Nipsey Hussle’s business partner Jorge Peniche handing him Jonah Berger’s Contagious book changed a lot for Nipsey
Nipsey Hussle‘s ‘Crenshaw‘ mixtape marketing was inspired by a part in the book Contagious, written by Jonah Berger. Berger tells the story of how business owner Stephen Starr sold and marketed a cheesesteak, for $120. Starr’s ability to sell and market the cheesesteak at his Barclay Prime restaurant for that price point inspired Nip’s marketing for his Crenshaw mixtape.
“When I read about the hundred dollar cheesesteak, I was so close to being done with Crenshaw, I was in marketing mode, and when I read that, I didn’t necessarily have the full idea, but I knew it was time to work,” Nipsey explained. “I think the parable inspired me to where I knew something good was going to come from that inspiration. So I just put the book down and started thinking and walking around inside my office, talking to my team, and came up with – what became the ‘Proud2Pay’ campaign.”
Nipsey spoke on being in the entertainment business and how a restaurant business idea sparked his campaign idea for the mixtape. It caught the attention of hip-hop great, Jay-Z.
“I got a DM on Twitter from a respected hip-hop journalist and he was just like, ‘Hov respects the move, salute,’ Nipsey Hussle told MTV in 2013. “A little while later, I got an email that came through my team that was like, ‘Roc Nation, on behalf of Jay Z wants to buy 100 units. Who do we pay? When can we get the shipment out?’”
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