Tom Morello pays tribute to DMX, recalls hilarious story about how they met

The world lost a legend on Friday (April 9), when DMX passed away from "catastrophic cardiac arrest" likely caused by a reported drug-induced heart attack he suffered last week. He was 50 years old.

While the hip-hop community mourned the loss of the influential rapper, musicians from all walks of life took to social media to pay tribute, including Tom Morello. The Rage Against The Machine guitarist expressed his love for DMX's music, and also decided to take a more lighthearted approach in his tribute, recalling a hilarious encounter he had with the rapper back in 2002.

"Rest In Peace #DMX," Morello began his lengthy Instagram post. "I was a huge fan of his and one night in 2002 Rick Rubin and I met him at the Saddle Ranch, a tourist country & western bar on the Sunset Strip. He was shooting pool in the back and wanted to play us some songs in his car."

"Now DMX was known for many things but at the time the top two were 1. Being a great rapper and 2. Having a lot of ferocious pit bulls around," he continued. "So, we climb into his cream colored Lincoln Navigator in the parking lot. Rick & DMX are in the front seat. I’m in the backseat WITH THE BIGGEST ANGRIEST MOST TENSE UN-NEUTERED PITBULL ON THE PLANET. This dog is two inches from my face and hyper tense and snarling waiting for me to make one false move in HIS backseat. So Rick & DMX are happily banging their heads furiously and shouting along to the thundering hip hop beats and I’m in back as still as a mouse not daring to flinch lest I be mauled. Anyway, I’ll certainly never forget that night nor will I forget DMX’s great music and electric live shows."

Check out the post below.

This article was first published on iheart.com and is republished here with permission