DMX suffered an overdose and heart attack earlier this week, and after being placed on life support, he passed away today (April 9th) at age 50. Following many premature false rumors of his demise, his family confirmed the news, issuing the following statement.
"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."
White Plains Hospital also released a statement, which reads, "White Plains Hospital extends its deepest condolences to the family of Mr. Simmons, as well as his friends and legions of fans who expressed their unwavering support during this difficult time. Earl Simmons passed away peacefully with family present after suffering a catastrophic cardiac arrest last week."
DMX began his career in the early Nineties, and by the end of that decade, he was unstoppable. He released five consecutive chart-topping albums between the years 1998 and 2003, birthing massive hits like "Ruff Ryders' Anthem," "Slippin,'" "What's My Name?," "Party Up (Up in Here)," "Where the Hood At?," and countless others. His gruff, blunt-edged style impacted not just hip-hop but also hard rock and heavy metal. "Dark Man X" joined Korn on the 1999 Family Values tour, appeared on an alternate version of Limp Bizkit's "Rollin'" and enlisted Marilyn Manson for a guest turn on his 1998 album, Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood. Since news of his passing broke, everyone from Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello and Body Count's Ice-T to Hatebreed's Jamey Jasta and Gatecreeper's Chase Mason have paid tribute to the gravel-voiced rapper.
Coincidentally, DMX had a new track scheduled to be released today, which features the iconic MC dropping bars over a heavy riff from Yes/Asia guitarist Steve Howe and the drum stylings of Deep Purple drummer Ian Paice. Bootsy Collins contributes some solos. Check it out below.
