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Earl Simmons. Better known to the world as DMX, he was one of the more unorthodox rappers that the genre has ever seen. X had a discography that bridged gritty realism and spiritual warfare. The New York City rap legend left behind a catalog that’s equal parts pain, prayer, and power.
DMX Set to be Posthumously Ordained
It has been more than four years since his untimely death. Simmons is set to be posthumously honored. According to a January 6 report from AllHipHop, the Tarrytown-based church, Foster Memorial A.M.E. Zion, is set to ordain the late rap star as a minister. In a ceremony that will “honor his deep spiritual influence and lifelong connection to faith.”
Before the ceremony, Bishop Dr. Osiris Imhotep, founder of the Gospel Cultural Center, praised X for his ability to turn the “pain” he endured into something positive.
“Earl Simmons wrestled with God in the public square, turning his pain into a ministry of raw truth,” Bishop Imhotep said in a statement to the outlet. “This ordination recognizes the divine calling he fulfilled every time he spoke a prayer into a microphone.”
Jay-Z Recalls Wild X Story
With a career in the music industry spanning more than two decades, X had become peers with some of the top names in hip-hop. One of those peers was Jay-Z, as both their careers began peaking around the same time. During an appearance on LeBron James’ show, The Shop, Hov reminisced on the impact the X had on audiences across the globe. And even with Jay already establishing himself as arguably the top rapper in the game, X still proved to be a tough act to follow.
“X is about to go on, and I’m like, I wanna see. X is going before me. And then he goes (growls), and the f—ing arena goes crazy. First of all, it’s deafening, and I’m like, ‘Oh s—,’” he said.
“He has a thing, like an Alize and Hennessy mix, it looks like blood, like he’s drinking blood, and he’s running back and forth. Halfway through the show, he takes off his shirt. And the whole crowd goes wild.
“He’s going nuts, right? And I’m like, ‘S—.’ First, the guys are going crazy; now the girls are going crazy. And then he gets to the end, and he starts a prayer. Now they’re crying, the whole arena is crying. And they’re like, ‘OK, now you go.’”
The ceremony for DMX is set to take place on Saturday, January 10.
