Atlanta musicians, friends remember legendary rapper DMX

ATLANTA — The music world is mourning the loss of rap legend DMX.

The rapper, whose real name is Earl Simmons, died after having a heart attack earlier this month. The multi-platinum selling artist was only 50 years old. He’d been on life support in a Yonkers, New York hospital until his death.

Channel 2′s Tyisha Fernandes was outside the Trap Museum, which honors musicians like DMX.

She talked to a few people who were fairly close to DMX at different points in his career.

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Bart Waters grew up with DMX in Yonkers, where for days, people have been playing his music outside the hospital and having a block party celebrating his life. DMX told stories through his music and they were about pain and struggle, which many people could relate to.

Waters said the reason people loved DMX so much was because he was real, and he never thought he was too good for anyone, no matter how much money he made.

“You could interview my whole city and they would all have personal stories with DMX,” Waters said. “But he’s a person that like. He’ll be riding around, he’ll see a group of people, he’ll hop out and next thing you know he’s been there with you for like 8 hours. So that’s your DMX moment.”

Fernandes, who had her own “DMX moment” when she met the star in Florida about 8 years ago, talked to DJ Scream about how the rapper paved the way for so many artists after him by being bold with his lyrics and beats.

“He just represents overcoming your struggle and overcoming your pain, and I think even in his absence, now that he transitioned on, he’s still gonna be able to motivate people to, regardless of what you’re going through – you can persevere through it,” DJ Scream said.

DMX was also an actor who starred in at least two blockbuster movies. He was still touring before he died.

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