Kanye West And The Sunday Service Choir Opened DMX’s Memorial Service With A Soulful Medley

The first of two memorial services for DMX began from Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on Saturday. The event was livestreamed to fans and supporters on YouTube as the venue was closed to only close friends and family of the late rapper. After a roughly two-and-a-half-hour delay, the service started with a chilling performance from Kanye West and his Sunday Service Choir. The rapper and the group took the stage in red hoodies and sweatpants to deliver a performance filled with gospel and soul records in honor of DMX.

Throughout their set, the Sunday Service Choir performed tracks that included Soul II Soul’s “Keep On Movin'” as well as the opening record in the classic film, Belly, which DMX appeared in. They would return later in the service to perform additional tracks like “Ultralight Beam.”

The opening performance comes after Kanye’s Yeezy brand teamed up with Balenciaga to release tribute shirts in honor of DMX. The release features an image of DMX between two crosses on the front and the phrase “In Loving Memory” on the back. The late rapper’s birth and death dates can also be found on the shirt’s left and right sleeves respectively.

You can watch clips from Kanye West and the Sunday Service Choir’s opening performance above and tune into the memorial service here. A second memorial service for DMX will be held on Sunday, April 25 at 2 p.m. EST and air on BET.