The estate of Earl “DMX” Simmons is pushing back against a planned tribute event that claims to ordain the late rapper as a minister. They shared an exclusive statement with AllHipHop to make it clear that the ceremony is not officially approved or sanctioned.

In the statement, the DMX Estate addressed growing attention around a service scheduled for Saturday, January 10, 2026, at Foster Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church. The event has been promoted as a posthumous ordination honoring DMX’s faith and spiritual legacy. But, the Estate says it has no involvement.

“The upcoming ordination of Earl ‘DMX’ Simmons is not an Estate-sanctioned event,” the statement reads. “While we appreciate third-party efforts to honor Earl in this way, neither the Foster Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church nor Bishop Imhotep are among the representatives of the church with whom he had close ties.”

The ceremony is reportedly being organized by the Gospel Cultural Center and framed as a symbolic spiritual gesture rather than a formal ecclesiastical appointment. As interest in the ceremony continues to circulate, the Estate is making it clear that there are boundaries. Ccelebrating DMX’s faith is welcome, but doing so without approval crosses into murky territory.

Bishop Dr. Osiris Imhotep, who has been associated with the event, has described it as an acknowledgment of DMX’s public expressions of faith. He pointed to the rapper’s long-standing relationship with prayer, scripture, and religious reflection.

Moreover, the Estate has been pretty involved in protecting and honoring DMX's legacy. Most recently, it responded strongly to an online auction that surfaced featuring rare materials connected to the late rapper. As HotNewHipHop previously reported, auction house GottaHaveRockandRoll tried to list more than 30 items said to be tied to DMX. The items included handwritten lyrics, unreleased recordings, vintage performance footage, and cassette tapes containing freestyles and diss tracks. Some of the tapes are reportedly expected to fetch as much as $10,000 each.

The Estate maintained that the sale was never approved and has warned that legal action may follow. In a statement to TMZ, representatives made their position clear, saying they were “surprised and disappointed” to discover the auction, which they say was not authorized or cleared by the Estate of Earl “DMX” Simmons.

The Estate is clear on not assigning an official religious title in his name. While they acknowledge the intent behind the tribute, they stress that any event implying formal ordination does not reflect the wishes or authorization of those responsible for protecting his legacy.