More than a decade after late rapper DMX, born Earl Simmons, recorded his unreleased two-disc gospel album Walk With Me Now and You’ll Fly With Me Later, details are emerging about the project. 

According to a new DMX profile by Rolling Stone, DMX's then record label Bodog Music had shuttered under government scrutiny. The rights to his discography were then transferred to the Canadian label Her Royal Majesty's Records before going to Seven Arts Entertainment, where things went cold after several executives at the company were arrested for tax fraud. 

The Ruff Ryder's gospel collection then fell into the hands of Howard Mann in an auction. After taking ownership of DMX's gospel songs, Mann got to work trying to build a team of engineers, producers and others to put together the final project. The album was exclusively produced by Pat Gallo, aka Divine Bars, and featured vocals from local singer Janyce.

“Record companies and executives were afraid of Earl,” Nakia Walker, DMX's former manager who worked with him from 2009 until 2011, said. “We entertained a lot of opportunities, and people were afraid: ‘He’s gonna go to jail, he’ll be on drugs.’ If someone had given him the opportunity then, he would have had something to look forward to.”

The rapper became close with Pastor Barbara King, who'd talk to him about his plans to become a deacon. DMX had long discussed his faith publicly and even went through a period where he decided to walk away from music altogether. Though, he decided to stay in the industry after hearing some inspiring words from his friend Mase.

“He was like, ‘As long as you have that talent, you don’t have the right to say whether or not you want to use it,’ ” DMX said in 2005, according to Rolling Stone.

Since the rapper didn't leave a will for his family before his tragic death, his three eldest sons were named temporary co-administrators of his estate. Ron Sweeney, an entertainment lawyer representing the three men, said the rapper's estate is firmly against the release of their father's gospel album without their involvement. 

“Howard Mann has no authority that we’re aware of and hasn’t shown us anything to reflect that he owns any music that DMX recorded,” Sweeney said. “He has absolutely nothing to do with the estate and, to the extent that he has DMX’s music, the estate has not authorized the use of DMX’s name and likeness.”

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