DMX's appearance on VH1's Couples Therapy was a rare instance of positive "celebreality"

https://decider.com/2021/04/11/dmx-vh1-couples-therapy/

"It takes a lot to make me cry, but DMX’s life story did it," says Liz Kocan in recalling when the late rapper appeared on the VH1 reality show. "The rapper, who passed away on April 9th at the age of 50, led a life full of abuse and addiction, and despite a successful music career, it’s his stint on VH1’s Couples Therapy back in 2012 that I’ll remember him for. VH1’s 'celebreality' era was built on celebrities who were past the prime of their careers, and would seemingly do anything for a paycheck. That’s not what this was, at least not as far as DMX was concerned. (Maybe it started that way, but what transpired on the show was too uncomfortable and too devastating to be mined for the drama.) When X appeared on the show with his estranged wife, Tashera, their relationship of 24 years appeared too far gone to save. But what was more important to DMX’s journey on the show was not saving his marriage but the acknowledgement that his failed relationship and much of his addiction stemmed from the devastating relationship he had with his mother, Arnett. His appearance on this show was very real and very raw, he wore his hurt very openly, a trait that, as a viewer, both endeared me to him and made me feel protective of him. It’s easy to dismiss celebrity therapy shows for sensationalizing the trauma, mental health, or various addictions of the celebrities that agree to appear on them. After all, many of them consist solely of people made famous for appearing on… other reality shows.