What is The American dream? Is it STILL to graduate from a prominent college? Then next it’s landing your dream job at a Fortune 500 company. Now you are working until you save up enough for retirement. Ahh –– the good life.

Often when we talk about coming from the bottom we are referring to the lower-income neighborhoods throughout the country. There are four routes accessible to those dwelling in these types of communities. The basics of making it out rely heavily on the drug game, sports, music or education. Those are the only options.

In the latest edition of our #LessonsFromNipsey series, we take a look into the track “Loaded Bases” off of Nip’s latest album Victory Lap.

Nip spoke about the inspiration behind the song during an interview with NPR saying,

“I remember being 19. I had reached all my adolescent goals. It was 10 years, 15 years ago almost. I had touched two bricks for the first time, and I felt myself getting pulled into a direction. Once you cross these invisible lines, it’s hard to go back. So I felt myself make a decision: ‘What you gonna do, homie?’”

If you can understand what each base entails then you’ve truly mastered your environment. Which base is first? Perhaps its most common in our country to hold education on a higher pedestal in comparison to anything.

But what if you’re from a gang-infested environment? 24/7 all you are hearing are gunshots and sirens. Around you, there are drug dealers and drug addicts. Your mother is working three jobs to put food on the table and the clothes on your back.

She’s never around so you’re on your own. Your father is either in and out of jail, dead or has left your life completely. Survival sets in and the last thing on your mind is homework. It’s trying to find a way to support not only yourself but your mother too.

“I had given up on music because I went broke so many times trying to do music when I was a teenager. I wasn’t one of them types; I wanted to have money. I’d felt what it feels like to be independent and celebrated in my area — even on such a shallow level. “

Neighborhood Nip is the voice for those who don’t have a platform, but it wasn’t always so. Like many of us coming up in the world, Nipsey Hussle had to survive the harsh realities we as a collective fear.

After being lead down the wrong path to a life of crime, he weighed the scales of his former lifestyle and saw that it wasn’t worth the reward in the end.

During his interview with NPR, Nip continued,

“I’m looking at Jay-Z, Puffy, Master P — these guys have a $100 million. And it’s a marathon; it’s a long haul. But I don’t know a man hustling that made a hundred mill. I know n***** that made it to $1 million, $10, maybe five. But none of them avoided the Feds. All of them got told on. They were the man for five summers and they gave the state or the Feds 20 summers.”

Many put into this predicament are faced with two choices; either succumb to the streets or rise above the illusion of the streets. When Nip decided to leave the drug game it was the best decision of his life. Putting all of his energy toward his music has put Nipsey Hussle in the position that he is in now to continue to prosper.

Nip doesn’t have a college degree, nor has he ever played a down of professional sports. Like many of us, Hussle didn’t have the same opportunities during his marathon contrary to those who come from privilege. Even after becoming a full fledge Crip, he realized he had a choice.

Although coming up it seemed as if his only options were to do music or sell drugs, he went back to his passion for music.

His time in the streets prepared him for what was to come after the music took off. Now being street smart, self-educated, musically gifted and engrained in sports, his bases are loaded.

“Loaded Bases” is a powerful song. It explains that no matter how deep you get into one path, it’s never too late to redirect where you want to go. Don’t ever let someone tell you can’t do something just because they are in the same situation as you.

Weigh the scales of all your options and see which lane benefits you the most. When it all comes full circle then when you know you’re on your own Victory Lap.

More Lessons from Nipsey

Lessons from Nipsey: When you’re headed for greatness, everybody can’t go

Lessons from Nipsey: How to stay in your own lane while bossing up

Lessons from Nipsey: Being self-made means never making any excuses

Lessons from Nipsey: You need to face adversity to create breakthroughs

Lessons from Nipsey: How long should you stay dedicated to the grind?

