Books

7 books that inspired the philosophy of Nipsey Hussle

ROLLINGOUT.COM — Nipsey Hussle often shared keen insight on entrepreneurship, self-awareness and societal issues through his music. An avid reader, many of the views Nipsey presented in his raps came from books that helped him to see the world differently. Here are seven books that guided the philosophy of Nipsey Hussle.

Published

7 years ago

April 17, 2019

A.R. Shaw

By A.R. Shaw

Nipsey Hussle often shared keen insight on entrepreneurship, self-awareness and societal issues through his music. An avid reader, many of the views Nipsey presented in his raps came from books that helped him to see the world differently.

Here are seven books that guided the philosophy of Nipsey Hussle.

The Spook Who Sat By The Door

Written by Sam Greenlee in 1968, the fictional story follows Dan Freeman, the first Black CIA officer and former gang member in Chicago, as he learns the tactics of the CIA. Freeman later uses the skills that he learned at the CIA and goes to war against the American government. Mentioned on the song “Blue Laces 2,” Nipsey had plans of naming his last album after the book.

Message To The Blackman In America

Written by Elijah Muhammad in 1965, the book provides insight on how Black men can take steps toward self-improvement. T.I. revealed during an Instagram live chat on April 3, 2019, that Nipsey Hussle gave him the book.

Contagious

Written by Jonah Berger, Contagious provides marketing tips on how to make products more attractive to buyers. After reading the book, Nipsey came up with the idea to sell his Crenshaw mixtape for $100 apiece. Inspired by Nipsey’s business acumen, Jay-Z bought 100 copies.

Three Magic Words: The Key to Power, Peace and Plenty

Written by Uell Stanley Andersen, the book provides tools on how to tap into the power within. During a 2010 interview with Complex, Nipsey discussed the book and said, “It’s about the power of the mind. It’s about the projection of your thoughts into reality.”

The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing

Written by Al Ries and Jack Trout, the book takes a look at rules within marketing that are essential to growth. Nipsey told Forbes that he was given the book by a friend and used some of the rules for his own journey in the music business.

Power vs. Force

Written by David R. Hawkins, the book delves into the impact of how and why choices are made. In a 2019 interview with Clash, Nipsey discussed the book and said, “There’s a chapter called the ‘Levels of Human Consciousness’ and what the whole premise is [is] that basically the power of frequency of your action is informed by the intention, and there’s a chart of all these different intentions that you can have.’”

Blood In My Eye

Written by George L. Jackson months before he was killed in 1971 while doing time at San Quentin State Prison, the book tells the life story of Jackson, who served 11 years in prison for allegedly stealing $70 from a gas station. Jackson would become an activist while in prison. Nipsey mentioned that he was inspired by the book during a 2010 interview with Complex.

This article originally appeared in Rollingout.com.

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Black History

George Cook: The Inventor Who Made Fishing Smarter

Published

3 days ago

August 9, 2026

bpusa-syndication

A copy of the patent for George Cook’s Automatic Fishing Device. Public domain.

By Tamara Shiloh

George Cook was a Black American inventor from Louisville, Kentucky. He was born in 1863, during a time when Black Americans faced unfair laws, limited opportunities, and many barriers to education, jobs, and recognition. Even with these challenges, he became known for his intelligence, honesty, and ability to think in practical ways. Some records say he worked as a cook for Buffalo Bill Cody and later as a chef on a private dining car for the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. He was even known by the nickname “Honest Mister Cook.”

As with many Black American inventors and scientists of that era, there is little biographical information about Mr. Cook.

Cook’s most famous invention was the Automatic Fishing Device. He received U.S. Patent No. 625,829 for it on May 30, 1899. His patent shows that he was not just someone with an idea, but someone who made it happen.

So, what did the Automatic Fishing Device do? Imagine fishing with a line in the water. Usually, you have to watch carefully and pull the line at just the right moment when a fish bites. Cook wanted to make that process easier. His device was designed to react when a fish pulled on the line. The tension from the fish would trigger a lever. That lever would release a spring-loaded part of the device, causing it to move quickly and help pull in the line. The device also had an alarm gong that would ring to let the fisher know something was happening.

This invention was important because it used simple mechanical ideas in a clever way. Springs, levers, rails, and alarms were not new by themselves, but Cook combined them to solve a real problem. His device showed how inventors often take familiar parts and arrange them in a new way to make life easier.

Cook looked at fishing and asked, “How can this be improved?” Then, he created a device that could respond automatically when a fish tugged on the line. His invention let fishermen relax instead of watching the line for hours, trusting the alarm to alert them.

Cook may not be as famous as some inventors, but his Automatic Fishing Device shows that creativity and innovation can be applied anywhere. His legacy lives on as part of the larger story of Black innovation in America.