ‘Tron: Ares’ Footage at Comic-Con

 Atmosphere at the "Tron: Ares" panel in Hall H of the convention center during Comic Con International in San Diego, California on July 25, 2025. (AFP)
Atmosphere at the "Tron: Ares" panel in Hall H of the convention center during Comic Con International in San Diego, California on July 25, 2025. (AFP)
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Disney Brings the Grid, and the Light Bikes, with ‘Tron: Ares’ Footage at Comic-Con

 Atmosphere at the "Tron: Ares" panel in Hall H of the convention center during Comic Con International in San Diego, California on July 25, 2025. (AFP)
Atmosphere at the "Tron: Ares" panel in Hall H of the convention center during Comic Con International in San Diego, California on July 25, 2025. (AFP)

The Grid took over Comic-Con on Friday, bringing the stars of the new "Tron: Ares" films to unveil footage and reveal the story behind the franchise's third movie.

The film stars Jared Leto, Jeff Bridges, Greta Lee and Jodie Turner-Smith as the story brings the virtual environment of the Grid, complete with light bikes, into the real world.

Disney showed off several minutes of footage, including a light bike chase scene in the real world and another in the red-hued Grid. Propelling the onscreen action is a propulsive Nine Inch Nails soundtrack.

"It’s fun to see it on the big screen for the first time," said director Joachim Rønning.

Disney turned the Hall H panel into a spectacle, with red lasers filling the room and characters in suits with red lights entering the massive hall.

Asked what excited her about joining the "Tron" franchise, Lee responded: "I just wanted to ride a light cycle."

Friday's panel ended with the premiere of the music video for "As Alive as You Need Me to Be," the first Nine Inch Nails song from the soundtrack.

"Tron" has never been in the top tier of sci-fi franchises. The original 1982 film starring Bridges as Kevin Flynn, a man sucked into a computer vortex known as the Grid, was admired for its ground-breaking concept and effects, and was a modest hit with moderately good reviews.

Perhaps more importantly, it won a cult following and has been maintained enough in cultural memory to remain a valuable property for Disney.

The 2010 film "Tron: Legacy," starring Bridges and Garrett Hedlund, made more than $400 million globally. A TV show that followed, "Tron: Uprising," lasted just one season.

Norwegian director Joachim Rønning has helmed other Disney franchise films: 2017’s "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales" and 2019’s "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil."

Leto and Bridges are both Oscar winners, and Rønning is an Oscar nominee.