Lessons from Nipsey: Not everyone can walk a day in your shoes

Lessons from Nipsey: The power of knowing what you’re hustling for

Lessons from Nipsey: How to tell the fake from the real

Lessons from Nipsey: Don’t run from change, be the change

Lessons from Nipsey: You gotta grind and sacrifice all your life to get it

Lessons from Nipsey: Make a million dollars while you young

If you made it this far in the #LessonsFromNipsey series, you are not only blessed, but you’re ready to be successful. Victory Lap is continuing to bring new life to the world.

In an era where weirdo rap seems to be the norm, real hip-hop is fighting its way back to the forefront. And while we love having the Lil’ Pumps and Yachty’s of the world getting us turnt to their microwave hits, we still thirst for the meaningful bars and lyrics.

That reasoning alone makes it a blessing to have the upper-echelon emcees like Kendrick Lamar, Drake, and J. Cole, who can deliver a damn near classic to us with every project they let go. But there is one artist who will not let us forget that he’s not only arrived but is actually here to stay.

You can find him a hood near you — Mr. Neighborhood Nipsey Hussle.

Victory Lap chronicles Nipsey’s trials and tribulations has grown legs and is now touring the country, energizing fans and entrepreneurs alike. Unbeknownst to most, the 16-track masterpiece comes with a challenge.

Through the music, I was able to sit down with the Slauson Ave. philosopher and find out exactly what Nipsey Hussle’s challenge is and how it came to be.

While driving down interstate 5 with Nip preaching to “Million While You Young,” in the whip, he said,

“Thought a hundred racks was gettin’ rich, risk a hundred years to hit a lick.”

There are few if any opportunities present for those living in low-income areas.

Growing up in South Central, Los Angeles, it was no different for Nip. Gang banging with the Rollin’ 60’s Crips, he is no stranger to gunfights, police raids, being behind bars and navigating through the hood politics. It’s well documented. With all the success he’s having as an artist, it’s hard to believe that a life of crime for Nip was really a reality.

Last Time That I Chec’d 🏁

A post shared by Nipsey Hussle (@nipseyhussle) on Jun 26, 2018 at 11:24pm PDT

His statement was an eye-opener to me. I mean here’s a man that was risking his livelihood for a dollar. Under the circumstances Nipsey Hussle was facing during his come up, it’s understandable to see why he possessed high-risk mindset.

As I continued cruising down the I-5 I said to Nip,

“What was your mindset to stay on course after switching from the streets to the industry.

Nipsey Hussle replied, “They said it take patience to get rich. But I always knew one day I would do it big, then I did.”

This level of thinking can move mountains. Anything worth having takes patience. However, while being patient you can’t be sitting on your ass. You must continue to put in the work and continue to align yourself with your vision.

#TheVictoryLapTour Tic Available now on Ihussle.com 🏁

A post shared by Nipsey Hussle (@nipseyhussle) on Jun 25, 2018 at 2:46pm PDT

However, when your dreams take a while to manifest into reality, fear might start to creep in. When you notice the false evidence appearing real, you’re on the right track.

Quitting isn’t an option. Just because very few people from your neighborhood live to see their dreams fulfilled doesn’t mean you can’t be one of those chosen few.

Then out of nowhere Nip challenged me. The Victory Lap artist said,

“You should try and do what we done, make a million dollars while you young!”

This definitely isn’t a small challenge by any sense. Thank God Nipsey gave the blueprint to how right after his statement. You have to possess laser focus and over-dedicate yourself to the grind.

Me tellin @jharden13 my beard way Mo craccin then Cuz shit💪🏾🏁 Lol Congrats 2 The MVP tho! 📷 by @kennethwynn_

A post shared by Nipsey Hussle (@nipseyhussle) on Jun 27, 2018 at 8:58am PDT

By saying that, I simply mean you need to have tunnel vision. Don’t worry about what the next man or woman is doing.

“Don’t be trickin’ off your loot you gotta save up”

Don’t spend your money on material things trying to impress someone of the opposite sex. When your energy is focused on the opposite sex, everything you do is dictated by the male or female you are after.

At the end of the day, it’s important to realize they aren’t going anywhere. Once you’re shining, everyone will want to rock with you. So start saving and investing your money in ways that it can work for you.

