Nas, Eve and Swizz Beats paid tribute to DMX at his memorial service yesterday (April 24).
The artists joined friends and family of the late rapper at the “A Celebration of Life” event held at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. Among them was DMX’s daughter, Sonovah, who rapped her version of DMX’s ‘Slippin’ – watch that further below.
Nas called DMX his “brother”, adding: “It’s an honour to be here tonight, at the same time it’s a sad day, it’s a glorious day.”
Nas pays his respects to DMX
pic.twitter.com/z7FpaFaXwi
— Complex (@Complex) April 24, 2021
The rapper spoke of a movie they did together, during the time DMX was just “rising up” as a star. “He knew his journey was starting… He looked at me, tears in his eyes because he knew about the journey he was about to embark on: become a hip-hop icon” [via THR].
Eve said: “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, I pray to our ancestors that his journey was smooth. I know that he will rest in power, rest in love, but most of all he will rest in peace.”
DMX’s daughter has bars for days #DMXFuneral pic.twitter.com/cv5Fwana8I
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) April 24, 2021
And producer Swizz Beats said: “Words can’t describe our loss, but our gain is heavy as well because we got a real serious person upstairs that’s looking down on us, and that’s going to guide us through our journey.”
Swizz Beatz said what needed to be said.
#DMXMemorial pic.twitter.com/hDEWAaSJ0m
— Complex (@Complex) April 25, 2021
He then proceeded to explain his frustration that people weren’t there for the rapper when he was alive. “I just wish all these people showed up for him when he was here,” Swizz said. “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.”
DMX’s family also spoke on stage. His fiancée Desiree Lindstrom stood beside his children and other family members. “Everything he did, he did for you all,” she said.
“He always wanted to please you, he always wanted to give you his best show… He changed your lives, one lyric at a time.”
One of his sons said in an emotional tribute: “This man deepened my ability to love.” Another said: “We have lost an icon and the best father anyone could ask for.”
Kanye West and the Sunday Service Choir also paid tribute to the late star with live performances.
DMX, whose real name was Earl Simmons, died on April 9 aged 50 after suffering a heart attack that left him on life support.
Ahead of the service, the rapper’s red casket was driven to the Barclays Center on top of a Ruff Ryders monster truck that read “Long Live DMX” on the side.
Thousands of motorcyclists joined the procession from Yonkers to Brooklyn in tribute with the bike-loving Ruff Ryders.
Yesterday’s memorial proceeded Simmons’ private funeral, which is being held in New York later today (April 25).
The post Nas, Eve and Swizz Beats pay tribute to “brother” DMX at memorial service, daughter raps ‘Slippin’ appeared first on NME.
