Blacc Sam revealed on Scottie & FRNDs that Marathon Burger will be opening a location in Times Square.
The brother of late hip-hop legend Nipsey Hussle confirmed the brand’s New York expansion plans while discussing the label’s rapid growth in multiple markets.
The Times Square restaurant is Marathon’s fourth restaurant, following successful openings in Los Angeles, Venice Beach and Long Beach. Sam explained that the move to New York was to honor his brother’s connection to the city early in his career.
“The hustle and bustle of New York,” Sam said in the interview. “Hustle was doing a mixtape there when he first signed, and he lived there. New York embraced him, and he was always shouting to us, like, man, I love New York, man, you gotta go to New York.”
The Marathon brand has expanded beyond apparel into food service and has seen great success in Los Angeles. The original Melrose store opened in March 2024 and quickly became a cultural destination for fans of hip-hop culture.
Sam detailed how the Long Beach store came together through a partnership with Snoop Dogg and the Broadus family. The partnership brought additional investment capital and significantly accelerated expansion time.
“Honestly, without them, we wouldn’t be able to open the next store so quickly,” Sam explains. “Like now, I think when we open, it will be the one-year anniversary.”
According to Sam, the Times Square store is currently undergoing renovations. He stressed the importance of bringing Marathon Burger to Manhattan’s most famous business district.
“The first time I came to New York was with my brothers, so we have a lot of love for New York because they always show so much love and love for the brand, so I knew Times Square was going to be crazy,” Sam said.
Marathon Burger is part of the larger Marathon lifestyle brand, which includes apparel, real estate and entertainment businesses.
The restaurant concept maintains the brand’s commitment to community investment and representing authentic hip-hop culture.
Sam stresses the importance of maintaining authenticity as the business expands across the country. He cited Nipsey Hussle’s lesson of prioritizing brand integrity over quick financial gain.
“Brand over business,” Sam said, citing his late brother’s philosophy. “We move with authenticity, we move with purpose, and we think about brand first.”
The expansion of Marathon Burger coincides with other initiatives for the Marathon brand, including the upcoming Prolific album and a Nipsey Hussle documentary project currently in post-production.
