New York State announces official Earl ‘DMX’ Simmons Day

DMX’s birthday, December 18th has officially now been declared Earl “DMX” Simmons Day by the state of New York.

As reported by NME, the announcement was made over the weekend at the late rapper’s memorial service, by the co-founder of Life Camp, an organisation dedicated to gun violence prevention, Erica Ford, as well as community activist Priscilla Echi. Senator Jamaal T. Bailey was also present to declare the implementation of Senate Resolution 631.

Echi said, “Our New York State Senate has called December 18 Earl “DMX” Simmons Day. His lyrics were rapped on the Senate floor by Senator Jamal Bailey who introduced a resolution in his honour. He also has proclamations from Mayor Spano and Mayor Shawyn Patterson Howard.”

Ford also said, “From the governors office, we have the flag that was flying the day that he died to be presented to his family.” She continued, “We have a citation from the governor’s office for his oldest son and one for his father.”

Senator Bailey also delivered a eulogy in honour of Simmons. He began, “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 that we will ever know. Phenomenal actor, phenomenal for the culture. Someone who gave us so much in the hip hop generation.”

“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 part of the service, Swizz Beats also took to the stage to speak some very heartfelt words for Simmons. 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. 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.”