Earl Simmons aka DMX has passed away after suffering an OD and subsequent heart attack on April 2.
According to a statement from His family, the Ruff Ryders legend died at White Plains Hospital in White Plains, New York yesterday Friday (April 9), less than 24 hours after his brain activity test results indicated there’d been no improvement in the six days he’d been on life support.
“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. DMX 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.”
The White Plains Hospital staff added, “Earl Simmons passed away peacefully with family present after suffering a catastrophic cardiac arrest.”
DMX rose to rap infamy during the 2000s and has multiple platinum and multi-platinum albums under his belt, including 1998’s It’s Dark & Hell Is Hot and Flesh Of My Flesh, Blood Of My Blood. Despite all of the success and accolades, the Yonkers native fought substance abuse issues for years, which resulted in several trips to drug rehab.
In 2019, DMX canceled a slew of live performances so he could seek treatment and seemingly emerged stronger than ever. But his demons still followed him. During a November 2020 interview, he confessed he’d been tricked into smoking crack at just 14 years old, and that day, he said a “monster was born” and he’d been struggling with addiction ever since.
In addition to the late Pop Smoke and Griselda’s Westside Gunn, Conway The Machine, and Benny The Butcher, X revealed he’d tapped the talents of Snoop Dogg, Lil Wayne, and U2’s Bono.
