Uncle Ray Copeland by no means deliberate to be an influence participant in Hip-Hop. Before managing rap royalty like DMX and The Lox, he was a instructor, steering counselor, and mentor shaping younger lives in lecture rooms as a substitute of recording studios. But destiny had different plans, pulling him from lesson plans into late-night periods, contracts, and the chaotic brilliance of Hip-Hop’s late ’90s growth.

In an emotional and unfiltered interview, Copeland—recognized affectionately as “Uncle Ray”—revisits his rise from educator to government, recalling how he turned one of many driving forces behind DMX’s early profession and the formation of Bloodline Records. His tone is measured however weighted with reminiscences that also sting and encourage. “I was there through the highs and lows,” he stated, reflecting on the uncooked depth that surrounded the late rapper. “We went through battles…industry battles, personal battles, but we always kept faith that X was chosen for something greater.”

That religion was examined typically. Copeland described moments of triumph that turned to tragedy and success shadowed by the music trade’s unforgiving nature. He remembered how Ruff Ryders and Bloodline Records, two forces meant to amplify DMX’s imaginative and prescient, generally clashed over artistic management and loyalty. “It wasn’t always pretty,” he admitted.

But Uncle Ray isn’t bitter, he’s reflective. Decades later, he stays a quiet guardian of DMX’s legacy. Uncle Ray Copeland wasn’t simply behind the scenes, he was a part of the rationale why Earl Simmons made it by means of the treacherous shark-infested music trade. Soon, he’ll inform his full story. For now, learn a closely condensed, edited model of our speak with Uncle Ray. Watch the video for the total dialog between Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur, DJ Thoro and Uncle Ray Copeland.

AllHipHop: For individuals who don’t know the title behind the scenes, who’s Uncle Ray Copeland?

Uncle Ray: I’m DMX’s uncle and former supervisor, and I’ve labored with the LOX, Eve, Drag-On, Parlé, Yuckmouth, a bunch of Bloodline artists. Plus producers like Dame Grease and PK. Before the music enterprise, I used to be a instructor and steering counselor. I even taught inside Westchester County’s youth jail program. Styles P was really my scholar earlier than I turned his supervisor.

AllHipHop: You stated Styles was a superb scholar.

Uncle Ray: Brilliant. He was near graduating when he got here into this system. I pulled his data, pushed him to complete, and he wound up getting his highschool diploma and GED the identical 12 months. He rattling close to aced his SATs in our prep class. I used to run a Black library in that college; I handed him Manchild within the Promised Land and he ran with it, received heavy into studying. We discovered from one another.

AllHipHop: Let’s return to DMX’s earliest years. There’s been a lot written.

, Uncle Ray: He informed tales with drama. Some of that, he embellished. Years earlier than he handed, he and his mom had a fantastic relationshipbetter than the narratives on the market. His sisters would say, “How did we grow up in the same house and have different stories?” Yes, he went to group houses. Yes, he caught beatings like several child. But the extra excessive elements? He made the story larger. That was a part of his present—he might make you are feeling it.

AllHipHop: Early on, you seen one thing distinctive about his thoughts.

Uncle Ray: On the set of Belly, he learn the script as soon as and didn’t want sides. He had a type of photographic reminiscence. He was feeding traces to folks…Terrell Hicks, even Nas. People fell in love with him proper there. When he locked in, he aced it.

AllHipHop: You weren’t “industry” within the conventional sense. Did that assist?

Uncle Ray: It did. I informed executives straight up: if the music stopped tomorrow, I had levels and work to return to. I wasn’t chasing rooms to be seen. That grounded me with Earl. In the start, he listened to all the things. When success exploded-second and third albums, Belly, Exit Wounds—the pinnacle swells begin. That’s pure. But counseling and psychology helped me talk and hold him transferring.

AllHipHop: You’ve stated the trade made him late.

