After the passing of the rap icon DMX earlier this month, his home state of New York has announced a day in his memory. His birthday of December 18 will now officially be known as Earl “DMX” Simmons day across the whole state.
The commemorative day was announced at his memorial service this weekend by Erica Ford, the co-founder of Life Camp, an organisation preventing gun violence, alongside community activist Priscilla Echi.
On the Sunday memorial Echi said in tribute: “His lyrics were rapped on the senate floor by senator Jamal Bailey who introduced a resolution in his honour.”
Senator Bailey continued to praise the performer by saying: “In New York, we have our own hip-hop royalty. He’s the Earl of Westchester County. He is DMX, he is one of the greatest hip hop artists we will ever know.”
Saturday saw the first day of the memorial streamed on YouTube to the public with performances from the likes of Kanye West and his Sunday Service Choir, Nas and Swizz Beatz.
DMX died at the age of 50 following a heart attack on April 2.
His family confirmed the news via a statement released by their press representative: "We are deeply saddened to announce today that our loved one, DMX, birth name of Earl Simmons, passed away at 50-years-old at White Plains Hospital with his family by his side after being placed on life support for the past few days."
