Machine Gun Kelly has postponed the release of his latest single "out of respect" for late rapper Nipsey Hussle.
The 28-year-old rapper was due to drop a new tune, the first from his forthcoming album ‘Hotel Diablo’, on Friday (05.04.19), but he has put back the release and thanked Carl Chery, Spotify’s head of urban music, for inspiring the decision.
He wrote on Twitter: "we were dropping first song off the album Friday, but out of respect for Nip, we’re gonna stay silent this week. respect to @carlchery for inspiring that action. (sic)"
Machine Gun – whose real name is Colson Baker – also directed fans to the late rapper’s music, encouraging them to listen to his mixtapes ‘The Marathon’ and ‘The Marathon Continues’, after they inspired him when he was starting out in the music industry.
He tweeted: "if ur new to Nipsey’s music, go play that Marathon and The Marathon Continues front to back those were my motivation tapes when i was first getting in the game. keep his name alive (sic)"
Nipsey died age 33 when he was shot outside his clothing store The Marathon Clothing in Los Angeles on Sunday (31.03.19).
His longtime partner Lauren London paid tribute to her significant other earlier this week.
She wrote: "I am completely lost … I’ve lost my best friend. My sanctuary. My protector. My soul. I’m lost without you. We are lost without you babe. I have no words. (sic)"
What’s more, Drake paid tribute to Nipsey during the opening night of his London residency at The O2 on Monday evening (01.04.19).
He told the crowd: "He [Nipsey] was somebody that provided for his people, somebody that always treated you with respect when he saw you, somebody that commanded respect when he walked in the room.
"So I really want to do this shout out for Nip tonight and I just want everybody to look around and be grateful and happy that we’re all here together, alive and well, because life can end at any moment. I just want to say I love you, I’m thankful to be with you tonight. London, as long as you’ll have me back I’ll stand in the middle of this building and give you everything I’ve f**king got. Cheers to my brother, rest easy my g. London, I love you."