Why is Nipsey's Hussle's Victory Lap So Important? (+ Album Review!)

This is clearly a blog post idea that is overdue, but I cannot get this idea out of my head since I've gotten a hold of Nipsey Hussle's Victory Lap album. The West Coast and Twitter were SHOOK at the release of the Los Angeles MC's "first" album that released on February 24.

Why were they shook, you ask?

Victory Lap is Nipsey's first official album. He has been in the indie-rap game for over a decade following his debut mixtape, Slauson Boy Volume 1. He's received a lot of buzz as he came up in his career; from working with artists such as MODSUN and Lloyd to his appearance on We Are The World 25 for Haiti, he has proved continuously that he is a voice of the West Coast. His rise of fame also receives contribution from his position on the annual XXL Freshman Top Ten List, where he was touted as the "Most Determined" of the class.

He was to go on with Epic Records to release other projects, which were later terminated indefinitely. Following his release from his contract from Epic Records, he dropped The Marathon in 2010, a project released under his own independent label. Following The Marathon was its second installment, The Marathon Continues. The third and final installment of The Marathon mixtapes, which was once supposed to be titled TM3: Victory Lap, was set to release in December 2012. The release date continued to be pushed back for six more years, finally releasing in February 2018 as an official album, titled Victory Lap.

In my opinion, the six years was worth it.

Victory Lap was, in my opinion, one of the most thoughtful projects I've listened to in a while. Nipsey's tracks for Victory Lap allowed his fans to get up close and personal as he reflects on his life experiences that led him to where he is now. One of the things I appreciated most about this album is the reflection of the Marathon series through Blue Laces and Victory Lap's Blue Laces 2.

Recently, I was asked by a special person which one was better: Blue Laces or Blue Laces 2?

For me, Blue Laces trumps Blue Laces 2. While both reflect on the adversities Nipsey faced leading up to the present, I felt that Blue Laces had a much more raw delivery, as it comes from a place of struggle and living in the hood of Los Angeles. Blue Laces 2 serves as a look in retrospect to the environment Nipsey grew up in, and also serves as a nod to the neighborhood and experiences that made him into who he is today.

Overall, I fell in love with the album despite the wait it took to get it. I hope to see more of Nipsey's work being consistent in release. What's your favorite song on the album?

Victory Lap can be streamed on Apple Music, Spotify, and other streaming platforms.