“Can’t be acting like a b*tch tryna get saved bruh, get that dirt up off your shoulder, step your game up”

Please don’t look for handouts or try to hop on someone else’s wave that you didn’t contribute to. That’s corny and no one wants to affiliate with a cornball.

Hussle Man🏁

A post shared by Nipsey Hussle (@nipseyhussle) on Jun 25, 2018 at 4:22pm PDT

Build a brand of your own so you are able to bring something to the table. Those that are and that have been successful put their all into what they’ve built.

It’s disrespectful to think just because someone’s got it that it means it’s yours as well. It comes with hard work. You can’t put a price tag on hard work.

Victory Lap

“Million While You Young” is one of the most inspirational tracks on Victory Lap. It exemplifies what it takes to reach that milestone.

You have to have a crew that’s willing to sacrifice as much as you are to reach the goals you’ve set. You must be smart with your money and you can’t fake the funk. The world knows when you’re really about your craft or when you’re just flexing. So choose wisely.

More Lessons from Nipsey

Lessons from Nipsey: When you’re headed for greatness, everybody can’t go

Lessons from Nipsey: How to stay in your own lane while bossing up

Lessons from Nipsey: Being self-made means never making any excuses

Lessons from Nipsey: You need to face adversity to create breakthroughs

Lessons from Nipsey: How long should you stay dedicated to the grind?

Lessons from Nipsey: Not everyone can walk a day in your shoes

Lessons from Nipsey: The power of knowing what you’re hustling for

Lessons from Nipsey: How to tell the fake from the real

Lessons from Nipsey: Don’t run from change, be the change

Lessons from Nipsey: You gotta grind and sacrifice all your life to get it

Once an artist goes mainstream, it seems as if they lose their essence. It hurts. It’s every fan’s fear lowkey and it makes sense why. The authenticity in their music becomes either watered down or overzealous.

However, there are a handful of artists that never switch no matter how much notoriety they receive. One of those artists is Nipsey Hussle.

From the streets to the corporate world, Nipsey Hussle is no stranger to the grind. And on the track “Grinding All My Life,” he explains his journey.

His upbringing can be traced back to Crenshaw, Los Angeles, where he Nip was getting it out the mud. After joining the Rollin 60’s Crips, as detailed in the album, Nip Hussle hustled.

With death and violence surrounding Neighborhood Nip, being scared was not an option. While possessing the heart of a lion, Nip survived numerous shootouts, arrests, and the hood politics that come along with it.

Through it all, it has helped him become the mogul he is today. During an interview with NPR, Nip said,

“I wanted to tell the truth. All my life I’ve been grinding. I stopped going to school when I was 14 and I was self-educated since then. But I pursued hustling and music full-time since then.”

Before taking on the rap game, Nipsey Hussle came into the rap game with a business plan and a vision. After learning how much guap he could make as a rapper doing shows, Nip decided to go legit and focused his energy on music.

In 2005, Nip introduced himself into the hip-hop game with Slauson Boy Vol. 1 and the rest was history.

Hussle’s grind doesn’t solely revolve around his music either. The same business acumen he used on the streets is being displayed through virtually all his moves.

The money he’s accumulated with his slick bars has put him in position to reinvent his community. By reinvesting his money back into his community, Nip is making his hood a tourist attraction.

In the summer of 2017, he birthed The Marathon Store in Crenshaw, providing work for the people he grew up with. In February of 2018, Nip opened a STEM school in his neighborhood, aiming to bridge the gap between underprivileged students and privileged students.

During an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Nip said,

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

The truth in Nip’s music is what continues to gravitate listeners toward him. “Grinding All My Life” is not just a song. It’s a lifestyle. If you don’t grind, you don’t eat.

Get off your ass, hustle, stack it up, and reinvest!

More Lessons from Nipsey

Lessons from Nipsey: When you’re headed for greatness, everybody can’t go

Lessons from Nipsey: How to stay in your own lane while bossing up

Lessons from Nipsey: Being self-made means never making any excuses

Lessons from Nipsey: You need to face adversity to create breakthroughs

Lessons from Nipsey: How long should you stay dedicated to the grind?

