Rapper DMX has died at the age of 50. He was hospitalized in White Plains, New York late Friday, April 2 following a drug overdose and heart attack. He died today, April 9. The Simmons Family confirmed DMX’s passing in a statement.
“We are deeply saddened to announce today that our loved one, DMX, birth name of Earl Simmons, passed away at 50-years-old at White Plains Hospital with his family by his side after being placed on life support for the past few days,” began the note from Earl “DMX” Simmons’ Family. “Earl was a warrior who fought till the very end. He loved his family with all of his heart and we cherish the times we spent with him. Earl’s music inspired countless fans across the world and his iconic legacy will live on forever. We appreciate all of the love and support during this incredibly difficult time. Please respect our privacy as we grieve the loss of our brother, father, uncle and the man the world knew as DMX. We will share information about his memorial service once details are finalized.”
DMX was born Earl Simmons on December 18, 1970, in Mount Vernon, New York, and raised in Yonkers, New York. His rap career began in the early 1990s, recording demos and appearing on several singles. In May 1998, DMX’s debut album, It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot, was released by Def Jam/Ruff Ryders and reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart. The album featured the hit single, “Ruff Ryders Anthem.”
DMX’s second album, Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood, was released in December 1998 and also topped the Billboard 200 chart, joining an elite group of musicians with two or more No. 1 albums in a calendar year. The follow-up to the pair of albums was 1999’s … And Then There Was X, which was a third to peak atop the Billboard 200 and had the hit single, “Party Up (Up in Here).”
His run of No. 1 albums for Ruff Ryders and Def Jam continued with 2001’s The Great Depression and 2003’s Grand Champ. Released in 2005, Year of the Dog…Again reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200, ending DMX’s streak of chart topping albums.
Throughout his life, DMX dealt with drug addiction and various legal issues. He was arrested several times and did a number of stints in jail. DMX was also an actor, appearing in feature films such as Belly (1998), Romeo Must Die (2000), Exit Wounds (2001), Cradle 2 the Grave (2003) and Never Die Alone (2004) and on several television programs.
DMX’s final album was the much-delayed Undisputed that came out in 2013. An unauthorized album credited to DMX, Redemption of the Beast, was released by Seven Arts Music in 2015.
DMX released the singles “Blood Red” in 2016 and “Bain Iz Back” in 2017. He re-signed with Def Jam in 2019, rejoining the label for the first time since Grand Camp. DMX battled Snoop Dogg on Verzuz in July 2020.
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