In the middle of a high-energy, nostalgia-fueled night in New York City, Eve pressed pauseâand the entire crowd fell silent.
As part of the âWhere The Party Atâ Tour, featuring early-2000s icons like Nelly, Ja Rule, Fabolous, and Jermaine Dupri, Eveâs performance took a soul-stirring turn when she stopped the music to honor the man who helped launch her career: DMX.
And what happened next was more than just a tribute. It was a moment of truth.
đ âHe Believed in Me Before the World Didâ
Dressed in her signature Ruff Ryders aesthetic, Eve stood beneath dimmed lights, visibly emotional as she addressed the roaring crowd at Madison Square Garden.
âI wouldnât be standing here if it wasnât for DMX,â she said, her voice cracking mid-sentence. âHe believed in me before the world did.â
The Ruff Ryders First Lady then launched into a medley of DMX classics, from âSlippinââ to âRuff Rydersâ Anthem,â her voice trembling with gratitude and grief. The audience erupted in cheers and tearsâbut Eve stood still, locked in a moment of reflection.
đ DMXâs Legacy Still Echoes
Born Earl Simmons, DMX wasnât just a chart-topping artist. He was a cultural blueprint.
With 1998âs Itâs Dark and Hell Is Hot, he stormed into hip-hop with unapologetic fury, soul-baring vulnerability, and spiritual urgency. His music didnât just top the chartsâit touched the core of human struggle. He sold over 74 million records, starred in films like Belly and Romeo Must Die, and gave the genre some of its most iconic anthems.
And for Eve, he was much more than a mentorâhe was family.
đŞ Ruff Ryders Forever
Eve joined the Ruff Ryders collective in the late â90s as the only female MC among a powerhouse roster that included DMX, The LOX, and Drag-On. At a time when hip-hop was overwhelmingly male-dominated, DMX made space for herâon the mic, on tour, and in the culture.
He helped push her debut album Let There Be Eve⌠Ruff Rydersâ First Lady to No. 1, making her the third female rapper ever to top the Billboard 200.
âX didnât just open the door for me,â she once said in a past interview. âHe kicked it off the hinges.â
đĄ A Reminder of Realness in a Viral Age
In an industry now dominated by algorithms, AI, and polished perfection, Eveâs tribute was a return to rawness.
There were no flashy graphics. No TikTok challenges. Just a woman standing in front of thousands, mourning and celebrating a man who changed her life.
It wasnât performance. It was presence. And the culture responded.
đŻď¸ More Than Two Years Later, His Spirit Lives On
DMX passed away in April 2021 after suffering a heart attack reportedly triggered by a drug overdose. His death shook the music world, triggering tributes from peers like Swizz Beatz, Nas, and Alicia Keys.
But Eveâs moment on the âWhere The Party Atâ stage may be one of the most intimate public acknowledgments yet.
âEvery time I touch a mic, I carry X with me,â she told the crowd. âAnd I always will.â
đ¸ Social Media Reactions: âYou Could Feel the Pain in Her Voiceâ
Fans took to X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and TikTok to share clips and reactions from the scene:
đ¤ @HipHopHistorian: âEve just brought the whole Garden to tears. DMX energy alive and strong tonight. #RuffRydersâ
đ @NYStateOfRhythm: âYou could feel the pain in her voice. That was real. That was hip-hop.â
đ @RuffRyders4Life: âNo one rep X like Eve just did. Respect the queen.â
đś DMX Was More Than Music. He Was a Movement.
With her emotional tribute, Eve reminded us all that hip-hop isnât just beats and rhymesâitâs memory, legacy, and love.
And while the tour rolled on with bangers and crowd-pleasers, her pause became the moment everyone walked away remembering.
đŁ Drop your favorite DMX memory or song in the comments. And follow @ThePopRadar for more live updates, music tributes, and exclusive behind-the-scenes from the tour.
RIP, Dark Man X. Youâre still howling through the speakers.
