Nipsey Hussle Doc Directed By Ava DuVernay Set At Netflix

Today, March 31, 2020, it will be a year since Nipsey Hussle, born Ermias Joseph Asghedom, was murdered in Los Angeles, shot and killed outside his store Marathon Clothing. Last month, director Ava DuVernay introduced Meek Mill, DJ Khaled, John Legend, Roddy Ricch, Kirk Franklin, and YG to the Grammy’s stage for a tribute to the late Grammy Award-winning rapper. And now, according to The Hollywood Reporter (THR), the Oscar-nominated Selma director, after what was reportedly an intense bidding war, will be bringing a Nipsey Hussle documentary feature to Netflix.

The film is a co-production between DuVernay’s ARRAY and Hussle’s Marathon Films. Netflix took the rights in the deal, which is supposedly worth eight figures and in the teens. Competitors for the doc included Apple and Amazon. Another report from THR says that Apple was the frontrunner, but the documentary wasn’t going to sell for the $26 million like their Billie Ellish documentary or the $25 million for their Rihanna film.

Deadline’s report also states that Hussle’s estate reached out to DuVernay “based on their admiration for her work on the likes of 13th and When They See Us.” Per THR, the rapper’s family will be participating in the creation of the documentary, which will be DuVernay’s first since 13th.

Hussle himself took part in the awards season press tour for the director’s 2016 Netflix documentary, which explored systemic racism in America’s prison industrial complex, discussing his experience as a community activist in South L.A. 13th went on to receive a Best Documentary Feature Oscar nod at the 2017 Academy Awards.

DuVernay’s other upcoming projects include OWN’s Cherish The Day, premiering this week, and she’s shooting the HBO Max DC Comics pilot, DMZ, starring Rosario Dawson and Benjamin Bratt.  She is also in the early stages of pre-production for Warner Bros.’ DC Comics film, New Gods.