Earl Simmons, known professionally as DMX, was an American rapper and actor.
50 Facts About DMX
2.
DMX began rapping in the early 1990s and released his debut album It's Dark and Hell Is Hot in 1998, to both critical acclaim and commercial success, selling 251,000 copies within its first week of release.
3.
DMX was the first artist to debut an album at No 1 five times in a row on the Billboard 200 charts.
4.
DMX was featured in films such as Belly, Romeo Must Die, Exit Wounds, Cradle 2 the Grave, and Last Hour.
5.
DMX was the son of 19-year-old Arnett Simmons and 18-year-old Joe Barker.
6.
DMX's father, Barker, was an artist who painted watercolor paintings of street scenes to sell at local fairs.
7.
DMX was raised as a Jehovah's Witness but became disillusioned with the faith after an incident where he was hit by a drunk driver while crossing the street.
8.
Simmons chose the name "DMX", which came from an instrument he had used at the boys' home, the Oberheim DMX drum machine.
9.
DMX turned to robbery as a way to get out of poverty: his first was a purse snatch theft in Yonkers that netted him $1,000, which he used to buy a leather dog collar and dog harness for his dog, and a pair of Timberland boots for himself.
10.
DMX got his start in the music industry at age 14, in 1985, when he beatboxed for Ready Ron.
11.
DMX made an appearance on The Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Show in 1991 with Percee P, where they both freestyled.
12.
DMX released his second single, "Make a Move" in 1994.
13.
DMX made a guest appearance alongside Jay-Z, Ja Rule, and Mic Geronimo on the classic underground track "Time to Build" on Mic Geronimo's debut album in 1995.
14.
DMX recorded tracks from September 1996 to January 1998 for his debut album.
15.
In 2000, DMX made a cameo appearance in the Sum 41 music video for "Makes No Difference".
16.
DMX released two more singles, "Lord Give Me a Sign" and "We in Here".
17.
In 2009, DMX claimed he would pursue preaching in Jersey City, New Jersey as well as continue to produce music.
18.
DMX completed a Gospel music album prior to his incarceration.
19.
On October 11,2011, DMX performed at the 2011 BET Hip Hop Awards.
20.
DMX stated that he has been working "nonstop, every day" on his seventh album, which was titled Undisputed.
21.
In 2013, DMX announced he had begun working on his eighth studio album.
22.
On June 28,2016, DMX released a new song titled "Blood Red" and produced by Divine Bars.
23.
On January 11,2017, DMX released a new song produced by Swizz Beats titled "Bain Iz Back".
24.
On September 20,2019, DMX signed a new record deal with Def Jam Recordings, reuniting with the label for the first time since his 2003 album Grand Champ.
25.
DMX was a born-again Christian, and stated that he read the Bible every day.
26.
DMX was a transitional deacon and aspired to become ordained as a pastor, stating that he received this call in 2009.
27.
DMX was the father of 17 children from 11 different women.
28.
DMX married his childhood friend Tashera Simmons in 1999 and they were married for 11 years.
29.
DMX and Monique Wayne, a Maryland resident, fought over her claim that he was the father of her son born in 2004.
30.
DMX fathered a child in 2008 and fathered two daughters with Yadira Borrego.
31.
DMX's fifteenth child was born to his fiancee Desiree Lindstrom on August 16,2016.
32.
On December 5,2019, DMX's sixteenth and seventeenth children, twin boys, were born to Pebbles Junell.
33.
DMX's first filing was on July 30,2013, citing his child support obligations as his priority claim.
34.
DMX released the diss track "They Want War" on a 2002 DJ Kay Slay mixtape; Ja Rule never directly responded.
35.
DMX released the single "Go to Sleep" with Eminem and Obie Trice as part of the Cradle 2 the Grave soundtrack with numerous lines directed to Ja Rule.
36.
When DMX partnered with Jay-Z and Ja Rule in Murder Inc.
37.
DMX was in jail 30 times for various offenses, including robbery, assault, carjacking, animal cruelty, reckless driving, driving under the influence, unlicensed driving, drug possession, probation violation, failure to pay child support, pretending to be a federal agent, and tax evasion.
38.
DMX was first sent to prison in 1986 after stealing a dog from a junkyard.
39.
DMX was sentenced to two years in the juvenile unit of Woodfield Prison in Valhalla, New York.
40.
However, just weeks after starting his sentence, he and his cellmate successfully escaped the prison and DMX returned home until his mother forced him to turn himself in and finish his sentence, which he did at the McCormick Juvenile Detention Centre in Brooktondale, New York.
41.
In July 2017, DMX was charged with 14 federal counts of tax fraud.
42.
DMX pleaded guilty to a single count of tax fraud in November 2017.
43.
DMX was originally free pending sentencing but was remanded to jail in January 2018 after leaving a drug treatment program ordered by the court and relapsing with cocaine and oxycodone.
44.
DMX was resuscitated by first responders and intravenously given Narcan, an opioid-reversal drug; he responded quickly to Narcan and became semi-conscious.
45.
DMX's funeral took place in Brooklyn at the Christian Cultural Center on April 25,2021.
46.
DMX's casket was in the color red and featured the word "FAITH" in large printing.
47.
The homegoing ended with DMX's obituary read on stage and a virtual performance from Faith Evans.
48.
Cuomo had the flag flying over the state capitol on the day of DMX's death presented to his family.
49.
DMX had a significant impact on hip hop music and is considered a legend in the genre.
50.
DMX "defined 2000s rap" and was "among the most prolific rappers of his era".