The mayor of DMX’s hometown of Yonkers, New York, plans to honor its hometown legend with a yet-to-be-determined memorial.
Mayor Mike Spano wants to do something significant to pay homage to Dark Man X, who was born Earl Simmons, in this city that is about 10 miles north of The Bronx borough of New York. Spano offered the Yonkers Raceway as a venue for a public memorial to the multiplatinum icon who died on April 9, 2021, after suffering a heart attack. He was on life support for a week, but never regained consciousness nor brain function before being removed from life support.
Soon after DMX’s death was announced, Spano posted these messages on Twitter in honor of the fallen lyrical lion.
Today our city mourns the loss of a musical icon and someone who always gave back to Yonkers — the city he loved.
Earl Simmons, aka @DMX, was a man of exceptional talent. His spirit will live on in the power of his music and leave a lasting impact on his tremendous following. pic.twitter.com/WziTRWpTdz
— Mayor Mike Spano (@MayorMikeSpano) April 9, 2021
TMZ reports the mayor has offered the expansive 7,500-seat horse racing track as a venue where the public memorial can be held, though only 20 percent of the seats can be filled due to pandemic protocols. Page Six, however, reports that no one from the family has been in contact with Spano’s office as of Sat., April 10.
The mayor is considering a number of ways to create a lasting memorial to DMX, which could come in the form of a street naming, a mural or even a statue, much like the one erected for another Yonkers hometown legend, singer Ella Fitzgerald.
