DMX, 50, the Westchester rapper who was a pinnacle icon of the 90s and 2000s of rap music with hits “Party Up” (“Up in Here”) and “X Gon’ Give It To Ya” passed away today of a heart attack and drug overdose April 9 at White Plains Hospital. He was on life support but never regained consciousness at the hospital. The rap legend was too young to die. It’s a tragedy.
DMX, whose real name is Earl Simmons was born in Mount Vernon and raised in Yonkers, NY. He recently called White Plains home until his sudden death. As a youth, he played basketball at Nepperhan Community Center in Yonkers and would give back to his community by donating Thanksgiving meals to people in need. According to USA Today/News Break, he had run-ins with the law and battled drug addiction in the past and was last in rehab in 2019 after spending a year in prison for tax evasion for which the IRS had been pursuing and financial problems but was a fighter and a survivor until the end. TMZ confirmed the report of his untimely death.
He is survived by his mother, Arnett Simmons, his ex-wife Tashera Simmons, his fiancee’ Desiree Lindstrom, his son Exodus, and his 15 children.
News 12 Westchester issued this statement from DMX’s family:
In a joint statement, his family said in part, “We are deeply saddened to announce today that our loved one DMX, whose birth name is 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 to the very end. He loved his family with all his heart and we cherish the times we spent with him.”
Reports were coming in from the rapper’s long-time New York-based attorney, Murray Richman who told the Associated Press on April 3 that the hip-hop star was on life support but he couldn’t confirm reports that DMX had a drug overdose or what caused the heart attack.
Here’s a TMZ YouTube video of the legendary rap icon DMX:
RIP DMX. You will be missed by your family, friends, and fans.
