Snoop Dog says long-time friend DMX 'finally got his angel wings'

The hip hop community is still reeling from the sudden and tragic death of rapper DMX last week after suffering a heart attack and remaining in a vegetative state for days.

Friend and collaborator Snoop Dog’s career has quite often intersected with the fallen rap legend, and he appeared on The Tonight Show (weeknights at 11:30pET on CTV) last night to make sure that people know DMX was always impressive, including the night they first met over 25 years ago.

It was at a concert in London’s Trafalgar Square in 1994, and as Snoop puts it, it was his sly attitude that DMX noticed and it inspired him to write a track. Snoop recalls DMX telling him years later, “He was like, ‘When you first met me, I was, like, away from him,’ and he kept saying, ‘What’s happening? What’s up?’ And I was like, ‘Get at me, dog!’”

“He was like, ‘I took that and I made that into my song, ‘Get At Me Dog.’ Because of the way you got at me and said that. I was like, ‘That’s slick!’ So that night inspired him to create that song, ‘Get At Me Dog,’ which was one of his biggest hood records that he put out.”

That collaboration continued over the course of their careers. Just as recently as last year, Snoop and DMX shared the virtual stage for a Verzuz battle, something that Snoop recalled as one of the great examples of DMX’s generosity and kindness as an artist.

“It gave the world a chance to see two dogs who naturally love each other, celebrate each other in the name of hip hop,” he explained. “You see a lot of interaction between me and him, engaging in our songs, you see a lot of conversations and a lot of love, and we had God in the building with us that night.”

He continued, “That makes me feel good about DMX’s transition, to know that he's off to a better place and he’s finally got his angel wings.”

When Jimmy Fallon noted that speaking about this must be difficult because DMX just passed, Snoop exclaimed, “This is what we do, we keep hip hop alive and legends never die.”

He continued, “Their soul will continue to bless this world. And he was a great spirit. He always looked out for everybody, he always prayed for everybody. So now we can finally say, he finally got his angel wings and he’s off to a better place.”

Snoop Dog is notoriously aloof in interviews and doesn’t do much of the late night comedy talk show scene, so this appearance gives us a rare insight into him and his heart. We love that he has nothing but joy for DMX’s “transition,” as he calls it, and that above all else, there is the music.

Snoop just joined the cast of The Voice (Mondays at 8pET on CTV2) as a Mega Mentor, and as he told Jimmy, it gave him an opportunity to impart some knowledge, and learn some new things about other music genres.

“I had a great time with the artists, with the coaches, it was a great experience,” he said. “It was really motivating for them, and me as well, because I learned a little bit, and I’m pretty sure they learned a little bit from me.”

“I was able to tap into certain genres of music that I actually really love and know about, and, you know, give some critiquing,” he added. “Man, I’m dipped and whipped in their country songs! From Johnny Cash on down!”

When Jimmy mentions Willie Nelson, Snoop quips, “He’s the only one to ever make me push pause on the smoke session!”

That, we’ve gotta see. 

Watch The Tonight Show weeknights at 11:30pET on CTV.

BEFORE YOU GO: Demi Lovato talks feeling ‘survivors guilt’ over DMX OD

[video_embed id='2176238']BEFORE YOU GO: Demi Lovato talks feeling ‘survivors guilt’ over DMX OD [/video_embed]