Community Corner

Candlelight Vigil For Rapper DMX Will Be Held In Mount Vernon

This Wednesday, DMX's hometown of Mount Vernon will hold a public candlelight vigil in memory of the rapper who passed away on Friday.

DMX Masters of Ceremony 2019 halftime show.
DMX Masters of Ceremony 2019 halftime show. (Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

MOUNT VERNON, NY — Mount Vernon Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard announced there will be a candlelight vigil in memory of rapper/actor Earl “DMX” Simmons who passed away at White Plains Hospital on Friday. The hospital had become the scene of near constant vigil from hundreds of fans and loved ones as the Grammy-winning musician and actor remained on life support after suffering a heart attack.

SEE ALSO: Family, Fans Hold Vigil For DMX Outside White Plains Hospital

The Mount Vernon native grew up in Yonkers and lived near the Bedford border in Mount Kisco up until a few years ago. The rapper kept close ties to Mount Vernon throughout his career.

Find out what's happening in Mount Vernonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The “Celebrate the Life, Legacy and Service of Earl ‘DMX’ Simmons” event will be held on April 14, at 7 p.m. at the 4th Street Park in Mount Vernon. Masks will be required at the free public event.

A flyer for the event prominently features a quote from DMX reading, “To live is to suffer, to survive… is to find meaning in the suffering.”

Find out what's happening in Mount Vernonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

SEE ALSO: DMX, Grammy-Nominated Rapper, Actor, Dead At 50

The mayor lauded Simmons not just as a celebrity, but also as a force for good. She added that fans were welcome to come show their love for his contributions as well as to offer support to the Simmons and Copeland families. She noted that while the rapper known as DMX had his own struggles in life, he never forgot his hometown.

Join us as we celebrate the Life, Legacy and Service of Earl "DMX" Simmons. Come show love for his contribution and the Simmoms and Copeland families. Wednesday at 7pm 4th Street Park
Posted by Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard on Sunday, April 11, 2021

“There are those of us who know DMX and there are many who love his music,” the mayor said in her most recent Sundays with Shawyn program. “And then there are others who also knew his passion for community and helping people, making sure that communities were fed, making sure that there were Christmas toys, making sure that the community was safe, and that people who were returning home from incarceration or who were having challenges on the street making the right decisions. He was oftentimes there doing work in the community to help the least of them.”


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