Following a fatal heart attack in early April, rapper DMX, whose real name is Earl Simmons, will be honored on the opening day of the Universal Hip Hop Museum in the Bronx, NY. The museum, scheduled to open in the Mott Haven neighborhood, will feature an archival collection to commemorate the late rapper.

DMX suffered a heart attack on April 2 at his home at around 11 p.m. He was rushed to White Plains Hospital and was reportedly without oxygen for 30 minutes. The “Party Up” rapper was put on life support, where he remained for a week. Sadly, his condition never improved and on Friday, April 9, the beloved rapper passed away.

“If Tupac was the heart of hip-hop, DMX was the soul. DMX was that realness, that grittiness, he didn’t create the grittiness of DMX to rap — that’s who he was,” Chief Curator Paradise Gray told Bronx News12, who says X was also a talented poet and actor.

The projected $80 million museum is anticipated to open in South Bronx in 2023. Why the Bronx? Also known as the “Boogie Down,” the Bronx is considered to be the birthplace of hip-hop among music enthusiasts and hip-hop circles.

Currently, the museum is open in a temporary space located at 610 Exterior Street in the Bronx Terminal Market.  Once it opens, it will be the first of its kind in the five boroughs that focuses solely on celebrating, preserving, and exploring hip hop culture. The museum will provide visitors with an immersive experience through virtual reality exhibits, holograms, interactive documentaries, vintage photos, and more.

The Bronx isn’t the only place giving Black musicians, both past and present, their flowers. The National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM) recently opened its doors and is currently the only museum dedicated to preserving and celebrating the many music genres created, influenced, and inspired by African Americans, as we previously reported.