DMX fans and friends have taken to social media to pay tribute to the legendary rapper on the second anniversary of his death.
The Ruff Ryders breakout star died on April 9, 2021, at the age of 50. He was originally rushed to the hospital on April 2, 2021, when it was revealed that he’d suffered a heart attack possibly stemming from a drug overdose. After being in a coma for nearly a week, the “Where The Hood At” rapper ultimately lost functionality in many of his vital organs before passing away.
At the time of his death, many of his friends and peers paid tribute to the fallen legend, including Wyclef Jean, Eve, Missy Elliott, and Swizz Beatz.
Today, fans and friends alike are coming out in droves to pay tribute to the man who helped shape the sound of modern day Hip Hop, with the late rapper’s longtime friend and collaborator Swizz Beatz leading the charge.
“Long live my Dog 4 Life @dmx THE GREAT,” he wrote on Instagram alongside a series of photographs of his friend. “we feel you everyday King.
Another tribute to DMX (real name Earl Simmons) came from his Ruff Ryders collective, who posted a photo of X’s grave to their Instagram Stories.
The collective also followed it up with an Instagram post that seemed to depict the start of the Ryde Out event.
The collective first announced the Ryde Out event last month. “Save the date! On April 9th please join the Ruff Ryders Family as we celebrate and remember our brother DMX and all our fallen Soldiers with our NYC Ryde Out!” the late rapper’s label and crew wrote on Instagram.
The post added: “Please bring all your family and friends for a day full of food, fun, games, and music. More details information to come.”
Fans, too, lined up to pay their virtual respects. “Two years ago today we lost one of the greatest hiphop artistes of all time, The Great DMX, Rest In Power King,” wrote one fan on Twitter.
Another wrote: “Today is the 2nd Anniversary of the passing of DMX…Let’s Celebrate his Life and and Legacy today!! You were one of the Realist ‘X’ Inside and Out and we will NEVER forget you or your Music!! R.I.P.”
“Rest In Peace DMX,” wrote Fake Shore Drive‘s Andrew Barber on Twitter. “Here is one of his earliest known promotional posters from 1992. Long Live the Divine Master of the Unknown!!”
During the rapper’s memorial service at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center in 2021, Swizz Beatz said he wished people had shown DMX more support while he was alive.
“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,” he said.
“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.”
He continued: “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 … I don’t want y’all to show up to my shit when I’m gone, unless you was showing up while I was here.”
