{"id":803510,"date":"2020-01-27T08:32:36","date_gmt":"2020-01-27T15:32:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/?p=943759"},"modified":"2020-01-27T08:32:36","modified_gmt":"2020-01-27T15:32:36","slug":"meek-mill-and-roddy-ricch-release-tribute-song-letter-to-nipsey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/music-news\/meek-mill-and-roddy-ricch-release-tribute-song-letter-to-nipsey\/","title":{"rendered":"Meek Mill and Roddy Ricch Release Tribute Song \u2018Letter to Nipsey\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

Even though Nipsey Hussle<\/a> wasn\u2019t physically at the 2020 Grammys, his spirit and presence presided over the proceedings.<\/p>\n

Two of Nipsey\u2019s final collaborations before his death \u2014 \u201cRacks in the Middle,\u201d featuring Roddy Ricch<\/a> and Hit-Boy and DJ Khaled\u2019s \u201cHigher\u201d featuring John Legend \u2014 won Best Rap Performance and Best Rap\/Sung Performance. But the prevailing question throughout the night was how Meek Mill, Roddy, DJ Khaled, Legend and YG<\/a> would honor the life of South Central rapper after his death<\/a> last March within the confines of a restrictive award show. Part of the answer was debuting new song, \u201cLetter to Nipsey,\u201d which features Meek and Roddy eulogizing their lost comrade.<\/p>\n

\u201cLetter to Nipsey\u201d is a balancing act; Meek and Roddy try to deliver an uplifting message amid tragedy and the sobering reality of losing a gifted rapper so young. Meek\u2019s verse begins with the Philadelphia rapper telling the story of Nipsey\u2019s funeral before transitioning to the present and past to explain how he\u2019s coping.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I ain\u2019t finna say it like I\u2019m your main homie,\u201d Meek raps in his patented yelp. \u201cBut when we lost you it really put some pain on me\/Got me scared to go outside without that flame on me\/And when them niggas went against me, you ain\u2019t change on me.\u201d Roddy\u2019s melodic sensibilities anchors the hook as his voice dips and soars asking, \u201cHow many tears did you cry when you lost someone?\u201d<\/p>\n

In a December interview with Rolling Stone<\/em><\/a>, Roddy discussed losing Nipsey and the subsequent success of \u201cRacks in the Middle,\u201d one of his last songs. \u201cI got a portrait of Nipsey at my house, bro,\u201d Roddy said. \u201cI got to put a platinum plaque by that, and my brother is not here to share that with me. That\u2019s his first platinum single. We did that together. Nigga, that hurt me\u2026 But at the same time, that\u2019s life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meek Mill<\/a> revealed on Twitter<\/a> that all the proceeds from \u201cLetter to Nipsey\u201d will go to his family.<\/p>\n