Did Jay-Z and Beyoncé buy DMX's masters?

12 April 2021, 13:09 | Updated: 13 April 2021, 12:16

Were Jay-Z and DMX friends? Here's everything you need to know about DMX's masters and his relationship with Jay-Z.

DMX - real name Earl Simmons - died at age 50 on Friday (Apr 9) subsequent of him suffering a heart attack the previous Friday.

Celebrities pay tribute to the DMX following his death

While many celebrities and fans reacted to the news of his death with heartfelt tributes on social media, others were discussing DMX's masters on Twitter.

This was sparked by a tweet suggesting Jay-Z and Beyoncé had bought the late rappers masters with plans of returning the recordings to his children.

But, what actually happened?

1. Did Jay-Z and Beyoncé buy DMX's masters?

   A few hours after reports emerged of DMX's death, a tweet sparked rumours that Jay-Z and Beyoncé were buying DMX's masters, in order to return them to his children.

   A Twitter user wrote "Music stars and super couple Jay-Z and Beyoncé have drawn plans to buying DMX’s masters for 10 million dollars and it’s to be shared among the 17 children of DMX”.

   Barely 24 hours after the music world was left in tears over the death of @DMX, music stars and super couple Jay-Z and @Beyonce have drawn plans to buying DMX's masters for 10 million dollars and it's to be shared among the 17 children of DMX #flowixan @sc https://t.co/nlqR12pgwE pic.twitter.com/GMAsyTO9eM

   — Hip Hop History (@Flowican_hiphop) April 11, 2021

   However, US publication AllHipHop referred to the rumours as “pure baseless gossip”, suggesting the claims have no evidence to back them up.

   Fans debated on how true it may be, however, there is no current proof of Jay-Z and Beyoncé buying DMX's masters.

   However, some fans believe the huge response to the claims on social media may make them consider it.

   One fan took to Twitter, writing "I think the Jay z and Beyonce buying DMX's masters is cap. But done on purpose... someone starting that rumour is gonna force their hand!".

   I think the Jay z and Beyonce buying DMX's masters is cap. But done on purpose... someone starting that rumour is gonna force their hand!

   — #theRONA (@SABEZ) April 11, 2021

   On Monday (Apr 12) DMX's family cleared up rumours that Jay-Z and Beyonce had bought DMX's masters.

   In a statement released to Billboard, the family said: "There have been a few rumors following our loved one, Earl Simmons’, passing that we’d like to clear up"

   "No one has bought Earl’s masters. Additionally, we are not selling any merch or raising money for Earl’s funeral. If anyone is requesting for money for his funeral please be aware the person is a scammer. We will keep the public posted on funeral/memorial service arrangements."

2. Who owns DMX's masters?

   As it stands, there is no current proof of Jay-Z or Beyoncé purchasing DMX's masters.

   It has been assumed that DMX's record label Def Jam Recordings are the owners of his masters, however there is no official confirmation.

   

   However, Jay-Z has previously spoken out on the importance of artists earning their own masters.

   In 2004, Jay-Z negotiated the return of his own master recordings when he became Def Jam’s president.

   

   In 2010, Forbes reported that Jay-Z’s masters was worth an estimated $50 million at the time.

   Jay-Z's masters were scheduled to get given back to him in 2014, the year after his publishing rights were scheduled to return to him.

   The publication estimated that Jay-Z's masters and the publishing rights would earn him $5 million per year and that the value of his catalog may be worth $100 million by 2015.

3. Did Jay-Z and DMX collaborate?

   DMX and Jay-Z collaborated together for the first time in 1995.

   Mic Geronimo collaborated with the two rappers on his track "Time To Build" along with Ja Rule after producer Irv Gotti got them together.

   

   JAY-Z - Money, Cash, Hoes ft. DMX

   DMX, Jay-Z, and Ja Rule was know as the 'Murder Inc' which is associated with Gotti’s record label. The trio were on the cover of XXLmagazine in 1999.

   The hip-hop/rap supergroup recorded two songs together, “Murdergram” and “It’s Murda".

   DMX also featured on the remix to Jay-Z's 1998 song "Money, Cash, Hoes" produced by Swizz Beatz.

   Irv Gotti and Ja Rule have previously said the group became distant after there was tensions between Jay-Z and DMX.

4. What was Jay-Z and DMX's relationship like?

   According to Irv Gotti, who initially brought the rappers together on a 1995 track, DMX resented Jay over their 1994 rap battle in a Bronx pool hall.

   In a 2011 interview with MTV News, Gotti said “X hated Jay because it was the one battle that he said it wasn’t absolutely sure in everyone’s mind that he won".

   Later in 2014, Ja Rule opened up about the ending of the supergroup trio, telling MTV News, “We couldn’t get X and Jay in the same room, from long ago, their storied battle on the pool table, guns out [and] all of that."

   "We tried to deliver that album. It was a situation where egos all just played a part in its demise.”

   

   DMX Interview on RapFix Talks beef with Jay-Z

   However, DMX revealed that his beef with Jay-Z was more of a rivalry in an 2012 interview with Sway Calloway.

   “Me and Jay had the battle issues,” X said at the time. “When you’re playing another [sports] team, you’re not going to like them. That doesn’t mean that you want them dead or you mean any physical harm to them."

   He continued, "I didn’t like him because we battled, and that’s what it was. I didn’t mean him any harm. I didn’t know him enough to not really like him."

   "And you know, it’s by going through that, that when we finally came around to being cordial, came around to being cool, that we earned each other’s friendship.”

   

   When Sway had asked DMX about his current relationship with Jay, he responded “I don’t have a problem with him".

   "“We ain’t high-fiving in the locker room, chest-bumping and all of that. We don’t have none of that going.”

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