Fans around the world are still coming to terms with the fact that DMX is no longer with us.
Many remember the icon’s life as a source of inspiration that has permeated generations of artists. One of the highlights of his “Celebration of Life” in April was when his daughter took the mic and delivered her own version of “Slippin”. Her rendition put a smile on otherwise gloomy faces. What made her performance even more touching was her opening words. “My dad taught me to be strong. I learned so much from him, so I dedicate this song to him,” she said at the time.
Those heartfelt lyrics performed by 8-year-old Sonovah Hillman Jr. has led to a boost in her fledgling rap career as she’s been asked to contribute two collaborations on her late father’s upcoming posthumous album.
Hillman shared this and more during a recent interview with NBC’s Dallas Fort Worth affiliate. She is as hard-working and enterprising as her dad as she revealed during the interview that she is currently working on 20 songs and has already released two of them. One is called “I Hate Zoom” and dropped in January. That track focuses on her deep distaste for virtual school, which has become the popular mode of delivery during the ongoing pandemic. It has a little over 6000 views on YouTube.
The other came out just last weekend, May 8, and is called “TikTok Kid”. That track also has an accompanying video. She’s already receiving love from fans as the video has passed 12,000 views on YouTube since its release.
DMX has always been about family, but when he was interviewed about features on his upcoming album, he mentioned collaborations with Pop Smoke, Lil Wayne, Griselda, and Bono. However, he never mentioned that his daughter might feature. She also shares another remarkable trait with her dad in that she writes all of her own lyrics. “Whatever is on my mind, I just write about it,” Hillman said during the interview.
Her mother, Sonovah Hillman, also shared that she’s noticed a lot of similarities between her daughter and DMX. She even thinks that they look a lot like each other. “Sometimes she looks just like him depending on the angle you catch her. She has a lot of his traits as far as an artist. Writing is easy for her,” she added. The young rapper also shared that she has very similar aspirations to her father. “Rapping makes me feel powerful. Someday I want to own a mansion with 15 bedrooms,” she continued.
Hillman Jr. also recalled one of her favorite moments with her dad before he passed away, which was a beach trip in Miami in February. “It was fun. I just miss him and I’m kind of sad we won’t have more memories,” Hillman said.
She also shared what her favorite track from her dad was. “My favourite song of his is ‘Party Up (Up in Here).’ He was happy when I told him I wanted to rap,” she added.
According to DMX’s Twitter account, the official release date of his posthumous album Exodus is set for May 28. It will be his eighth studio album. It’s expected to be on streaming platforms on the date mentioned above. It will be executive produced by Swizz Beatz and will be released on Def Jam records.
In a press release, Swizz talked about DMX’s impact, saying:
“My brother X was one of the most pure and rare souls I’ve ever met. He lived his life dedicated to his family and music. Most of all, he was generous with his giving and loved his fans beyond measure. This album, X couldn’t wait for his fans all around the world to hear and show just how much he valued each and every single person that has supported him unconditionally.”
It seems his legacy will live on.