Lessons from Nipsey: Not everyone can walk a day in your shoes

Lessons from Nipsey: The power of knowing what you’re hustling for

Lessons from Nipsey: How to tell the fake from the real

Lessons from Nipsey: Don’t run from change, be the change

Eleven years ago, Nipsey Hussle told us about The Marathon on the track “Keys 2 The City.”  So for his first studio album, Victory Lap, it was only right of him to let us know that he still possesses the keys.

Way before the release of his debut album, Nip was ballin’ as an independent artist. After being passed over by Dr. Dre, Def Jam, and Capital Atlantic, Hussle founded All Money In Records and, as he would say, the marathon continued.

The Southern Hospitality always Appreciated 🏁

A post shared by Nipsey Hussle (@nipseyhussle) on Jun 10, 2018 at 1:14pm PDT

Never tripping, Neighborhood Nip remained focused. Keeping his vision alive against all odds, he found himself becoming the voice of the new west coast.

With his back against the wall, Nipsey Hussle persisted on exclaiming his truths in his raps. As the years passed, the rhetoric of which Nip speaks in his raps continued to capture the hearts of listeners around the world.

Combine that with his unprecedented business acumen, it was only a matter of time until his underground success would crossover to a mainstream takeover.

Nevertheless, for Nip Hussle Tha Great, “Keyz 2 The City 2” was a statement to the city of Los Angeles. During an interview with NPR, Nipsey said,

“Everybody’s celebrating what they feel is an accolade. And to me, if we want to be straight-forward, what we did in our community and what we did internally as gang members from my section, the Rollin’ 60s, that’s the blueprint. So every other gang in L.A. — and it’s not disrespect — follow the blueprint. Link up with your team, build businesses, build enterprise, create additions for your young people to come up underneath. That’s the bragging right.”

Nipsey Hussle has been through the fire. After surviving shootouts, jail time, and growing up in a war zone, Nip went legit when he decided to go the music route.

Once that choice was made, he transformed what gang culture stands for in Los Angeles. Rebuilding the community, while providing a safe environment for people to live in is the new standard that the Rollin’ 60’s set for L.A. gang culture.

History tends to repeat itself. Nevertheless, your past doesn’t define you. It’s a learning tool. If you learn from your past struggles, it will motivate you to change for the better.

Once others notice your growth, they will cling to your campaign. The world is a reflection of you. Be the change that you want to see.

More Lessons from Nipsey

Lessons from Nipsey: When you’re headed for greatness, everybody can’t go

Lessons from Nipsey: How to stay in your own lane while bossing up

Lessons from Nipsey: Being self-made means never making any excuses

Lessons from Nipsey: You need to face adversity to create breakthroughs

Lessons from Nipsey: How long should you stay dedicated to the grind?

Lessons from Nipsey: Not everyone can walk a day in your shoes

Lessons from Nipsey: The power of knowing what you’re hustling for

Lessons from Nipsey: How to tell the fake from the real

In a world full of lollipops, you gotta stay Succa Proof at all costs. When you reach a certain status in life, there will be leeches thirsty for your success.

Lames will even claim what you grew up living and repping, just for the clout. Nobody understands this better than the young mogul from Crenshaw, Nipsey Hussle.

In the ninth track of his debut album Victory Lap, Nip delivers his most aggressive message from the project on “Succa Proof,”

“I can tell the fake, I can tell the real. Got a purple heart out the battlefield, now watch me levitate to a $100 mil”

When your squad is poppin’ everyone wants to be associated with your crew, and for good reason. The love is obviously there within your squad. The culture that your brand exudes is contagious. It brings a dichotomy of love and hate.

Therefore, it’s imperative that you are able to tell the fake from the real.

There is no secret about Neighborhood Nip’s gang affiliation. Growing up as Rollin 60’s Crip, Nip continues to transcend the meaning of gang culture.

Victory Lap lays out the blueprint for those who have faced similar trials and tribulations to use as fuel to be successful.

