New York State officially declares Earl ‘DMX’ Simmons Day

The honour was announced at the late rapper's memorial service over the weekend

The state of New York has officially announced that December 18 – the birthday of DMX – will now be known as ‘Earl “DMX” Simmons Day’.

The tribute to the late rapper was announced at his memorial service over the weekend by Erica Ford, the co-founder of Life Camp, an organisation dedicated to the prevention of gun violence.

She was joined by community activist Priscilla Echi, who confirmed that Senate Resolution 631 was introduced to the New York Senate floor last week.
“Our New York State Senate has called December 18 Earl “DMX” Simmons Day,” Echi announced.
“His lyrics were rapped on the Senate floor by Senator Jamal Bailey who introduced a resolution in his honor. He also has proclamations from Mayor Spano and Mayor Shawyn Patterson Howard.”

Ford added: “From the governors office, we have the flag that was flying the day that he died to be presented to his family.

“We have a citation from the governor’s office for his oldest son and one for his father.”

Last week, Senator Bailey also delivered his own eulogy to DMX as he introduced the resolution.

“In New York we have our own hip hop royalty,” Bailey said. “He’s the Earl of Westchester County.

“He is DMX, he is one of the greatest hip hop artists that we will ever know. Phenomenal actor, phenomenal for the culture. Someone who gave us so much in the hip hop generation.

DMX
DMX. Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

“As a kid whose been raised by hip hop, I am grateful not just for the accomplishments that DMX has given, but I’m more happy about the impact that Earl Simmons left on the world. May he rest in peace and may his memory be a blessing.”

As well as his private funeral, last Saturday saw Kanye West appearing among the artists who performed at DMX’s memorial service, “DMX: A Celebration of Life”, in Brooklyn.

West opened the event with his Sunday Service Choir, singing Soul II Soul’s ‘Keep On Movin’, the Clark Sisters’ ‘You Brought The Sunshine’, the hymn ‘Jesus Loves Me’ and their original song ‘Excellent’.

Other performers at the service included NasEve and Swizz Beatz. DMX’s 12-year-old daughter Sonovah also rapped a version of her father’s song ‘Slippin’, from his 1998 album ‘Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood’.

In an emotional tribute, DMX’s eldest son Xavier Simmons said “our father is a king, our father is an icon”.

 

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