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LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 11: Masons attend a memorial celebration for slain rapper Nipsey Hussle at the Staples Center arena on April 11, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. Nipsey Hussle was shot and killed in front of his store, The Marathon Clothing, on March 31, 2019 in Los Angeles. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)
Nipsey Hussle was notoriously devoted to his family and to the relationships he formed as a member of the Crips street gang growing up. Now it seems those two worlds are colliding and butting heads over who owns the rights to certain parts of his legacy.
According to The Blast, in the wake of the rapper’s untimely death, his brother Samiel “Blacc Sam” Asghedom filed a trademark application on May 28 to secure the rights to, “The Marathon Continues,” Nipsey’s famous slogan that is often uttered as a battle cry in his honor by fans and loved ones.
The trademark application would allow Blacc Sam to use the catch phrase for entertainment services, music and “charitable activities and the doing of good deeds for others and the promotion of ethical and character values.”
Given he was Nipsey’s business partner, and has also asked to become the administrator of his brother’s estate, this move arguably makes sense. And it’s clear Sam would would be using his role to not only safeguard Nipsey’s name, but also manage many of the lucrative posthumous business deals the slain star is still tied to, including his upcoming collaboration with Puma.
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But it appears that on on May 16, 12 days before Blacc Sam, Nipsey’s other family, the Crips, also filed their application to trademark, “The Marathon Continues” through their holding company. Like Sam, they claim they want to use “TMC” to promote charitable events in the community, particularly those focused on “gang intervention.”
While neither application makes mention of the other one, Sam and the Crips seem to be on good terms and unified in their intentions to continue the work Nipsey was committed to up until his passing. U.S. Patent & Trademark officials have taken notice of the duplicate filings and ultimately, it will be up to them to sort out who actually has a right to control and profit off the “The Marathon Continues,” brand.
READ MORE: Nipsey Hussle’s daughter to remain with sister of slain rapper, judge rules
Young Ermias and his siblings (Blacc Sam and Sammy)?. #TheMarathonContinues #LongLiveNipsey pic.twitter.com/eLglfJTyzU
— TMC??. (@ermiasthagreat) May 30, 2019
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