Such a heartbreaking loss… DMX has passed away at the age of 50.
The X Gon’ Give It To Ya rapper, whose birth name was Earl Simmons, suffered a heart attack after a drug overdose on April 2. His brain was deprived of oxygen for about 30 minutes, putting him into a coma. Unfortunately he was unable to regain brain function, so he never recovered.
The family shared the following statement on Friday April 9:
“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.”
DMX burst onto the scene in 1999 with endlessly catchy beats and a signature raspy voice on hits like Ruff Ryders Anthem and Party Up (Up In Here).
He was so hot at the time he translated his popularity into a film career, starring in action movies like Cradle 2 The Grave, Belly, and Exit Wounds.
Throughout all this success he never stopped being a figure of controversy.
Simmons went to prison for the first time in 1986, at the age of just 16 years old, for stealing a dog from a junkyard. He actually managed to escape, but his mother made him turn himself back in and complete his sentence — two whole years.
He was arrested numerous times over the next 30 years, for everything from reckless driving and drug possession to robbery and tax fraud.
Unfortunately the other thing he couldn’t shake was his drug addiction. X spoke openly about his addiction to crack, which began when he was just 14. As recently as 2016 he scared fans when he collapsed from an overdose and had to be resuscitated with Narcan.
Clearly he was never able to beat his addiction. And so we lost one of the most distinctive voices in hip hop way too early.
R.I.P X.
[Image via Adam Bielawski/WENN.]
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