Legendary Rapper DMX Dead at 50
DMX, one of the most successful rappers of all time, has died at the age of 50.
DMX, the gruff, Yonkers, New York rapper, who during the late '90s was considered to be one of hip-hop's great superstars, has died. He was taken off life support days after suffering a heart attack, according to a statement released by his family on Friday, April 9, 2021. He was 50 years old.
The statement, which was released to members of the media, reads:
“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. 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.”
Born Earl Simmons, DMX would go from humble beginnings in Yonkers, New York to being one of the most beloved, successful rappers on the planet. As the star of the Ruff Ryders label, DMX has sold over 20 million records. He got his start in the music industry at the age of 14 and began writing lyrics during multiple stints in prison. He blazed through the underground and battle rap circuit between New York and Baltimore, developing a buzz in the early 1990s. He first appeared in The Source's Unsigned Hype column in 1991, and later recorded two demo tapes, "Unstoppable Force" and "Three Little Pigs." He signed a deal with Columbia Records in 1992 and released his debut single "Born Loser." The single didn't get many spins, and eventually, he was released from the label.
In 1996 he released another single and appeared alongside Jay-Z and Ja Rule on Mic Geronimo's "Time to Build." He kept the momentum with features on LL Cool J's "4, 3, 2, 1," Mase's "24 Hrs. to Live," and The LOX's "Money, Power & Respect." The buzz led to a deal with Def Jam. In 1999, his debut single, "Get at Me Dog," was certified Gold and peaked at number 39 on the Billboard Hot 100. The track was a foil to the flashy days of the Shiny Suit Era, a stark account of the crack epidemic and mass incarceration that stood out in America's post-punk era. Back in December, producer Dame Grease spoke with Okayplayer about how he and DMX's upbringings influenced the track.
"Me and X had very similar childhoods in terms of being abandoned and having to find our own way," he said. "Maybe that comes across in the energy of a song like "Get At Me Dog...I was left alone to fend for myself. I would sleep under the stairs of my project building and had two stray dogs that would protect me. X’s experiences were pretty much identical."
X's debut album, It's Dark and Hell is Hot, debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, eventually going four times Platinum. The album's impact was so seismic, label boss Lyor Cohen bet DMX a million-dollar bonus if he could do another album in 30 days. Seven months after his debut, he earned his second number-one album in one year with the release of Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood. X's first five albums would debut atop the Billboard charts. He appeared in 19 movies, including cult classic Belly and alongside Aaliyah in Romeo Must Die.
Despite his success, DMX struggled with addiction from an early age and was arrested more than 30 times throughout his career. "Drugs were never a problem," he said on Talib Kweli's People's Party podcast last November. "Drugs were a symptom of a bigger problem...I learned that I had to deal with things that hurt me [in the past], I didn't deal with them then." In 2016, he was found unresponsive in a hotel parking lot in Yonkers.
After serving a year in prison, DMX re-signed with Def Jam in 2019 after 16 years apart. At the time, he promised new music and a comeback tour was on the way. "The standard that I hold myself to is the same," he told GQ. "Better than everything I hear. I need to be better than everything that I hear. And I can hear it...if you don't give people something incredible to listen to, they're going to listen to whatever."
However, the comeback effort was ill-fated: he no-showed the Def Jam 35th-anniversary concert and in October 2019, as a precautionary measure, he checked himself into rehab. Months later, he performed at the Hakkasan Las Vegas Nightclub and thanked fans for their time.
DMX is survived by his fiancée Desiree Lindstrom and 15 children.