Days after the shooting death of rapper and philanthropist Nipsey Hussle, fans created an online petition to rename the intersection of Crenshaw Boulevard Slauson Avenue to Nipsey Hussle Boulevard.
Approximately 360,000 people have already signed the petition, which was created by the Najee Ali Youth Foundation only a day after Hussle was killed.
"I knew Nipsey Hussle personally," the petition reads. "He wasn't just a rapper. He was a community icon."
The community of South Los Angeles is directing the petition to Los Angeles city councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson who represents the city's Eighth District. Harris-Dawson's district includes the neighborhoods of Baldwin Hills, Crenshaw, Jefferson Park, West Adams and other communities.
Councilman Harris-Dawson posted on his social media a heartfelt message the day Hussle was shot and killed outside his Marathon clothing store in the Hyde Park commercial plaza. A suspect was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of murder in what police described as a personal dispute.
"From the beginning, Nipsey Hussle has been a critical part of #DestinationCrenshaw," he said. "Rest in Power Nip!."
Destination Crenshaw is a community project that, according to their website, that will use Crensaw Boulevard as a space for public art and streetscape design. The project's goal is to celebrate the contributions of the black community in Los Angeles.
The petition urges the public to call or email Harris-Dawson to show support of the renaming of the intersection.
In the comments section of the petition, community members share their reasons for signing and describe the late rapper as "one of us."
"He cared, he listened and told his story also and we understood him," Michele Wedlow wrote. "He will truly be missed! Fly High King!"
The petition can be found here.
