Fans are remembering DMX through his Verzuz battle

NME

Fans of the late rap icon DMX are remembering the star’s gift through his Verzuz session, which took place last year.

The rapper died earlier today (April 9) after suffering a heart attack reportedly caused by an overdose earlier this week. He was 50 years old.

• READ MORE: RIP DMX: 10 of the rap legend’s best songs ever

In July 2020, the legend took part in the rap battle series, going up against Snoop Dogg for one of the most-viewed instalments in the series at the time.

During the battle, X ran through his hits including ‘X Gon’ Give It To Ya’, ‘Party Up’, ‘Slippin’’ and more. The session saw the two rappers dancing and singing along to each other’s songs and celebrating each other’s work.

The battle broke viewing records for Verzuz, with more than 525,000 concurrent viewers on Instagram and over 2million viewers overall. On Apple Music, it drew in more than 600,000 concurrent viewers and over 1.4million overall.

“A reminder DMX and Snoop Dogg put on one of the best Verzuz,” one Twitter user captioned a clip of the session. “DMX had so much energy and was in good spirits.”

A reminder DMX and Snoop Dogg put on one of the best Verzuz. DMX had so much energy and was in good spirits. pic.twitter.com/4GI4csu0V8

— ✭An Isley Brothers Baby✭ (@King_Yunn) April 3, 2021

“I’m appreciating the Verzuz with Snoop & DMX so much more now,” another added. “Eternally grateful they shared this with us before he passed.”

I’m appreciating the Verzuz with Snoop & DMX so much more now. Eternally grateful they shared this with us before he passed.

Rest easy God. pic.twitter.com/6nq1njl8rt

— Big Boss (@LordBalvin) April 9, 2021

You can watch DMX perform ‘Slippin” and ‘What These Bitches Want’ on Apple Music, and see more fan reflections on the battle below.

I’ll never forget that time when DMX had Snoop twerking on Verzuz #RIPDMX pic.twitter.com/ln1Req8MRe

— F A PASS, ISO THAT BIH (@isogangbkn) April 9, 2021

Sidenote

This is why these #Verzuz were so important

You got to see a living legend perform one more time. People who never saw him saw his impact on us all.. Long Live the Dark Man#DMX #EarlSimmons pic.twitter.com/vahhn914S5

— I LOVE VEGGIES N WATER.. SUE ME (@GQue2_1911) April 9, 2021

One of my recent favourite memories of DMX is when he said this long prayer at the beginning of his Verzuz with with Snoop #RIPDMX pic.twitter.com/v3r64pJGs0

— Check Pinned Tweet (@Boujeena) April 9, 2021

So grateful we got the DMX/Snoop Verzuz. Had we never got to hear his catalog in that format with another icon would have been so sad.

X and Snoop dancing together is one of the most memorable, wholesome moments in the genre’s history pic.twitter.com/cOJh723M0F

— KFC (@KFCBarstool) April 9, 2021

Im surely glad you got your flowers while you were here. That Verzuz night was so much fun. Rest easy. @DMX pic.twitter.com/W7c72gRuoK

— Wee-Yum (@MrGee54) April 9, 2021

The Verzuz team has also paid tribute to X following the news of his death. “The Verzuz family is deeply saddened by the loss of a cultural icon and a friend: Earl ‘DMX’ Simmons. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones.

“DMX always showed his authentic self to the world, especially during the painful moments, and for that he was one of a kind. His music, his spirit, and who he was, will continue to live on in the millions of fans around the world.”

DMX FOREVER! pic.twitter.com/LwBhmF4JUp

— Verzuz (@verzuzonline) April 9, 2021

They concluded: “Verzuz exists to celebrate the creatives and give them their flowers. The DMX we all saw is the DMX we knew, and will continue to remember.”

Stars of the music world and beyond have also paid tribute to the late icon, with his label Def Jam calling him “a brilliant artist and an inspiration to millions around the world”.

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