As most are aware, musician Nipsey Hussle was fatally shot and killed in Los Angeles on March 31. Fans all over the world grieved his loss and there have been memorials held all over the city. Murals have been painted and vigils have been held. There is one woman though, who used her platform as a Fox News host to attempt to shame the deceased rapper.
The morning after thousands lined Los Angeles streets to mourn Hussle, Laura Ingraham mocked him on her Fox News segment. She briefly discussed the memorial and then stated, “Now this dear artist recently released a song called ‘FDT’ — F Donald Trump.” She said this while smiling, clearly confident in her decision to make fun of a widely loved and respected man.
Although this in itself is disrespectful, the main problem is the fact that the song she is referred to is actually a song by another Los Angeles rapper, YG. Nipsey was featured on the track, but the clip shown during her segment showed only YG, not Nipsey.
After the clip ended, Ingraham made several comments such as, “Now, that’s a very creative refrain,” in reference to the song’s criticism of the president. Mocking the dead hours after they are laid to rest for their political stance is obviously unacceptable no matter who it is, but this situation is especially outrageous considering what an amazing man Hussle was.
Hussle was not just a musician, he was also an incredible member to society. He did a number of notable things for the community of South Los Angeles where he was raised. He was shot in broad daylight in front of his Marathon Clothing Store, but he also owned several other businesses in the area including a Fatburger restaurant, a barbershop and a seafood market. Hussle also invested in the 59th Street Elementary School, donated shoes to all of the students, and funded the renovation of its basketball courts and playground. He participated in anti-gun-violence rallies and worked with Steve Soboroff, who is president of the Los Angeles Police Commission, as well as Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore and entertainment company Roc Nation to confront local gang crimes.
Huge faces in the music industry such as The Game, Snoop Dogg and T.I. spoke up about Laura
Ingraham’s comments on social media. In a powerful Instagram post on April 14th The Game stated, “We are NO LONGER laying quiet while you continuously disrespect our brother, culture African Americans as a whole.”
To make matters even worse, this is not the first incidence in which Fox News has mixed up people of color. Last year, during a segment on Aretha Franklin’s death Fox mistakenly showed an image of Patti LaBelle.
Laura Ingraham and Fox News as a whole should be ashamed. Attempting to shame a murder victim just hours after he was laid to rest because he opposed Trump in a song three years ago is absolutely unacceptable and an apology, at the very least, is necessary.
