DMX – Family & Friends Pay Tribute To Rapper At ‘Celebration Of Life’ Service At The Barclays Center

Family & Friends Pay Tribute To DMX At ‘Celebration Of Life’ Service At The Barclays Center

Late rapper DMX ( real name Earl Simmons) was honored at a “Celebration of Life” Memorial in Brooklyn, NY on Saturday (Apr.24) in a tribute attended by his family, friends and his Ruff Ryders Entertainment collaborators. Footage from outside of the arena captured crowds of fans honoring DMX as the red casket carrying the late rapper was carried atop a monster truck with the words “Long Live DMX” painted on the side. The monster truck played DMXs’ songs and followed a procession called “The Ruff Ryders 2 The Rescue: Ryde 4 Life” that started in Yonkers and made its way to the Barclays Center arena in Brooklyn. As previously reported, DMX, 50, died on April 9 after a heart attack that left him on life support for nearly a week. 

DMX’s last ride ? pic.twitter.com/PCrapDRN3X

— XXL Magazine (@XXL) April 24, 2021

Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, there were strict limitations on the amount of people allowed inside the venue. Thankfully, fans from across the world were able to watch the Celebration Of Life service via Youtube Livestream. Several celebrities were in attendance including Kanye West, Nas, Eve, and Swizz Beatz. Fashion brand Balenciaga reportedly collaborated with Kanye West’s Yeezy to create a T-shirt tribute to DMX with the net proceeds from the $200 shirt benefiting the late rappers’ family.

Kanye West and his Sunday Service choir kicked off the memorial with several songs before DMX’s family, including his fiancé Desiree Lindstrom and his children appeared on the stage. Hours before the service began, Lindstrom took to Instagram to express her love for her late fiancé and shared photos of she and DMX’s son, Exodus.

“Today is very hard for me and my family…but one thing that is keeping me going is knowing that my son and I just gained an amazing angel, my fiancé and Exodus father…Earl Simmons..! I will forever love you and you will always be in my heart!”

One of DMX’s older sons read a eulogy while fighting back tears, and one of his young daughters performed a rap she wrote for the occasion. Another young son read a poem remembering DMX as “the best father anybody could ask for.”

One of DMX’s daughters performing her version of “Slippin’”#RIPDMX pic.twitter.com/yxBzqKmmUs

— XXL Magazine (@XXL) April 24, 2021

Rapper and Actor, Nas who costarred in movies and collaborated on multiple songs with DMX, also spoke during the ceremony, calling the late rapper a “longtime friend” and “hip-hop icon”. Nas said,

“We did a great movie together. And on that movie, he was just rising up as a star. His first album didn’t even come out yet, but he knew his journey was starting. We stood outside the Tunnel Night Club about to shoot a scene, and he looked at me, and tears in his eyes, because he knew about the journey he was about to embark on in becoming a hip-hop icon.”

Nas

Members of the original Ruff Ryders crew including, Eve, Jadakiss, Styles P, and Drag-On spoke during the service showing their love and appreciation for DMX. Eve, known as the First Lady of the Ruff Ryders, shared a few words.

“I am seriously the luckiest, luckiest woman in the world to have been adopted by the Ruff Ryders, but to have known DMX the way that I knew him as a man, a father, a friend. This is so hard y’all. What I pray, what I hope, I pray to God, I pray to our angels, our ancestors, that his journey was smooth. I know that he will rest in power. Rest in love, but most of all he feel rest in peace.”

Eve remembers DMX at his memorial service. #DMXMemorial pic.twitter.com/2GrnQVV28p

— Rap Alert (@rapalert3) April 24, 2021

Producer Swizz Beatz delivered a heartfelt message at the service sharing his thoughts on his friend and expressed why DMX deserved more love when he was alive. Swizz got frustrated that the late rapper is receiving more love and support now that he’s gone.

“I just wish all these people showed up for him when he was here. You got thousands of people claiming who they are and tickets and things like that. This man needed everybody. He didn’t need everybody when he’s not here, he needed everybody when he was here. We have to learn to celebrate each other while we’re here.”

Swizz Beatz said what needed to be said. ? #DMXMemorial pic.twitter.com/hDEWAaSJ0m

— Complex (@Complex) April 25, 2021

We continue to send our thoughts and prayers to the DMX’s family. RIP to a rap legend.