Some people tried to profit off the death of rapper Nipsey Hussle by selling the program from his memorial service online for $1,000, but eBay stepped in to shut it down.
The Los Angeles rapper, real name Ermias Asghedom, was honored with a large service on Thursday at the Staples Center. The event was open to the public and free to fans, drawing enormous crowds to the venue. As the Daily Mail noted, some in attendance were able to get their hands on the program, showing images of the late rapper with his family, and tried to turn a major profit off of it.
There were a number of listings on the site for the booklet. Some were listed for several hundred dollars, and others as high as $1,000.
Once eBay learned of the listings, it moved quickly to remove them from its site and told TMZ that they were a violation of the online auction platform’s rules.
‘These booklets are prohibited under eBay’s policies. Any items that attempt to profit from human tragedy or suffering are not allowed to be sold on eBay,’ a spokesperson told the celebrity news outlet.
Others had already tried to sell the complimentary tickets from the event, and they were pulled as well.
Really?!? This is what we doing?? ? https://t.co/dDvvpFeVu1
— XXL Magazine (@XXL) April 13, 2019
The event drew a number of celebrities, and the family of Nipsey Hussle received a personal letter from Barack Obama, mourning his death and acknowledging the work he had done in the community. Hussle was known for investing in his community, opening a clothing store in the neighborhood where he grew up.
There are still a number of different memorials for the rapper, who was well-known across Los Angeles for his efforts to give back. The Los Angeles Times reported that local officials decided to honor his memory by renaming the intersection of Crenshaw Boulevard and West Slauson Avenue to Ermias “Nipsey Hussle” Asghedom Square. Fans had proposed the idea in an online petition that garnered more than 500,000 signatures.
“Nipsey’s genuine nature allowed him to be a light to everyone he interacted with from family, friends, fans, and his larger community,” Los Angeles City Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson wrote in a statement. “As a father, brother, and son, Nipsey was a rock helping to build an empire that will continue through generations.”
The statement added that Nipsey Hussle would always be remembered for delivering a “pure, authentic Los Angeles sound,” and for his philanthropic efforts in the city.
