Earl “DMX” Simmons’ longtime manager and uncle, Ray Copeland, known in the music industry as Uncle Ray, says he figured out how to cover the late rapper’s funeral costs after record labels and music associates refused to contribute.
In an exclusive interview with AllHipHop, Copeland said he pulled together a consortium of people that put up $150,000 to organize DMX’s 2021 funeral. Copeland said he initially received little to no financial support from Ruff Ryders, Def Jam Records or other industry figures who were closely affiliated with the artist.
“When it was time to bury X, I was on the phone with everybody, Ruff Ryders, Swizz Beatz, Steve Rifkind, Def Jam,” Copeland 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.’”
Copeland said the entire funeral, including the high-profile memorial at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, was arranged through his own efforts, with help from business associate Germaine Miller and attorney Ron Sweeney.
“If it were not for Germaine Miller, I would have never buried my nephew financially. She put all the money up for the funeral – all $150,000,” Copeland said in a text message outside of an in-studio interview.
At WonWorld Studios, he explained that he did get help later, but it did not cover everything. “Def Jam [later] gave me $35,000, that’s it. They later told the media they paid for the funeral. That’s not true. Kanye West took care of everything at the Barclays Center,” he said.
DMX died on April 9, 2021, at the age of 50, following a heart attack. His death sparked an outpouring of tributes from fans and peers, but Copeland says that when the time came to handle his burial, few stepped forward to help financially.
“This man made us all millionaires,” Copeland said. “And I had to fight to put this together with my family.”
He confirmed that the rapper did not have a life insurance policy. “Thank God for people that loved him and good relationships,” he said.
Copeland also disputed several details about the public perception of DMX’s funeral, including viral images showing a red monster truck carrying a casket through Brooklyn.
“X was not on top of that truck,” he 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.”
He said he even considered holding a private funeral in Bronxville, New York, before deciding to proceed with a public memorial after speaking with family members.
“I almost did it right there in Bronxville,” Copeland said. “I had all the family together. But they told me, ‘Ray, you can’t do that. The public needs to say goodbye.’ So I finished it out.”
DMX, a Yonkers native, rose to fame in the late 1990s with Ruff Ryders Entertainment and Def Jam Recordings, releasing a string of multi-platinum albums including It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot and Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood. Known for his raw energy, gravelly voice, and spiritual depth, he became one of the defining artists of Hip-Hop’s golden era.
Despite his commercial success, Copeland said DMX often felt disconnected from the industry and wary of those around him.
“He always said, ‘I ain’t got no friends in the industry,’” Copeland recalled. “And he was right. When he passed, it showed.”
The funeral at Barclays Center drew thousands of fans and featured tributes from his family and musical peers. However, Copeland’s remarks cast new light on what was happening behind the scenes, raising questions about accountability and loyalty within the music business.
“Everybody put out statements, hashtags, and tributes,” Copeland said. “But when it came time to actually do something…silence.”
Attempts to reach reps for Def Jam and Ruff Ryders Entertainment were unsuccessful.
This was Uncle Ray’s first interview. The full conversation with Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur and DJ Thoro will be released soon.
