The BET Awards have paid tribute to many of the greats over the years, but with DMX’s recent passing, the award show needed a tribute fit for a king.
During Sunday’s show, X was honored by some of his closest collaborators, including mega-producer Swizz Beatz, Busta Rhymes, Method Man as well as his new friends in Griselda, all of whom delivered with a curated string of some of his most iconic hits. Michael K. Williams also appeared, leading some to petition for him to play DMX in the inevitable biopic.
Swizz previously caught up with Complex to discuss the work that went into the tribute, celebrating X’s legacy and the energy he brought to his live performances. Swizz explained that the performance, which he helped produce alongside creative director Fatima Robinson, wasn’t like anything before it.
“You see a lot of tributes and you can almost predict [what’s going to happen],” Swizz shared. “This time we wanted to do something a little different. We wanted to add some curation and [include] different types of artistry. Everybody that’s coming on stage, X had a serious respect for them.”
Of course, Swizz is the mastermind behind the production on X’s posthumous album, Exodus, which was released earlier this month. The record featured guest verses by everyone from Griselda to Nas to even Jay-Z, as it peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard 200.
Check out the star-stacked X tribute above.
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