Estate Worth Millions—and Growing
Nipsey Hussle (born Ermias Asghedom) died intestate, meaning he left no will. Under California probate law, his estate—valued at an estimated $11 million in 2019 and growing thanks to business ventures, music royalties, and posthumous licensing deals—was inherited solely by his children: Emani and her younger half-brother Kross, whose mother is actress Lauren London.
Under California Probate Code §§ 16040–16061, fiduciaries—including guardians—owe strict duties to act in the best interests of the estate’s minor beneficiaries. The latest legal challenge raises serious concerns over whether those duties are being honored.
The Objection to Legal Fees
In an April 22 filing, William Spiller, the court-appointed lawyer for Emani, strongly objected to a request that attorney Larry Lewellyn—representing Emani’s biological mother, Tanisha Foster—be paid from the teen’s estate.
Spiller argued that Lewellyn’s legal position had been “adversarial” to the minor and that paying his fees from the estate would be “neither fair nor equitable.” He emphasized that such payments could drain the resources Emani is entitled to as part of her father’s legacy.
“The minor child’s estate and/or inheritance will likely be utilized to pay her attorneys,” Spiller warned, pointing to possible future obligations that may be compromised by the proposed fee payout.
Lewellyn, in contrast, maintains that his client’s efforts—particularly her motion to terminate the guardianship—were in Emani’s best interest.
But Spiller’s filing may carry weight. California courts routinely apply the “reasonable and necessary” standard under Cal. Prob. Code § 10811 when evaluating attorney fee awards from a minor’s estate. If a legal service was not in furtherance of the child’s best interest, courts are unlikely to permit reimbursement.
