THE LIFE AND CAREER OF DMX
“It’s the tough things that we go through, hard things we go through, that get us to that point where we’re better and stronger than we’ve ever been.” ~ Earl Simmons
DMX, the growling yet soulful rapper who had a strings of Top Charts albums in the late 1990s and early 2000s but whose individual troubles came to rivaled his lyrical prowess has died. He was 50. His family announced DMX’s death in a statement.
He’d been on life support at White Plains Hospital where he died in what his family termed a “catastrophic cardiac arrest” a week before his death.
“Earl was a warrior who fought till the very end,” the family said. “He loved his family with all of his heart, and we cherish the times we spent with him.”
Born Earl Simmons in Mount Vernon, New York, on December 18, 1970, DMX was the first and the only child of an absentee father, Joe Barker
and mother, Arnett Simmons.
DMX grew up in Yonkers, a city north of the Bronx known to be the focal point of racial tensions during the 80s.
DMX’s career began in earnest the moment he was incarcerated following a carjacking incident that took place in 1989. DMX did spend most of his free time composing. Upon release, he decided to go into full rap.
DMX’s music was mostly dark and menacing, but was also infused with some bits of Christian spirituality;
DARK MAN XAVIER
he often ended some of his concerts with a prayer.
It was after several high profile collaborations that DMX finally released his debut album under the Def Jam Record in 1996 titled, “It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot.”
The album debuted at No. 1 on the billboard 200, and so were his next four albums.
DMX sold millions of records and became the first musician to get three Grammy Awards nominations whose first five albums managed to reach No. 1 on the Billboard chart.
Besides music, DMX was also a remarkable actor, often starring a series of movies.
He starred with rappers Method Man and Nas in Hype Williams’s 1998 gangster film, “Belly.”
Two years later in 2000, DMX appeared in the action movie “Romeo Must Die” alongside Jet Li
and the late R&B singer Aaliyah.
It wasn’t long before he appeared in another movie, this time starring alongside Steven Seagal in the 2001 action film “Exit Wounds.”
DMX went on to release many other albums, including “Grand Champ” in 2003 and “Undisputed” in 2012.
Even though, he was known to have frequent run-ins with the law, he still persevere throughout his career, accomplishing a few films, and also albums .
DMX passed away on Friday April 9th in White Plains, surrounded by his family.
DMX is survived by his mother Arnett Simmons, his 15 children and their mothers, and his siblings, and also extended family.
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