New York Has Made December 18 Earl “DMX” Simmons Day

This April continues to deliver significant losses to music fans, especially in the Hip-Hop community. The month has included the passings of DMX, Black Rob, and now, Shock G. On this week’s episode of What’s The Headline (embedded below as video and audio), the Ambrosia For Heads team remembers the Digital Underground mastermind. We also recap DMX’s incredible “Celebration of Life” memorial in Brooklyn—complete with monster truck hearses, Kanye West stage design, and powerful words from Swizz Beatz, Nas, and Styles P, to name a few.

While loved ones and fans say goodbye to Earl Simmons, there is a piece of good news. Revolt reports that the New York Senate has declared December 18 Earl “DMX Simmons” Day. The remembrance is honoring DMX’s birthday. Senate Resolution 631 followed the delivery of DMX’s lyrics on the State Senate floor by Senator Jamal Bailey. Tokens from the development, including a flag and documents, will be given to X’s family.“In New York, we have our own Hip-Hop royalty,” Bailey said in a recent eulogy. “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 who’s 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.”

DMX’s New Album Is Coming This Summer & It’s Filled With Superstars

Here Is A Rundown of the Discussion:

0:00 Intro
0:40 Shock G brought the Funk to Hip-Hop
4:45 Digital Underground crossed over with “The Humpty Dance,” without selling out
6:30 How Digital Underground was connected with N.W.A. and Tupac
8:16 Shock G brought showmanship back to Hip-Hop
11:18 The loss of Tupac and a lack of creative control tormented Shock G
18:28 Tupac got his start with Digital Underground
19:30 Shock G was also an incredible music producer
22:00 Digital Underground’s catalog was much deeper than Sex Packets and “The Humpty Dance”
34:55 DMX’s Celebration of Life memorial service sent him off in grand style
39:16 Kanye West reminded all of his musical genius with his Sunday Service choir at DMX’s memorial service
45:13 Swizz Beatz had sharp words for people claiming to be X’s friends who did not support him when he was living
46:10 Why don’t artists’ paid representatives help them put wills in place?
50:00 Joey Bada$$’ Oscar-nominated short film, Two Distant Strangers, shows he might be even better at acting than rapping
55:22 Who are the best double threat rapper/actors?
1:03:55 Dave Chappelle, Talib Kweli and Yasiin Bey (Mos Def) are doing a podcast together
1:07:45 Open Mike Eagle’s What Had Happened Was is one of the best podcasts out right now
1:12:03 Snoop Dogg recreates and brings to life several classic Rap album covers in his “Look Around” music video
1:14:11 Logic is making a new album with Madlib, MadGic
1:18:30 A new documentary is being produced about The D.O.C.

Ambrosia For Heads readers can catch regular discussions about the culture on our What’s The Headline podcast. Additionally, What’s The Headline has recent interviews with Pharoahe Monch, Prince Paul & Don Newkirk, Statik Selektah, Lyric Jones, The LOX, MC Eiht, Mobb Deep’s Havoc, Duckwrth, photographer T. Eric Monroe, and Lord Finesse. All episodes of the show are available wherever you stream your pods.

Swizz Beatz Premieres A Song Featuring DMX, JAY-Z, Nas & Jadakiss (Video)

#BonusBeat: Ambrosia For Heads’ official playlist, featuring a collaboration between The LOX and DMX as well as new music from Khrysis, Markis Precise, Mick Jenkins, Sa-Roc, Rapsody, Del The Funky Homosapien, Conway The Machine, De La Soul, Evidence, Vic Mensa, Alchemist & Armand Hammer, Pink Siifu & Fly Anakin, Phife Dawg, Redman, JAY-Z, Nipsey Hussle, The Away Team, Spillage Village, Dom Kennedy, Statik Selektah, Smino, Saba, AZ, Masego, J.I.D., Tobe Nwigwe, Royce 5’9, Black Thought, Busta Rhymes, Hit-Boy, Nana, Lyric Jones, Nas, Oddisee, Benny The Butcher, 2 Chainz, REASON, Jack Harlow, and others.