Master P Calls DMX An Icon, Says Hip-Hop Industry Needs A Union To Address Drug Struggles

Rapper Master P feels DMX's hospitalization could have been prevented if he had received proper support from the industry during his tough days.

DMX was hospitalized on April 2 after he suffered a heart attack at his home. The 50-year-old "Growing Up Hip Hop" star told TMZ on Thursday that the music industry needs to form a union in order to support musicians suffering from drug abuse.

"DMX is an icon and I just hate that we have to wait 'till something happens to one of these guys, or to one of us, before everybody really starts saying how much they care and they love you," Master P said.

"We have to figure out how to prevent that," he added. "Drugs done killed a lot of our great ones and sent a lot of them to prison and I'm praying for DMX and his family. I hope that people start celebrating these icons while they're alive."

"Imagine all the stuff we could've prevented for DMX, to help him," he noted. "The rapper further praised DMX's talent and said, "there will never be another DMX, he's one of a kind."

He further emphasized that hip-hop stars need a union similar to NBA.

"[We have to ask ourselves,] 'What happens when a guy falls off?' After he done sold millions of records, even a female. 'What happens?' … Think about it," he explained. "[In] the NBA, when they're done [playing basketball], they go to SportsCenter, they can sit around, [but] where do hip-hop [stars] go?"

DMX has a long history of battling substance abuse. During an interview in November, he spoke about how he was tricked into drugs at the age of 14. He was once found unconscious at a New York hotel parking lot due to a drug overdose.

The drug history of DMX made people wonder if drug overdose was the reason for the heart attack, giving rise to false rumors on social media. DMX's manager, Steve Rifkind addressed the issue in an Instagram video Thursday.

"Everybody, please stop with posting these rumors," Rifkind said in the video. "DMX is still alive. Yes, he is on life support, but please, it’s not helping anybody by having them see these false rumors."

"Let the family relax for a night, you’ll be hearing a statement from the family some time tomorrow," he added. "The only thing I ask is just stop with the rumors."