Uncle Ray: He was early at first. Our first massive video—LL’s “4,3,2,1”—we had been there at 6 a.m. Years later, he’d present up and other people would nonetheless kiss his ass. He noticed that and by no means wished to be the one sweating to please individuals who didn’t hold the identical vitality. He may very well be late and nonetheless be nice; that’s how they handled him. That formed habits.

AllHipHop: You helped negotiate the film bag. Walk us by means of the Joel Silver chapter.

Uncle Ray: Barry Hankerson put us on the telephone with Joel for Romeo Must Die. We had been on tour. He began at $250,000. I stated, it’s not the cash—we have now to align the schedule. He referred to as again at $500,000. Then he referred to as once more: “$1 million. I’ll call you back.” With perks and bills, it landed nearer to $2 million. Next, Exit Wounds: Joel stated, “I’m not playing with you—$5 million plus perks.” The film recouped and did numbers with house video. Then Cradle 2 the Grave went even greater with higher back-end. I additionally made positive I had back-end as a supervisor. Those offers taught me so much.

AllHipHop: You turned down a five-picture deal later.

Uncle Ray: Correct. They’d have had first proper of refusal on all the things. With Earl’s volatility again then, they may’ve boxed him in. Remaining a free agent was the very best factor for him. Joel later informed me I did proper by X.

AllHipHop: People nonetheless discuss DMX at Woodstock, sea of individuals and X in crimson overalls and Timbs.

Uncle Ray: Wild vitality. They had been throwing mud. He requested, “What does that mean?” I informed him, “They love you.” And yeahTimbs on a regular basis. Timberland despatched him containers and containers, however the full endorsement by no means materialized after an early authorized state of affairs derailed some model talks.

AllHipHop: Let’s speak Bloodline Records. You’ve stated it was born out of a promise.

Uncle Ray: Earl was promised a proportion of Ruff Ryders. When he felt that wasn’t coming, he stated, “I’ll start my own.” Lyor flew to Canada whereas we had been filming Exit Wounds, provided an additional deal, the attorneys ran numbers, and Bloodline was born. Tension with Ruff Ryders grew as a result of some thought X would signal himself to Bloodline. He didn’t need to go away Ruff Ryders. He wished what he was promised and to personal one thing of his personal.

AllHipHop: Were you ever in peril throughout that interval?

Uncle Ray: Yes. First time I received shot was an accident—Earl was paranoid, pulled a gun in a lodge foyer, I smacked it down, and the shot hit my foot. Later, within the Bloodline/RR stress, I used to be shot within the arm and heel outdoors a gathering. I jumped a seven-foot fence on adrenaline and hid till police cleared the scene. Family round me tried to maintain me from strolling into that state of affairs. Lesson discovered.

AllHipHop: The remaining days are onerous to revisit, however you’ve shared particulars the general public by no means had.

Uncle Ray: April third—once I reached the hospital, I knew in my spirit he was gone. A health care provider cousin of mine informed me to ask concerning the distinction check to see if there was any mind exercise above the neck. There wasn’t. White Plains PD hasn’t formally closed that case, final I knew. There was a delay in calling for assist; each minute counts. I imagine ignorance and panic performed a job. It nonetheless hurts.

AllHipHop: You’ve additionally stated you paid for the funeral when others wouldn’t.

Uncle Ray: My companions Jermaine Miller and legal professional Ron Sweeney and I put up roughly $150,000 to get that funeral completed proper—the Barclays manufacturing, the logistics. Def Jam contributed $35,000. Kanye dealt with the Barclays present manufacturing. There was lots of public flexing from establishments about “taking care of it.” We took care of it. Because that’s household.

AllHipHop: There’s an enormous query round unreleased music. What’s actually there?

Uncle Ray: Loads. Arizona years with Dame Grease, newer work with Swizz, tapes and notebooks I personally have, a complete gospel album recorded throughout the Def Jam Undisputed period, and even a rock-arranged venture of his early hits that Rich Keller mocked up from the primary two albums—by no means launched. The vault is deep. But something new wants a function and a plan, or it’ll meet the identical destiny because the final posthumous album, which wasn’t sequenced how Earl wished.