Using your power to rebuild your community for the better is what the Los Angeles emcee is preaching.

During an interview with NPR, Nipsey said,

“That’s what this song is about. We ain’t gonna tell you to gang bang; we gonna tell you to buy out the block. And we gonna support the businesses and create tourism around here. This is Crenshaw Boulevard. This is a famous street.”

Nip’s “Succa Proof” is a reminder us that it’s always loyalty before royalty. If you are riding solo or if you’re making boss moves with your squad, don’t sell out. Don’t forget the culture you’ve built and always pay it forward to the community that raised you.

Once you’ve reached the top, don’t let the leeches suck the life out of your brand. Be able to separate the real from the fake, and act accordingly.

Keep it all the way solid with your audience. In return, you’ll have a loyal consumer base who is as authentic as you.

More Lessons from Nipsey

Lessons from Nipsey: When you’re headed for greatness, everybody can’t go

Lessons from Nipsey: How to stay in your own lane while bossing up

Lessons from Nipsey: Being self-made means never making any excuses

Lessons from Nipsey: You need to face adversity to create breakthroughs

Lessons from Nipsey: How long should you stay dedicated to the grind?

Lessons from Nipsey: Not everyone can walk a day in your shoes

Lessons from Nipsey: The power of knowing what you’re hustling for

“It’s all I’m tryna do, hustle & motivate…”

Nipsey Hussle’s Victory Lap is the epitome of hustle and motivate.

Since breaking on to the music scene in 2005, Hussle’s voice has quickly become the spiritual for those grinding to see better days. By speaking his truths, Nip continues to motivate by encouraging us to stand in our own power.

And on his track “Hussle & Motivate,” he reminds us of one very important thing:

“I don’t do this sh*t for nothin… not at all”

Neighborhood Nip’s Victory Lap is an emotional roller coaster, detailing the ups and downs of come up.

During his 13 year journey in the rap game, Nipsey has been able to map out his every move. After overcoming the street and industry politics is, to be in the position he’s in now, is monumental.

“That’s why they follow me, huh? They think I know the way, cause I took control of things, ballin’ the solo way”

Crossing over his business acumen from the streets to the industry seems to be a breeze for the Rollin 60’s Crip. Each project leading up to Victory Lap has been a blueprint for success. Nip’s ability to reinvent his marketing strategy is uncanny to anything we’ve seen.

His #Proud2Pay campaign proved to be genius, selling his Crenshaw mixtape for $100. This inspired Jay-Z to purchase 100 copies of the tape. The $100 price tag wasn’t enough for the All Money In owner. For Nipsey’s next mixtape, Mailbox Money, he slapped a price tag of $1,000 on it.

Nip even perfected the rollout for Victory Lap, by partnering with Atlantic Records to distribute his album. On top of that, Hussle has his hands everywhere from cryptocurrency to stem-schools to changing the way artists can monetize their music.

Every year, it seems Nipsey Hussle finds a new way to elevate the rap game while bossing up in other lanes.

“Trippin’ on all of my moves, quote me on this, got a lot more to prove”

Nipsey still has more to prove and shows no signs of slowing down. Sampling Jay Z’s “Hard Knock Life,” Nip’s “Hussle and Motivate” is a certified banger that’s calling us to do exactly that: hustle and motivate.

When we share our truths, it inspires others who can relate. At our core, we are all connected. We are all trying to survive. Someone somewhere is going through similar circumstances you’ve gone through or are currently going through.

It’s imperative to let those know that there is a way out of whatever turmoil you are or have experienced. Lay the blueprint for others as well as for yourself, and you’ll exceed every goal you’ve made for yourself.

Imagine not being dropping a studio album yet, and yet you have the audacity to drop mixtapes for $100 and $1,000. That takes a huge risk.

In life, it takes risks to get rich. Nevertheless, when you gamble on yourself and know your worth, you will always win.

