When the late, great Nipsey Hussle coined his slogan “The Marathon Continues,” he probably never imagined the magnitude of impact he would have. From being a voice for the voiceless and serial entrepreneur to buying back his block and being a shining example of Black fatherhood, emulating Hussle’s legacy is no small feat.
Though he was undoubtedly taken from us way too soon, Hussle has inspired present and future generations to follow in his footsteps. The latest of his habits that has people taking notes? His avid reading.
Since the Los Angeles treasure was gunned down outside of his Marathon Clothing store last year, chapters of The Marathon Book Club have popped up across the country.
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The book clubs are comprised of Black and Latino men who read and discuss titles Hussle revered, according to an article in the Los Angeles Times. They are also one of the many ways fans – who to this day have trouble wrapping their heads around the severity of Hussle’s loss – have sought to honor him and keep his legacy alive.
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“People want to connect and, in a sense, heal” by reading the books that Hussle read, said Eso Won co-owner Tom Hamilton, reported the LA Times.
Evolving into formation after a 31-year-old fan posted a meme that listed all the books Hussle said inspired him over the years, the clubs have become a safe space for Black and Latino men to remove the armor they have to wear to survive in the world. The LA Times article calls them therapeutic.
“We all have to learn how to [navigate spaces] whether we’re with our own people or we’re in spaces with prominently white people,” he said. “You have to master that skill to be successful in the real world,” said R.J. Harris from the L.A. Chapter while discussing “The Spook Who Sat By The Door.”
Harris and his fellow members acknowledged they often found the narratives society has fed them about what it takes to succeed have left them unfulfilled. It is a gap working through Hussle’s reading list – and being vulnerable with one another about their struggles – is helping close.
“Seeing brothers talking about the journey while they are in it makes you realize, ‘I’m not alone in this,’” said Rashad Drakeford, a 32-year-old member of The Marathon Book Club’s L.A. Chapter. “I’m feeling the same thing.”
