The New York Daily News had a perfect moment to honor one of Hip-Hop’s kings, DMX, and they blew it.
On the cover of their Saturday edition, they opted to minimize the iconic multiplatinum artist and actor to a “brilliant but troubled musician.” Even though DMX was is a record-breaking, chart-topping, game-changing creative, they opted to highlight the negative, next to a man that married his third cousin, Queen Elizabeth II.
Early this week, as the Ruff Ryder Lieutenant struggled for his life, the New York Post took a jab at him. The conservative-leaning newspaper ran a vile story about DMX’s history of financial woes. Highlighting various foreclosures and his drug addiction, the so-called “journalist” created a piece that painted a narrative that was racist and profoundly insensitive.
The rap world like Chuck D, DJ Pooh, Method Man, URL, AllHipHop.com’s own, Illseed and more were up in arms and took to social media to address this awful and mean-spirited article written by Sarah Paynter, who recently deleted her social media account.
DJ Pooh posted on his Instagram with the following caption, “WHY? This is tasteless af while this man is fighting for his life right now!🖕🏽@nypost”
View this post on Instagram
The Method Man took to Twitter and said, “The post been a trash mag! Can’t even call itself a newspaper anymore!”
The post been a trash mag! Can’t even call itself a newspaper anymore!
— methodman (@methodman) April 8, 2021
The Ultimate Rap League chimed in questioning their sense of decency, “At a time like this? Trash…”
At a time like this? Trash…
— Ultimate Rap League (@urltv) April 7, 2021
Chuck D tweeted, “Shame on You All.”
Shame on you all ….
— Chuck D (@MrChuckD) April 7, 2021
The Kung Fu Dracula put it in its rightful context when he replied to the Public Enemy frontman, “This was particularly mean spirited. But people are going to be talking about DMX for a long time, while this is probably the most press #SarahPaynter is ever going to get.”
https://twitter.com/KungFuDracula/status/1381023438538739714?s=20
But after the community clapped back, in response to the New York Daily News calling him “the rapper” on the cover, next to a so-called royal.
On its Saturday, April 10th cover, the lead splashed across the front says, “Sorrow From Britain to Yonkers.” It later said, “Beloved royal is gone at age 99, The Prince & The Rapper, Brilliant but troubled musician dies at 50.”
The internet did what it does and fixed the headline to properly represent what DMX meant to scores of fans.
This is how the front page should have looked. pic.twitter.com/cEHiDvZCvA
— Rage Against Ordinary (@rageagainstLLC) April 10, 2021