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Legendary Hip Hop Hit Maker DMX Whose Childhood Abuse Trauma Cast a Long Shadow in His Life Is Dead at 50

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DMX was a singular, unforgettable, and larger-than-life figure (both physically and in swagger) whose persona  was as much part of his outsize success as his music. DMX whose real name was Earl Simmons, sold millions of records,  and was the first musician whose first five albums reached No. 1 on the Billboard chart. He was both the star and signature act as well as the standout artist on the Ruff Ryders label, often rapping over tracks by the star D.J. and producer Swizz Beatz. Rappers like Eve, Drag-On and the Lox, a group made up of Jadakiss, Styles P,  and Sheek Louch, also recorded on the label.

The New York Times reported Friday, “Earl Simmons, the snarling yet soulful rapper known as DMX, who had a string of No. 1 albums in the late 1990s and early 2000s but whose personal struggles eventually rivaled his lyrical prowess, died on Friday in White Plains, N.Y. He was 50. His family announced the death in a statement. He had been on life support at White Plains Hospital after suffering what his family called “a catastrophic cardiac arrest” a week earlier.”

On April 2, Mr. Simmons had a heart attack at his home in White Plains that stemmed from doing cocaine sources said. In the days that followed, representatives for the rapper said he was in a coma and on life support “in a vegetative state.” Outside of the hospital, family and friends gathered with hundreds of fans, playing DMX’s music aloud and praying, holding up their arms in the shape of an X.

A statement from the family read in part: “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.”

According to People magazine: “T’he “Party Up (Up in Here)’ rapper was hospitalized in grave condition on April 2 after suffering a heart attack at his home around 11 p.m., his attorney Murray Richman told NBC News the following day. Upon being admitted, DMX’s health was so critical that he was resuscitated and placed on life support, Richman added. He was reportedly deprived of oxygen for nearly 30 minutes. “He’s quite ill,” the attorney said in a separate statement to the Associated Press, adding that he did not know what caused the heart attack, nor was he able to confirm TMZ‘s report that it was triggered by a drug overdose.

The artist who rose to fame in the ’90s, had been open about his battle with substance abuse after the star said he was introduced to drugs by an adult who he looked up to “like an older brother” when he was a child. Also during his childhood, DMX suffered physical abuse at the hands of his mother’s partners, battled severe bronchial asthma which resulted in almost nightly emergency room visits and was reportedly hit by a drunk driver.

“I loved this guy like an older brother; I didn’t have any brothers,” Simmons explained during his November appearance on People’s Party with Talib Kweli of the man whom he says laced his marijuana with cocaine. “I would beatbox and he would rap, then he suggested one time, ‘Why don’t you write a couple rhymes and I’ll beatbox for you?’ …. That’s where my first rhyme came to me.”

In 2000 New York Times‘ critic Elvis Mitchell wrote  about his “remarkable and combative stage presence” in the concert documentary Backstage, which followed him and rappers like Jay-Z and Redman on the 1999 “Hard Knock Life” tour. “Bombastic and hot-blooded, he holds court in a singular fashion, exercising sheer force of will to pull the spotlight down on himself and demanding the crowd’s attention,” Mr. Mitchell wrote.

Mr. Simmons also starred with the rappers Nas and Method Man in the Hype Williams gangster film Belly in 1998; appeared in the action movie Romeo Must Die,  with Jet Li and Aaliyah, in 2000; and starred with Steven Seagal in the 2001 action film Exit Wounds. The BET cable channel provided a closer look at his personal life with the 2006 reality series DMX: Soul of a Man.

Simmons was born December 18, 1970 in Baltimore, Maryland. During the span of his career, DMX released 15 Billboard Hot 100 megahit songs, including “Party Up (Up In Here)” which peaked at No. 27 on the list and charted for 21 weeks. His collaborative tune “Money, Power, Respect” with The Lox and Lil’ Kim peaked at No. 17 and charted for 20 weeks.

In 2000, DMX won the American Music Award for favorite artist in the hip-hop rap category. In addition he earned three Grammy Award nominations over the course of his decades-long career, including best rap solo performance for his smash hit song “Party Up (Up in Here)” and best rap album for his fan-favorite …And Then There Was X — both nominates came in 2000.

In 2001, he was up for the Grammy for best rap solo performance for his jam “Who We Be.” DMX is survived by his mother Arnett Simmons, his children, and their respective mothers.

 

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