Rick Ross Mourns DMX, Says His Death "Should Motivate Us"

BYErika Marie3.0K Views
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Rick Ross, DMX, PEOPLE, Addiction, RIP
Rozay spoke about collaborating with the late rapper & recalled X's "funny side."

If there is someone who knows about health scares due to drug abuse, it's Rick Ross. In 2018, the Florida rapper was rushed to the hospital after he was reportedly found unresponsive in his home. In his memoir Hurricanes, Rozay detailed an experience where he had a seizure and defecated on himself. In 2019, Ross revealed that his abuse of codeine and "things I was drinking, the other drugs I was doing, and on top of not resting" caused him serious issues. Rozay has since changed his lifestyle and shed weight.

After recently being hit with the devastating, unexpected loss of DMX, Ross reflected on his time with the rapper and expressed empathy for X days after his formal send-off.

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“Me having family members that suffer with addiction, I understood the struggle that he was up against,” Ross told PEOPLE. “So it’s something that was really painful. Of course, I didn’t expect this. And it just hurt. So if anything else, it should motivate us. Let’s do what Dark Man X would have wanted us to do. Let’s turn up. Let’s go to the next level.”

In 2019, Ross worked with X and Swizz Beatz on "Just in Case," a single from the soundtrack to the Epix series Godfather of Harlem. Ross recalled being on set with DMX while filming the music video for the track. "I got to see the funny side of him, we got to laugh at a few jokes," Ross added. "I saw him really focused and turned up. And hearing about his addiction many years ago, being in the industry, it's something that's been in my heart the most."

Rest in Peace to Earl Simmons. Watch the music video for "Just in Case" below.

[via]


About The Author
Erika Marie is a seasoned journalist, editor, and ghostwriter who works predominantly in the fields of music, spirituality, mental health advocacy, and social activism. The Los Angeles editor, storyteller, and activist has been involved in the behind-the-scenes workings of the entertainment industry for nearly two decades. E.M. attempts to write stories that are compelling while remaining informative and respectful. She's an advocate of lyrical witticism & the power of the pen. Favorites: Motown, New Jack Swing, '90s R&B, Hip Hop, Indie Rock, & Punk; Funk, Soul, Harlem Renaissance Jazz greats, and artists who innovate, not simply replicate.
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