New York Daily News

NIPSEY KIN GET HIS KID

Ma can’t keep girl, 10

- BY NANCY DILLON

Nipsey Hussle’s sister, brother and mother have been appointed co-guardians of the slain rapper’s 10year-old daughter, Emani.

A judge in Los Angeles granted the relatives’ request Tuesday after the girl’s mother, Tanisha Foster, previously sought to block the move.

“Samantha Smith, Samiel Asghedom and Angelique Smith are appointed as guardians of ... Emani Asghedom,” the order obtained by the Daily News said, referring to Hussle’s immediate family members.

“Sufficient evidence has been provided to grant the matter … based upon the reading of the moving papers and considerat­ion of all presented evidence,” the order said.

Sister Samantha Smith filed her initial petition in April, saying she’d been caring for Emani since the Grammy-nominated rapper was shot dead outside his Los Angeles clothing store March 31.

Brother Samiel Asghedom, known as Blacc Sam, and their mom, Angelique Smith, joined the petition as proposed co-guardians in July, saying they were a “constant and strong presence in Emani’s life.”

In a sworn statement filed with the court days later, Foster said she “strongly” opposed the joint petitions.

“I am the mother of Emani Asghedom and there is no good reason my rights as her mother should be taken away from me,” she wrote in July.

“Emani and I are inseparabl­e. I am and will always be her mother,” she said. “I love her with all my heart. I know that she misses me and is wondering why I am not there.”

Foster said Hussle (inset) had been paying for her apartment before his death. She said the locks were changed without warning shortly after his murder, throwing her life into disarray amid her intense grief.

“His family is not willing to pay the rent. I am still in the process of putting all of my personal belongings into a storage facility,” she said. “I realize that my previous lifestyle with Ermias is no longer how things will be for Emani and l. Because of the various challenges I face, I will need time to get things together for the two of us,” she wrote, referring to the rapper’s given name, Ermias Asghedom.

After Foster submitted her statement, her lawyer told the court in late August that his client had two monitored visits with Emani that went “very well.”

He said they also attended grief counseling.

“She is making progress towards gainful employment and establishi­ng a stable residence,” the lawyer, Larry Lewellyn, wrote to the judge.

Attempts to reach Lewellyn Wednesday were not immediatel­y successful.

Before Judge David Cowan made his guardiansh­ip decision Tuesday, he said he read and considered an investigat­or report that would remain “confidenti­al.”

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