Hip-hop legend DMX stopped traffic one last time Saturday — in a casket aboard a monster truck that was part of his high octane funeral procession that growled from Yonkers to Brooklyn’s Barclay’s Center, where thousands showed up for the rapper’s 4 p.m. memorial service.
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The procession began at around noon in Yonkers — where the rapper, whose real name is Earl Simmons, grew up. It was led by hundreds of motorcycles, and the rapper’s shiny red coffin was borne on the flatbed of a souped-up monster truck, with “Long Live DMX” emblazoned on the sides of the vehicle.
“Hundreds of bikes, ATVs, cars going down Flatbush in the DMX procession toward Barclays,” one eyewitness tweeted.
The rapper’s casket arrived at Barclay’s just after 2 p.m.
DMX’s casket has arrived at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on a massive monster truck for his memorial service pic.twitter.com/Q2L7B2L04D
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) April 24, 2021
The brash procession — which caused street closings, lane restrictions and heavy congestion — was a nod to the motorcycle-loving Ruff Ryders, a rap group with whom DMX rose to stardom, and even had its own name: “Ruff Ryders 2 The Rescue: Ryde 4 Life.”
Some 200 NYPD cops and traffic enforcement officers have been assigned to the event and helicopters are expect to whir overhead, police sources told The Post.
“Cops will be stationed along the route and there will be a heavy police presence,” a law enforcement source said.
“Temporary closures south on the Major Deegan to the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge to the westbound Grand Central Parkway,” the NYPD tweeted.
Per New York State COVID-19 guidelines, Barclays is permitted to host 10 percent of its capacity. The arena seats up to 19,000 seats for concerts, and has 101 luxury suites, according to its website.
Organizers said in a statement they will follow New York COVID-19 testing guidelines and protocols. The ceremony will be livestreamed on DMX’s YouTube channel.
Neither the NYPD nor the city immediately responded to questions regarding the cost of the extra police presence and who is footing the bill.
“We aren’t at liberty to discuss the financial arrangements of our events,” a Barclays spokeswoman told The Post on Saturday.
because of connection with the departed i hear dmx saying look at these motherfuckers. he’s standing by with his arms folded. your sister in arms the lord needed more entertainment in heaven where my dogs at.
earl is not gone only his physical essence his spirit lives on inside us who respected him and hi lyrics, like said once it’s not the beat ,but listen to the words. he’s foever in our hearts and mind.