DMX‘s untimely passing left a gaping hole in the Hip Hop community, but his memory and influence continue to live on three years since his departure.
Tuesday (April 9) marks the third anniversary of the “Party Up” rapper’s death. The day before, the Ruff Ryders made a pilgrimage to the late MC’s resting place in Yonkers’ Oakland Cemetery to honor his life.
“You already know what time it is,” a member of the crew said in a video of the visit while pointing his smartphone camera at all the motorbikes and buggies present at the gravesite. “Got the whole pack out here, ya heard? Rest in peace, DMX.”
Some of those who showed up reflected on the legendary spitter’s unique place in the music industry and how he remained authentic throughout his career.
“Let’s give it to X because he stayed true to himself and he never sold out,” one person said. “He kept it real till the casket dropped, y’know what I’m saying? You don’t get real cats like that, that represent from the beginning to the end.”
Watch the clip below.
The Ruff Ryders visiting DMX’s gravesite 🙏 #RIPDMX
via: @trapsntrunkspic.twitter.com/wy7WMqT7Ga
— HipHopDX (@HipHopDX) April 8, 2024
Last year, the Ruff Ryders hosted a “Ryde Out” event in honor of DMX on the second anniversary of his demise.
Back in April 2021, the “Slippin’” hitmaker passed away from a cocaine-induced heart attack. He was rushed to a hospital in White Plains, New York after suffering a reported drug overdose, after which he was briefly placed on life support.
X (real name Earl Simmons) died in hospital seven days later, with the cause of death revealed to be a cocaine-induced heart attack.
During the rapper’s memorial service at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center later that month, 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.”
