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Nipsey Hussle's family is reportedly gearing up for a custody battle over the late rapper's daughter, Emani.
According to a report Radar Online published on Monday, January 23, the Grammy award-winning artist's brother Sam, his sister Samantha and mother Angelique were not able to reach an amicable agreement with the 14-year-old's mother Tanisha Foster. They've reportedly been trying to lock down a deal for custody for the past month without any success. Legal documents reveal that a trial date has been set by a Los Angeles Court Superior judge for the end of April.
Nipsey Hussle's family first obtained guardianship of Emani Asghedom not long after the Victory Lap rapper was shot and killed in front of his Marathon clothing store in Los Angeles. At the time, they accused Foster being "unfit" to care for the child and manage Emani's inheritance, which is expected to exceed over $2 million. They also brought up her history of drug and alcohol abuse, and mentioned an instance where Foster reportedly assaulted someone in front of Emani and other kids. Despite initially agreeing with the terms of the guardianship, Foster went back to court last year to request that it be dissolved. Her lawyers issued a statement that explained why she went along with the guardianship.
“Tanisha’s motivation for doing so was in recognition of her own financial limitations; her desire to maintain the standard of living and family contact the minor had experienced with the paternal family prior to her father’s death; and upon the verbal assurances that each of them would act in the best interests of Emani,” her lawyer said.
Foster said that the family has blocked her on their cell phones and that she has to go through a third party or Emani herself just to talk to them. She said that Nip's family has held back financial assistance and scaled back on visitation opportunities with her daughter. She also claims that they've also "frequently demonstrated their disdain for Emani’s mother in favor of Lauren London who is the mother of the other two minors and such attitude may impact the ability for (the family) to carry out their fiduciary duties as guardian of the minor’s estate." London also shares a son, Cross, with Hussle.
“There are no circumstances or events in my life that would disqualify me for regaining my exclusive role as Emani’s parent," Tanisha wrote last year. "There is no longer any need for guardianship. Emani routinely asks me when are she and I going to be able to live together. She longs to be with me as her mother. I am begging the court to terminate the existing guardianship."
Tanisha Foster and Nipsey's family will have their day in court on April 27.