AllHipHop: Does Def Jam nonetheless management that gospel album?

Uncle Ray: Most doubtless, sure, due to when it was recorded. Other music is scattered between producers and the property.

AllHipHop: You’ve been adamant about publishing. That’s not a small level.

Uncle Ray: From early on, I broke down publishing to Earl like this: the label prints the guide, however the phrases are yours. Why quit 50% ceaselessly? We structured his deal in order that with success benchmarks—platinum tiers—elements of his publishing reverted again to him. He wound up proudly owning 50% of his publishing. Universal as soon as provided $107 million to purchase it. We stated no. We did admin offers as a substitute. That issues for his youngsters and his property.

AllHipHop: The property is wholesome?

Uncle Ray: The catalog prints. Syncs, movies, international streams—DMX’s music works all over the place. Producers can exploit their share whereas the property indicators off on its facet. Money’s there. But life insurance coverage? No. That’s why relationships and actual pals mattered a lot throughout preparations.

AllHipHop: How had been Jay-Z and X, actually?

Uncle Ray: Great at first. When Jay turned Def Jam president, friction got here—Earl didn’t need to take orders from an artist he seen as a peer or rival. Jay informed me within the constructing: if X desires to go away, he can go away, debt-free. That was large. But there was a clause—if he returned to the Universal system, that debt might re-attach. Later, he did come again. That clause mattered.

AllHipHop: X vs. Drake – he actually appeared to dislike Drake.

Uncle Ray: Early on, Earl didn’t really feel Drake was a “dog.” Add within the Aaliyah a cappella state of affairs with out the best calls being made—X beloved Aaliyah—that was additional. But later they made peace.

AllHipHop: Faith was central to his artwork. The prayers are a part of his legend. Where did that come from?

Uncle Ray: My sister raised Earl with Jehovah’s Witness self-discipline, and his grandmother had a deep relationship with God. He knew the Bible entrance to again, learn the dictionary, too. The prayers weren’t a gimmick. He all the time stated, “God gave me this; I have to give it back.” The darker songs—“Damien,” the Marilyn Manson joint—had been him wrestling his demons in public.

AllHipHop: You talked about X’s youngsters and privateness.

Uncle Ray: Earl wished his kids to be Earl’s youngsters, not “DMX’s kids” on show. He broke cycles—suburbs, good faculties, sensible pals. They’re tech-minded, artistic, considering past considering. That’s a win.

AllHipHop: With AI and new tech, might there be a tasteful future “DMX experience”?

Uncle Ray: Possibly—if it’s completed with the best folks, actual funds, and the property’s full buy-in. Don’t simply dump tracks. Honor the sequencing, the narrative, the prayer. Make it purposeful.

AllHipHop: What do folks misunderstand most about you—and about X?

Uncle Ray: People thought I used to be made up as a result of I didn’t chase cameras. But each multi-platinum album in that early run, the films, main TV—these offers had been below me. As for Earl—he was a genius with a photographic thoughts and a large coronary heart. The trade distorted some habits, and the storytelling added layers to his origin. But the religion, the battle, the love—all actual.

AllHipHop: Last factor: If you could possibly freeze one fact within the file for historians, what’s it?

Uncle Ray: That we did this as household first. When he died, the telephone calls I made to “the industry” didn’t deliver the assistance they bragged about in public. Family made it occur. And on the music facet, shield the publishing and function. That’s the way you maintain his legacy and his youngsters.

AllHipHop: What’s subsequent for you?

Uncle Ray: This is my first actual interview. A guide is coming—I saved journals my complete life. And I’m circling again to the movie world. When I’m prepared, you’ll get the unique.

AllHipHop: We respect it. Thank you for doing this with us.

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