Event and special programming airs April 25th
Earl “DMX” Simmons was a prolific writer and lyricist. His music legacy is cemented, being the first rapper to accomplish having his first five albums debut at No. 1 and the only to have his first two albums debut at No. 1 in the same calendar year. To honor the life of the beloved hip hop icon, BET will televise and stream BET Remembers DMX, including live exclusive coverage of his homegoing celebration Sunday, April 25th at 2:30 pm ET/11:30 am PT on BET and its YouTube channel. In addition, to the homegoing celebration, BET will air special programming that day to remember Simmons including a selection of films and documentaries starring or featuring the late recording artist and actor.
“DMX is a musical icon whose impact was truly groundbreaking and transcended generations. The authenticity and transparency in his music were profound, creating a lane of his own that changed hip-hop forever. BET is proud to pay our respect to a legend and show our love and support to DMX’s family during this difficult time,” says Connie Orlando, Executive Vice President of Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy.
In-person attendance to the homegoing celebration is restricted to close friends and family due to health and safety guidelines.
The rapper passed away on April 9th at the age of 50 after collapsing at his home due to a drug overdose that triggered a heart attack.He was deprived of oxygen for 30 minutes before getting medical treatment and was on life support for nearly a week before his family made the tough decision to pull it following brain function tests that showed no signs of improvement.
He is survived by his 15 children, fiancee Desiree Lindstrom, ex-wife Tashera Simmons and mother Arnett Simmons.
Following the deaths of Tupac Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G., DMX took over as the undisputed reigning king of hardcore rap. He was that rare commodity: a commercial powerhouse with artistic and street credibility to spare. His rapid ascent to stardom was actually almost a decade in the making, which gave him a chance to develop the theatrical image that made him one of rap’s most distinctive personalities during his heyday. Everything about DMX was unremittingly intense, from his muscular, tattooed physique to his gruff, barking delivery, which made a perfect match for his trademark lyrical obsession with dogs. Plus, there was substance behind the style; much of his work was tied together by a fascination with the split between the sacred and the profane. He could move from spiritual anguish one minute to a narrative about the sins of the streets the next, yet keep it all part of the same complex character, sort of like a hip-hop Johnny Cash. The results were compelling enough to make DMX the first artist ever to have his first four albums enter the charts at No. 1.
