Continuous crime prompts closure of alley near site of Nipsey Hussle's murder

An alley near the site of late rapper Nipsey Hussle's murder in South Los Angeles is set to be temporarily closed to combat what LAPD has called continuous and violent crime in the area. 

On Friday, the city council voted to shut down the alley, located at Slauson Avenue and Crenshaw Boulevard, for up to 18 months. 

"I believe that they should let them see it because they come from all over the world," a vendor named Kaboo said of the popular alley, known to many as "Nipsey Square."

Kaboo's shop, set up in a bus on Crenshaw Boulevard, honors the culture of the area after the rapper died, and three years later, he still sells merchandise to tourists who come to feel a connection to the Grammy winning artist. 

"They take their pictures and come and buy stuff and have a nice time," Kaboo said of the tourists, adding that his business is lucrative and that it's better than selling drugs. 

Hussle was fatally shot in 2019 outside of his store, Marathon Clothing. A mural of the late rapper was put next to the alley after his death. In 2021, LAPD Chief Michel Moore talked about a "spike in crime" in the area following the mural's installation.  

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"I believe the alley closure would serve as a deterrent to these criminal activities that have historically plagued this community," Moore wrote in a letter to Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson in June 2021.

For his part, Kaboo made the point that there's crime in other parts of LA too. 

"There's crime in Hollywood, there's crime in Beverly Hills," he said. "There's crime everywhere. 

The alley itself goes from West 58th Place to West Slauson Avenue, parallel to Crenshaw. 

Councilman Harris-Dawson, whose district includes South LA, proposed the motion, writing that the area, made famous by Hussle and his Marathon Clothing store, is also home to "many other vibrant local businesses." 

"The city should take action to ensure that this site remains a safe place for residents and visitors alike," Harris-Dawson said.

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Allowing people and cars into the alley "contributes to the criminal activities," according to a report by the city engineer's office. The report also noted that the alley is not needed for vehicle or pedestrian access to nearby properties and that closing it will not impact traffic in the area. 

Despite the council's vote, neighbors said the alley has actually been closed for about six months.

A tour bus driver named Midnight, who drives tourists through LA's legendary hip-hop hot spots, said people are disappointed. 

"Now, when they come to look and take pictures of what they hear so much about, they can't get through," he said. 

Despite how hard Hussle worked to bring up his neighborhood, along with everyone in it, people making their living on the corner fear that if the attraction goes away, so does their livelihood.