EXCLUSIVE: DMX To Be Posthumously Ordained As Minister At Underground Railroad Site

DMX will be posthumously ordained as a minister at the Foster Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church in Tarrytown in a ceremony that honors his deep spiritual influence and lifelong connection to faith.

The late Hip-Hop icon, born Earl Simmons, will be formally recognized by the Gospel Cultural Center with a service at 3 P.M. inside the 164-year-old sanctuary, which once served as a stop on the Underground Railroad.

The church, founded in 1860, is one of the earliest African Methodist Episcopal Zion congregations in Westchester County and has been designated a historic landmark for its role in helping enslaved people escape to freedom.

“Earl Simmons wrestled with God in the public square, turning his pain into a ministry of raw truth,” said Bishop Dr. Osiris Imhotep, founder of the Gospel Cultural Center. “This ordination recognizes the divine calling he fulfilled every time he spoke a prayer into a microphone.”

DMX, who passed away in 2021 at age 50, was known as much for his anthems as for his spiritual vulnerability.

Throughout his career, he often opened shows with heartfelt prayers and closed albums with spoken-word invocations.

In tracks like “Lord Give Me a Sign” and “Prayer,” he blended emotion with spiritual reflection, turning his music into a form of ministry that resonated with millions.

The ordination ceremony will include scripture from Acts 17:31 and is expected to draw Hip-Hop lovers, faith leaders and community members alike to celebrate the legacy of a man who used his platform to preach as much as perform.

The service will be held on Saturday, January 10, 2026.

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