DMX’s Uncle Ray Breaks His Silence Behind X’s Funeral
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DMX’s Uncle Ray Opens Up About the Truth Behind X’s Funeral: “Everybody Showed Love… But When It Came Time To Help, Silence.”
When Earl “DMX” Simmons passed away in 2021, the world mourned deeply. From the streets of Yonkers to fans around the globe, people celebrated a man who turned pain into poetry and prayer into power. Yet behind the tributes, hashtags, and public displays of love, there was a side to the story that few ever heard.
That story belongs to Ray Copeland, better known as Uncle Ray, DMX’s uncle and longtime manager. In an exclusive interview with AllHipHop, Uncle Ray revealed that he was forced to personally organize and finance much of DMX’s funeral after the music industry failed to step up.
“When it was time to bury X, I was on the phone with everybody—Ruff Ryders, Swizz Beatz, Steve Rifkind, Def Jam,” he said. “I told them what it was going to cost. Everybody said, ‘I ain’t got it.’ So I hung up the phone and said, ‘Forget it. I’ll put this together myself.’”
According to Uncle Ray, the funeral, including the public memorial at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, cost approximately $150,000. He credited business associate Germaine Miller with making the service possible.
“If it wasn’t for Germaine Miller, X might not have had the funeral he deserved. She put up all the money—$150,000,” he explained.
Uncle Ray also disputed reports that Def Jam covered the funeral expenses. “Def Jam later gave me $35,000, that’s it,” he said. “They told the media they paid for the funeral, but that’s not true. Kanye West handled everything at Barclays.”
He also cleared up a popular misconception about the red monster truck that famously led DMX’s procession through Brooklyn. “X wasn’t on top of that truck,” Ray said.
“I wouldn’t allow it because it wasn’t safe. His body was in the hearse behind me going to the Barclays Center. He didn’t leave the funeral home until the day of the service.”
For Uncle Ray, the hardest part of the process wasn’t raising the money—it was realizing how many people stayed silent. “This man made us all millionaires,” he said. “And I had to fight to put this together with my family.”
DMX did not have a life insurance policy, leaving the family to rely on faith, love, and loyal friends who showed up when it mattered. “Thank God for people that loved him and good relationships,” Uncle Ray said.
Even at the height of his fame, DMX remained cautious about the industry. “He always said, ‘I ain’t got no friends in the industry,’” Ray recalled. “And he was right. When he passed, it showed.”
The 2021 funeral at Barclays Center drew thousands of fans and tributes from fellow artists. It was a grand celebration of a man who poured his soul into his music and touched hearts across generations. Still, Uncle Ray’s reflections expose a painful truth about how fleeting loyalty can be once the spotlight fades.
“Everybody put out statements, hashtags, and tributes,” he said. “But when it came time to actually do something… silence.”
DMX will always be remembered as more than a rapper. He was a preacher, a poet, and a prophet whose words carried the weight of struggle, faith, and redemption.
Thanks to Uncle Ray and those who truly loved him, DMX received the farewell he earned through a lifetime of giving himself to the people.