More Lessons from Nipsey

Lessons from Nipsey: When you’re headed for greatness, everybody can’t go

Lessons from Nipsey: How to stay in your own lane while bossing up

Lessons from Nipsey: Being self-made means never making any excuses

Lessons from Nipsey: You need to face adversity to create breakthroughs

Lessons from Nipsey: How long should you stay dedicated to the grind?

Lessons from Nipsey: Not everyone can walk a day in your shoes

Nipsey Hussleisn’t just a rapper. He’s a third generation Crip, the business owner of multiple companies and has solidified himself as one of the coldest emcees in the game with the release of his debut studio album Victory Lap.

He is literally redefining what it means to be a gang member from the bottom of the socioeconomic pole and is inspiring an entire generation in the process.

After learning his business savvy in South Central, Los Angeles, Nip continues to use his knowledge to make All Money In a staple in the rap game. Against all odds, Neighborhood Nip made it out of war-zone and is able to tell his story.

Nip knew he was a genius, but never had a platform to show it. As a result, he took his name and carved it in the cement. It’s no coincidence that this whole time, you’ve always known you were special. He speaks exactly about this on the track “Blue Laces 2,” and goes in depth about his story.

When your town starts showing you love, that is when others are starting to see your greatness. Your local haters down the block know it too. Now at this point, there’s no secret about what you can bring to the table.

However, you’ve realized you are a rare breed of hustler trapped in a world of sheep. Sheep who are afraid to chase their dreams because they fear of being outcasted by society. It’s still okay to have your own wave. All you need is your family who has been and is still continuing down for you since day one. Then, it’s all about having the vision and being strategic with your moves.

“Billion dollar project ’bout to crack the cement
So one of our investments had become strategic
Summer roll ’18, man it’s such a season
‘Bout to make my partners look like fuckin’ geniuses”

Not everyone can walk a mile in your shoes. This is why it’s important to never let anyone’s perception of you, define you. Not everyone is going to rock with you because your lifestyle is authentic, but most will.

Although it might seem like we dwell in a society where misery loves company, we must continue to elevate above. We are full of wisdom and it’s our duty to share that wisdom like Dr. Sebi, Rick Ross, and Nipsey Hussle.

Nevertheless, you have nothing to prove to nobody but yourself. But at the same time, there are still people doubting your marathon. As if they think you’re done carving your own path to success.

Of course, this is the follow up to the original “Blue Laces” track which appeared on The Marathon and the reason why Nip even made the #2 was because the king himself, LeBron, was bumping the original track during the Finals one year.

Stay woke and don’t let the hate influence your mindset. You’ll end up working for the same people who doubted you. Channel any fears you may have of not making it, and use it as fuel to catapult you to the top.

Kill any negativity with success and let them know — The Marathon Continues.

More Lessons from Nipsey

Lessons from Nipsey: When you’re headed for greatness, everybody can’t go

Lessons from Nipsey: How to stay in your own lane while bossing up

Lessons from Nipsey: Being self-made means never making any excuses

Lessons from Nipsey: You need to face adversity to create breakthroughs

Lessons from Nipsey: How long should you stay dedicated to the grind?

If you want anything life, you have to hustle for it. Straight up! Now before you get super-glued to the grind, first you must identify your “why.”

Why are you willing to dedicate your blood, sweat, and tears to whatever you are about to pursue? Is it beneficial to your future? Is it going to help you grow as a person? Is it going to feed you and your family?

However, you might feel like you don’t need a reason. Growing up, you might have felt like an outcast, the love was absent, the peers you grew up with never understood your energy, resulting in 100 reasons to not have a reason to your ways.

Your mission might be to flex on everyone who doubted you. The hate you received by those around you is what is motivating you; motivating you to pull up in a foreign whip, to have diamonds and gold dripping from your neck and wrists, and to have strangers seeking your validation.

Whether you have a reason to dedicate yourself to the grind or not, your hustle dictates your future — making you the master of your fate.

That is the beauty of Nipsey Hussle’s “Young N***a” track. Nip documents his come up as an underprivileged inner-city youth who wasn’t accepted by society, to becoming a mogul. Hussle jumped off the porch at 14-years-old. After dipping from his mother’s crib and into his grandmother’s house, he joined the Rollin’ 60s Crips.

