When DMX passed away on Friday (April 9), the music community mourned. However, X Ambassadors' Sam Harris has a problem with society's views of the rapper before his untimely death — making him out to be a villain instead of addressing his problems with addiction.

The singer took to his band's Instagram account to pay tribute to an artist he loved and criticize those who have scorned DMX and other black artists like him.

"RIP DMX. This s**t hit me really hard this morning. DMX was one of the first artists I ever fell in love with as a kid— his sound was aggressive, unapologetic, and so so honest. He wore all his pain on his sleeve. His music embodied an era. X was an icon," Harris began his message. "Man.... all I wanna do is celebrate the life and career of this artist I loved so much and mourn his loss today. But I can’t help but feel so d**n angry too."

"It really f**king HURTS to watch how our society keeps chewing up and spitting out black artists like DMX," he continued. "This s**t is CLEARLY a pattern that not enough people want or care to acknowledge. Instead of empathizing with someone struggling with addiction, the media harrassed [sic] him and mocked him. Instead of honoring his impact on music, he was treated like a pariah. What chance does someone have to get sober and stay mentally / physically healthy when the whole f**king world is using all of it’s might to crush them? Why do we have to read about his passing at 50 YEARS OLD (waaaay too young), think 'that’s so sad' and then shrug our shoulders and move on? Because that’s 'just what happens' to people like X??? It’s F**KED up."

"Go listen to Slippin'. Go listen to Damien. Go listen to Who We Be. Go listen to I Miss You. I’ll be over here bumping Ruff Ryders anthem all day," Harris concluded his post. "Rest in Power, legend."

See his post below, and read Tom Morello's tribute to DMX here.

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