Marathon Burger, the Wagyu smashburger restaurant built around the legacy of Nipsey Hussle, is expanding out of Los Angeles for the first time with a planned drive-thru location in Las Vegas. Samiel “Blacc Sam” Asghedom, the late rapper’s brother and the man behind the restaurant, confirmed the move in an Instagram video, saying the chain’s first drive-thru will land in Las Vegas.
Asghedom shared the news during an appearance on the Brown Bag Mornings radio show on Power 106 FM in Los Angeles, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Brown Bag Mornings posted an Instagram video capturing his appearance, in which he discussed the brand’s Vegas plans. The Review-Journal reported that it reached out to Marathon Burger for comment on the Las Vegas store.
Marathon Burger currently operates three locations across greater Los Angeles, plus a mobile food trailer that travels the region, per the same account. The flagship location opened in March 2025 at 7507 Melrose Avenue in the Fairfax District, in a space that once housed the original 1986 Johnny Rockets restaurant, according to the Los Angeles Times. Before settling into permanent storefronts, the concept began as a temporary pop-up in October 2024, as reported by CBS News.
A Childhood Dream Turned Family Business
Asghedom opened the first Marathon Burger location to fulfill a dream he and his brother shared since childhood: owning a restaurant together. That ambition traces back to the brothers working side by side as teenagers at Bayou Grille, an Inglewood restaurant, the Los Angeles Times reports. Marathon Burger now serves as an extension of Nipsey Hussle’s broader Marathon brand, celebrating his legacy, entrepreneurial drive and community spirit…