Blacc Sam revealed Marathon Burger will open a Times Square location during his appearance on Scottie & FRNDs.
The brother of late Hip-Hop legend Nipsey Hussle confirmed the brand’s New York expansion plans while discussing its rapid growth across multiple markets.
The Times Square restaurant is Marathon’s fourth location, following successful launches in Los Angeles, Venice Beach, and Long Beach. Sam explained that the New York move honors his brother’s connection to the city during his early career.
“Hustle love New York,” Sam said during the interview. “Hustle went out there and was living out there when he was doing his mixtapes when he first got signed. New York embraced him and he always would be very vocal with us like man I love New York bro you got to get to New York.”
The Marathon brand has expanded beyond clothing into food service with remarkable success in Los Angeles. The original Melrose location opened in March 2024 and quickly became a cultural destination for Hip-Hop culture enthusiasts.
Sam detailed how the Long Beach location came together through partnerships with Snoop Dogg and the Broadus family. The collaboration brought additional investment capital, significantly accelerating the expansion timeline.
“Without them, honestly, we wouldn’t be able to get this next store open so fast,” Sam explained. “Like right now, I think when we open, it’s going to be the one-year anniversary.”
According to Sam, the Times Square location is currently undergoing renovation. He emphasized the significance of bringing Marathon Burger to Manhattan’s most famous commercial district.
“My first time in New York was with bro and we got a lot of love for New York because of that and because they always show hustle so much love and the brand so much love so I know that time square New York is gonna just go crazy,” Sam stated.
Marathon Burger operates as part of the larger Marathon lifestyle brand, which includes clothing, real estate, and entertainment ventures.
The restaurant concept maintains the brand’s commitment to community investment and to representing authentic Hip-Hop culture.
Sam stressed the importance of maintaining authenticity as the business scales nationally. He referenced lessons learned from Nipsey Hussle about prioritizing brand integrity over rapid financial gains.
“Brand over business,” Sam said, quoting his late brother’s philosophy. “We moving with authenticity we’re moving with purpose and we’re moving with thinking about the brand first.”
Marathon Burger’s expansion coincides with other Marathon brand initiatives, including the upcoming Prolific album release and a Nipsey Hussle documentary project currently in post-production.
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