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Lauren London was a pillar of strength when she delivered an emotional speech about Nipsey Hussle at the late rapper’s memorial on Thursday.
Dressed in all white, she first took the stage alongside their children; son Kross Asgehdom, Hussle’s daughter Emani Asghedom and London’s son Cameron Carter (whom she shares with rapper Lil Wayne).
When it was her turn to pay tribute to her late love, London shared a touching text message she had written to him in January.
“Ermias was asleep one morning and I was watching him because I used to love to watch him sleep and I wrote him a text while he was sleeping so when he woke up he would read it,” she explained before reading the text that was also included in the event’s program.
“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…You’ve made me into more of a woman. You’ve given me an opportunity to really love a man,” she read.
“You’re still the coolest guy in the world to me. Still! I love you so much. Unconditionally. My truth is this. I’m never going to give up on you. My loyalty and devotion is to you.”
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After reading the text, she spoke candidly about the pain she’s experiencing.
“I’ve never felt this type of pain before but I know that God is alive but bear with me all. His soul was majestic. He was the strongest man that I ever knew. A gentle father, a patient leader, a divine light. He was brilliant. He researched everything, completely self-taught, constantly seeking knowledge,” she continued.
“He would go to bed and listen to these audiobooks in his headphones and I would tease him but that really was what I thought was the coolest s— ever about him. He would wake up in the morning and play music for the kids and light a sage and burn it around the house, just to make sure that our energy going outside would be uplifting and we could handle the day,” she said before noting that their 2-year-old son would likely not remember his dad.
“My pain is from a 2-year-old that probably won’t remember how much his dad loved him,” she said. “This is something that I don’t really understand but I know Ermias always used to say that you can’t possess people; that you experience them. I’m so honored and blessed to experience such a man.”
She concluded by addressing the people of LA.
“I know everyone’s hurting but I’d like to say something to my city, Los Angeles. Y’all from L.A. stand up. Because this pain is really ours. We know what it meant to us, we lost an incredible soul. We lost someone very rare to us, we lost a real one…In Hussle’s words, because he always used to say this: The game is going to test you but never fold, stay 10 toes down. It’s not on you, it’s in you and what’s in you they can’t take away. He’s in all of us,” she said.
“To Ermias, the love of my life. You know what it is. Grief is the final act of love. My heart hears you, I feel you everywhere. I’m so grateful that I had you. I love you beyond this Earth. Until we meet again, the Marathon continues.”
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Shortly after the memorial that was attended by Beyonce, JAY-Z, and Diddy, among others concluded, she showed off the new tattoo of his face on her arm on social media.