1. Earl Simmons, known professionally as DMX, was an American rapper and actor.
46 Facts About DMX
1. 2.
DMX became the first artist to have their first five albums consecutively debut atop the Billboard 200, and by his death on April 9,2021, he had sold over 75 million records worldwide.
3.
DMX acted in commercially successful films such as Belly, alongside rapper Nas, Romeo Must Die and Cradle 2 the Grave, alongside Jet Li, and Exit Wounds, alongside Steven Seagal.
4.
DMX was the son of 19-year-old Arnett Simmons and 18-year-old Joe Barker.
5.
DMX disassociated himself from the spirituality after he was injured in an accident by a driver.
6.
DMX then returned to Yonkers at age fifteen, sleeping in empty storage bins and befriending stray dogs.
7.
DMX's career began in 1985, when he beatboxed for a local rapper named Ready Ron.
8.
DMX later made an appearance on The Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Show in January 1991, where he provided a freestyle.
9.
In 1991, DMX signed a management deal with the then-unknown record label Ruff Ryders Entertainment.
10.
Later that year, Columbia Records signed DMX to its subsidiary labels Chaos Records and Ruffhouse Records, which released his major debut single "Born Loser" in 1993.
11.
DMX recorded tracks from April 1997 to January 1998 for his debut album.
12.
In 2000, DMX made a cameo appearance in the Sum 41 music video for "Makes No Difference".
13.
DMX released two more singles, "Lord Give Me a Sign" and "We in Here".
14.
In 2009, DMX claimed he would pursue preaching in Jersey City, New Jersey as well as continue to produce music.
15.
DMX completed a Gospel music album prior to his incarceration.
16.
On October 11,2011, DMX performed at the 2011 BET Hip Hop Awards.
17.
DMX stated that he has been working "nonstop, every day" on his seventh album, which was titled Undisputed.
18.
In 2013, DMX announced he had begun working on his eighth studio album.
19.
On June 28,2016, DMX released a new song titled "Blood Red" and produced by Divine Bars.
20.
On January 11,2017, DMX released a new song produced by Swizz Beats titled "Bain Iz Back".
21.
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.
22.
DMX joined fellow labelmate, LL Cool J, in the reunion with the label.
23.
DMX was a born-again Christian, and stated that he read the Bible every day.
24.
DMX was a transitional deacon and aspired to become ordained as a pastor, stating that he received this call in 2009.
25.
DMX was the father of 15 children from 9 different women.
26.
DMX and Monique Wayne, a Maryland resident, fought over her claim that he was the father of her son born in 2004.
27.
DMX fathered a son and a daughter with Yadira Borrego.
28.
DMX fathered another child with his fiancee Desiree Lindstrom on August 16,2016.
29.
DMX's final two children, twin boys, were born on December 5,2019.
30.
DMX's first filing was on July 30,2013, citing his child support obligations as his priority claim.
31.
DMX would go on to throw shots at Ja Rule in his song "Do You" from Funkmaster Flex's mixtape The Mix Tape, Vol.
32.
In 2002, DMX released his diss track "They Want War" on DJ Kay Slay's mixtape Streetsweepers Presents The Regulator Pt.
33.
The next year DMX would take shots at Ja Rule in the song "Go To Sleep" with Eminem and Obie Trice from the Cradle 2 The Grave soundtrack.
34.
When DMX partnered with Jay-Z and Ja Rule in Murder Inc.
35.
DMX was first sent to prison in 1986 after stealing a dog from a junkyard.
36.
DMX served a few months in the juvenile unit of Woodfield Prison in Valhalla, New York.
37.
However, in December 1986, just a few days 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.
38.
In July 2017, DMX was charged with 14 federal counts of tax fraud.
39.
DMX pleaded guilty to a single count of tax fraud in November 2017.
40.
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.
41.
DMX was resuscitated by first responders and intravenously given Narcan, an opioid-reversal drug; he responded quickly to Narcan and became semi-conscious.
42.
DMX's funeral took place in Brooklyn at the Christian Cultural Center on April 25,2021.
43.
DMX's casket was in the color red and featured the word "FAITH" in large printing.
44.
The homegoing ended with DMX's obituary read on stage and a virtual performance from Faith Evans.
45.
Cuomo had the flag flying over the state capitol on the day of DMX's death presented to his family.
46.
DMX had a significant impact on hip hop music and is considered a "legend" in the genre.