Even though Neighborhood Nip was putting in work in the streets, his passion for music never died.

Nevertheless, the decision to divert from the street-life and go the legal route has its challenges. Especially when the initial money that you had to start your own business is damn near destroyed.

During an interview with NPR Music, Nip said,

“My brother had buried a quarter of a million dollars in my momma’s backyard on 60th Street that he had just got off the street. He left it there for a year and when he went to go dig it up a little bit more than half of it had molded. He had the fire-proof, earth-proof safe, wrapped it in plastic, dropped it in the safe and then buried it. But when he dug it up, half of that money was molded. I remember him just losing his s***, and I’m like, “Oh man, this is devastating.”

When you’ve been moving uncomfortably your entire life, losing a couple of hundred thousand isn’t the end of the world.

It might be a setback, but it definitely isn’t the end. It makes the taste of success sweeter. A loss of that magnitude will reveal how resilient you are as a person. The decision not to give up will create huge breakthroughs, allowing you to shine in all your glory.

Adversity is something we face and can learn from daily. As we continue to defeat adversity, we reveal to ourselves how great we are. Once that’s realized, it’s imperative to show your greatness to the world through your work.

Don’t let anyone stop your shine. If you have a dream and you’re passionate about it, pursue it all the way through. That should make you want to go and get it.

More lessons from Nipsey

Lessons from Nipsey: When you’re headed for greatness, everybody can’t go

Lessons from Nipsey: How to stay in your own lane while bossing up

Lessons from Nipsey: Being self-made means never making any excuses

In the week’s edition of our Victory Lap series, we dissect the lead single from Nipsey’s latest masterpiece.

The third track off the album for “Last Time That I Checc’d” is more than just an anthem dedicated to the West Coast.

Within it is a way deeper message. A coded language is hidden for entrepreneurs and hustlers to decipher.

Throughout the track, Nipsey Hussle preaches that the grind will be worth it in the end.

A vision & a plan

Having a vision is the first step to being successful. But don’t sleep, because, without a game plan, that vision is blind.

Nip gives us so many free gems off this record, reminding us to have our plan of attack mapped out before we jump into future endeavors.

Especially if we want to bring our vision to the life in our physical realities. Having a plan means your prepared for success. During an interview with NPR Nip said,

“I look at it like a blueprint. I understand art reflecting life, but we grew up on art instructing life, with love and from a position of: ‘I been there young bro and I know it’s hard on you but I did it like this; here’s the bread crumbs’. After a while, I felt like it was almost a responsibility for me to give the game up [on record]”

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Importance of being self-made

During an interview with Forbes, Tha Great said,

“Being self-made means never making an excuse as to why you can’t take steps toward whatever your goal is.”

Nip starts out the first verse of “Last Time That I Checc’d” by telling us that he’s been self-made from the dribble.

This is important…

During our own personal marathons, we must continue to make sure we are always aligned with our goals. In return, this teaches the discipline needed to be a boss. In the chorus, Hussle also put the world on notice that his self-made progress is legendary.

Self-progression is vital in every aspect of our marathon. If we’re not progressing, we will end up washed out of the scene, and forgotten. We’ll lose touch with ourselves and the world around us because we aren’t growing.

Successful habits are formed by your work ethic. Therefore, if you want to be self-made, the change starts inside of you. Nip said:

“It sounds simple telling people to work hard and never quit, but to really execute and demonstrate those principles takes discipline and faith.”

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Victory Lap

In this life, you have to make your own way. If you’re waiting for a handout, you’ll more than likely be waiting for a lifetime. It’s essential to your success to continue carving your own lane.

Coming from the trenches to now being a staple in the rap game, Nip’s progress is nothing short of legendary.

His heartfelt music, gives us a glimpse of Nip’s pain, triumph, happiness, anger, and more. It makes us reflect on our own lives.

It motivates us to grind harder, making it impossible for our dreams slip away.