Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) temporarily renamed the Hyde Park Station at Crenshaw Boulevard and Slauson Avenue to “Nipsey Hussle Station” for a two-week period in August 2025, honoring the late Grammy-winning rapper and community activist on what would have been his 40th birthday.
The renaming began on August 15 and continued through August 31, 2025, as part of Metro’s “Metro x Culture” series that celebrates influential local cultural figures. The initiative was developed in close collaboration with Nipsey Hussle’s family and estate, who expressed pride in seeing his legacy honored in the neighborhood where he grew up and invested.
Metro emphasized that Hussle’s story is inseparable from Los Angeles and its transit system, which he used to navigate between South Central LA and Watts throughout his early life.
Coinciding with the station renaming, Metro released two limited-edition TAP cards featuring iconic images of the artist. The first design, titled “Crenshaw & Slauson,” showcased a black-and-white portrait by photographer Jonathan Mannion at Nipsey’s neighborhood intersection, while the “Watts” card displayed a color-stylized image of Hussle riding a Metro bus. The limited run of only 12,000 cards printed makes them highly desirable among collectors and fans alike.
Only 12,000 cards were produced and made available exclusively through in-person purchases at select Metro ticket vending machines and Customer Care centers. The cards quickly became collectors’ items, reflecting both Hussle’s enduring influence and Metro’s mission to merge culture, community, and movement.
The transportation agency noted that public transit had been critical in Hussle’s ability to unify different neighborhoods of Los Angeles and pursue his early music aspirations. Hussle developed his unique voice through consistent practice methods that helped him stand out in the competitive Los Angeles hip-hop scene. Hussle’s career exemplified the modern musician’s approach to diverse income streams by combining music sales with entrepreneurship and community investment. Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins specifically praised Hussle as a visionary for community who understood the importance of connection through transportation.
Born Ermias Asghedom in South Los Angeles, Nipsey Hussle was known for addressing gang violence and uplifting his community through entrepreneurship before his tragic death in 2019 outside his Marathon Clothing store near the very intersection where the renamed station stands.
His family highlighted his favorite quote during the announcement: “The highest human act is to inspire.”
