DMX, rap’s dark, tortured star, dies at 50
- Earl Simmons, better known by his stage name, was behind hits like Party Up and X Gon’ Give It To Ya
- The hip-hop icon laid his inner demons out for the masses in gritty, hard-driving anthems that gained him commercial and critical acclaim
DMX, the hardcore hip-hop star whose ominous, snarling raps chronicled the violence and struggles of the American street, has died. He was 50 years old.
The rapper’s long-time lawyer confirmed DMX’s death after a statement from his family widely shared on social media said the artist born Earl Simmons died after nearly a week on life support following a heart attack.
“Earl was a warrior who fought till the very end,” the statement read, saying the rapper died at White Plains Hospital north of New York, with his loved ones by his side.
“He loved his family with all of his heart and we cherish the times we spent with him,” the statement read.
“Earl’s music inspired countless fans across the world and his iconic legacy will live on forever.”
The family said information on a memorial service was forthcoming.
The agitated rapper – who reigned over the late 1990s and early 2000s with hits including X Gon’ Give It To Ya and Party Up – was among hip-hop’s darkest stars, laying his inner demons out for the masses in gritty, hard-driving anthems that gained him commercial and critical acclaim.