Earl “DMX” Simmons’ longtime supervisor and uncle, Ray Copeland, identified within the music business as Uncle Ray, says he found out methods to cowl the late rapper’s funeral prices after document labels and music associates refused to contribute.

In an unique interview with AllHipHop, Copeland stated he pulled collectively a consortium of those that put up $150,000 to prepare DMX’s 2021 funeral. Copeland stated he initially obtained little to no monetary help from Ruff Ryders, Def Jam Records or different business figures who have been intently affiliated with the artist.

“When it was time to bury X, I was on the phone with everybody, Ruff Ryders, Swizz Beatz, Steve Rifkind, Def Jam,” Copeland stated. “I told them what it was going to cost. Everybody said, ‘I ain’t got it.’ So I hung up the phone and said, ‘Forget it. I’ll put this together myself.’”

Copeland stated all the funeral, together with the high-profile memorial at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, was organized by means of his personal efforts, with assist from enterprise affiliate Germaine Miller and legal professional Ron Sweeney.

“If it were not for Germaine Miller, I would have never buried my nephew financially. She put all the money up for the funeral – all $150,000,” Copeland stated in a textual content message outdoors of an in-studio interview.

At WonWorld Studios, he defined that he did get assist later, nevertheless it didn’t cowl all the pieces. “Def Jam [later] gave me $35,000, that’s it. They later told the media they paid for the funeral. That’s not true. Kanye West took care of everything at the Barclays Center,” he stated.

DMX died on April 9, 2021, on the age of fifty, following a coronary heart assault. His demise sparked an outpouring of tributes from followers and friends, however Copeland says that when the time got here to deal with his burial, few stepped ahead to assist financially.

“This man made us all millionaires,” Copeland stated. “And I had to fight to put this together with my family.”

He confirmed that the rapper didn’t have a life insurance coverage coverage. “Thank God for people that loved him and good relationships,” he stated.

Copeland additionally disputed a number of particulars in regards to the public notion of DMX’s funeral, together with viral pictures exhibiting a pink monster truck carrying a casket by means of Brooklyn.

“X was not on top of that truck,” he stated. “I wouldn’t allow it because it wasn’t safe. His body was in the hearse behind me going to the Barclays Center. He didn’t leave the funeral home until the day of the service.”

He stated he even thought of holding a non-public funeral in Bronxville, New York, earlier than deciding to proceed with a public memorial after talking with members of the family.

“I almost did it right there in Bronxville,” Copeland stated. “I had all the family together. But they told me, ‘Ray, you can’t do that. The public needs to say goodbye.’ So I finished it out.”

DMX, a Yonkers native, rose to fame within the late Nineties with Ruff Ryders Entertainment and Def Jam Recordings, releasing a string of multi-platinum albums together with It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot and Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood. Known for his uncooked power, gravelly voice, and non secular depth, he turned one of many defining artists of Hip-Hop’s golden period.

Despite his business success, Copeland stated DMX usually felt disconnected from the business and cautious of these round him.

“He always said, ‘I ain’t got no friends in the industry,’” Copeland recalled. “And he was right. When he passed, it showed.”

The funeral at Barclays Center drew hundreds of followers and featured tributes from his household and musical friends. However, Copeland’s remarks forged new mild on what was occurring behind the scenes, elevating questions on accountability and loyalty inside the music enterprise.

“Everybody put out statements, hashtags, and tributes,” Copeland stated. “But when it came time to actually do something…silence.”

Attempts to achieve reps for Def Jam and Ruff Ryders Entertainment have been unsuccessful.

This was Uncle Ray’s first interview. The full dialog with Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur and DJ Thoro might be launched quickly.

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