Yonkers mayor mulls plans to honor DMX in hometown
Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano is considering holding a memorial for the late rapper at the largest outdoor venue in the New York suburb
The death of DMX has been hard for his fans all over the country, but perhaps his loss is felt the most in Yonkers, New York.
Now, the mayor of Yonkers reportedly wants to honor the memory of the late rapper in the city he called home.
Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano has expressed interest in holding the memorial for DMX at Yonkers Raceway, the largest outdoor venue in the city, TMZ reports. With an on-site casino, the raceway can seat up to 7,500 people. However, should the memorial take place there, coronavirus protocol would cap capacity at 20%.
It was also reported that Spano may be considering a long-term honor of the multi-platinum selling artist, by either erecting a street sign or statue for him.
READ MORE: Rapper DMX is dead at 50, family confirms
Currently, no plans for the MC’s memorial have been disclosed by his family, but private and public events are likely in the works.
Spano honored DMX on Friday after his death was announced.
He tweeted, “Today our city mourns the loss of a musical icon, someone who wore their heart on their sleeve and at every opportunity gave back to Yonkers — the city he loved.”
His post continued, “Earl Simmons, or as we know him, DMX, was a man of exceptional talent. His spirit will live on in the power of his music and leave a lasting impact on his tremendous following.”
Included in that post was a video of Spano speaking publicly about the loss of DMX, recalling a charity event they appeared at together.
“It wasn’t that long ago when we were together and he was providing food to the homeless, for the people of our city,” he said.
Spano continued by acknowledging Simmons’ spirit of uplifting others, despite his own obstacles and flaws.
“He had many challenges, we all know that. But he’s a person that, not only did he have challenges, God gave him some wonderful gifts. He was just a talented entertainer who was able to inspire love in the hearts of so many of us,” the mayor said.
DMX died on Friday at White Plains Hospital following a heart attack the previous week that left him in a vegetative state. It was reported that the heart attack was initiated by a drug overdose. He was 50 years old.
In the week leading up to his death, People reported that the rapper’s fans gathered for numerous prayer vigils outside the hospital, hoping he would survive.
READ MORE: Swizz Beatz posts emotional video about DMX: ‘My brother was one of one’
Several celebrities have paid tribute to DMX, including his long time collaborator and friend, Swizz Beatz. The producer behind many of DMX’s biggest hits, like “Ruff Ryders Anthem,” “Party Up (Up In Here)” and “Get It On The Floor,” Swizz echoed Spano’s sentiments about the rapper’s charitable spirit in an emotional tribute video on Instagram.
“He would give his clothes away, he would sit down with homeless people and eat with them with $30 million in the bank,” the producer said of his late friend. “This man did more charity than probably every artist I know. The only difference is with his charity, he never talked about it; he just did it, on a daily basis.”
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