Article found on The Houstonian.
On April 9, Grammy-nominated rapper DMX passed away at 50 years old from a heart attack. In the wake of his passing, a treasure trove of testimonials from fans and celebrities filled social media, reminding the world of how rare his gifted talent was.
Among those who honored the legendary rapper included Eve, DJ Khaled, Nas, and many more. The same affection has also been shown from unlikely figures, including Lilly Singh and Tony Hawk. On Instagram, Swizz Beatz delivered a heartwarming eulogy that highlighted DMX as a humanitarian.
TV animation “Rick and Morty” also paid tribute to DMX with a throwback to one of the show’s early episodes. In the post-credit scene of their “Something Ricked this Way” episode, buffed-up versions of Rick and Summer throw jabs at nasty individuals to the tune of DMX’s hit “X Gon’ Give It to Ya,” which was released in 2003.
Though his music career was lively, DMX’s childhood was filled with trauma. His father abandoned him at a young age and he suffered abuse at the hands of his mother. He was also kicked out of school for disorderly conduct and spent most of his childhood wandering the streets. He later transformed those dark moments into strength and created a unique persona the hip-hop world has never seen before. When he released his debut album “It’s Dark and Hell is Hot” in 1998, his style stood out against his rapping peers. His rhymes were witty, flows were sharp and importantly, his deep cadence and ad-libs were unforgettable. This release instantly jump-started his relatively short music career, which spanned from 1998-2003.
Before his death, DMX had reportedly finished filming an HBO documentary of his life and completed a new album. The album was scheduled to release this summer, and according to All Hip Hop, Def Jam Recordings and Ruff Ryders Entertainment plan to still release his new music.
As of April 16, fans received a preview of the rapper’s new music and his new song, “Been to War,” which features Swizz Beatz and French Montana, premiered on the soundtrack for the Epix drama series “Godfather of Harlem.”
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