Before attending Chapman as a creative writing graduate student, Montez Jennings spent her younger years in Baltimore, Maryland, with her uncle “Stuff” and was convinced he was the legendary hip-hop artist DMX after seeing the “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem” music video for the first time. 

“With a bald head, the same voice and same persona, this man was a replica of DMX,” Jennings said. “The music video had dirt bikes and pitbulls, which are a big part of Baltimore, so I was like, ‘Yes, this video is in Baltimore and that’s my uncle.’” 

On April 9, fans across America reminisced on Earl Simmons’ — professionally known as DMX — legacy after hearing the news of his sudden death. Simmons was on life support, in a vegetative state, from a heart attack that occurred April 2. 

DMX’s musical heyday dates into the early 1990s, well before the generation of current Chapman students. Yet for a few fans on campus, he represented an alluring contrast between toughness and vulnerability. 

Like Jennings, Chapman alumnus Daniel Toscano also reminisced on a youthful connection to DMX’s music upon learning of the rapper’s death, recalling how powerful his energy could be. 

“I would often listen to him in the car with my dad, and ‘X Gon’ Give It To Ya’ was my favorite song,” Toscano said. “Not only did his music get me pumped, but he was a storyteller. One of my favorite quotes of his is, ‘I’m not an industry artist; I’m an artist in the industry.’ To me, this meant that he’s a part of the industry to make his music heard, but he’s not there to just make money like other artists. DMX was unapologetically himself.”  

Despite DMX’s struggles with drug addiction and his criminal history, Jennings said she hopes his legacy isn’t clouded by his tribulations. 

“We all know DMX was a drug addict, because he was very open with his emotions,” Jennings said. “He did portray the tough side to him, but he also showed that it’s OK to talk about your emotions, be vulnerable and talk about things that have happened to you. So I hope his death opens up conversations about Black people and men seeking therapy or accepting help for things they’ve experienced in their lives.” 

Hip-hop and rap has seen a gradual shift towards artists becoming more open with their mental health and substance abuse issues. And in this regard, Jennings believes DMX’s legacy is timeless. 

“In one of his records, he talks about how he was tricking and doing crack when he was a kid. That’s raw honesty and raw storytelling and a part of the impact he has made,” Jennings said. “When it comes to other artists, they’ve probably been influenced by DMX because of the way he was able to tell these raw stories.”