The late DMX is becoming a minister?

A ceremony to posthumously ordain late rapper Earl “DMX” Simmons as a minister will be held Saturday, Jan. 10, at Foster Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church in Tarrytown, New York, organizers say. The event is being put together by the Gospel Cultural Center and will honor DMX’s faith and community ties. 

Foster Memorial was founded in 1860. This 164-year-old institution is historically linked to the Underground Railroad and one of the oldest African Methodist Episcopal Zion churches in Westchester County. 

DMX, who died in April 2021, was known for a high-profile career as a recording artist and for his public testimony about faith. He prayed publicly and on his albums. In recent years, his spiritual life and gospel recordings were cited by fans and faith communities alongside his rap catalog. The ordination will be a recognition of the late artist’s Christian witness and ties to local ministries. 

Organizers and the Gospel Cultural Center told press outlets the service is meant to celebrate DMX’s ministry as well as his cultural impact. For local communities and DMX’s fans, the event will be both a public memorial and a religious honor — transforming a personal faith testimony into a communal observance at an institution with historic significance.