Steve Rifkind Hits Back At DMX's Uncle Funeral Payment Claims

When DMX was laid to rest in June of 2021 it was said that Def Jam covered the cost of the $35,000 funeral. But recently X’s former manager and uncle, Ray Copeland said that it was he and others who came up with the bread to give DMX a proper sendoff as record labels and other industry heads refused to help with the costs.

Now longtime record exec, Steve Rifkind is pushing back against Copeland’s claim saying Swizz Beatz and Def Jam actually covered the costs of DMX’s funeral.

According to Allhiphop, Rifkind took to social media days after DMX’s uncle claimed that it fell upon himself and others to pony up the money for X’s funeral and rebutted the claim. Taking to Instagram to give his side of the story, Rifkind (who was X’s manager at the time) explained that he was there “every step of the way” of the process and stated that “Swizz Beatz paid for 80% of the funeral. Def Jam paid for the funeral.” Rifkind also revealed that a third person helped with the expenses but that he wanted to remain anonymous because “he didn’t want any press on what he did.”

Obama, maybe? Just sayin’.

Rifkind also revealed that to this day, Swizz Beatz helps DMX’s family “on certain things.”

As to why X’s uncle would make such a claim when these things can be proved in some way, shape or form is anyone’s guess but the man is claiming that Def Jam only gave them $35,000 for the funeral while he, business associate Germaine Miller, and attorney Ron Sweeney personally covered the $150,000 cost of DMX’s funeral.

Copeland also gave credit to pre-Nazi Kanye West whom he said “took care of everything at the Barclays Center.”

What do y’all think about this situation? Who do y’all believe? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Photo: Julia Beverly / Getty