Rapper DMX performs at Once Upon a Time in the LBC concert at the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California on Sunday, July 28,2019. (Maxim Elramsisy | The Corsair)

On April 2, the award-winning Rapper, known as DMX, legal name Earl Simmons, was hospitalized after suffering a heart attack at his home in Westchester County, New York — following a reported drug overdose, according to Simmons' manager Steve Rifkind. Simmons' mother, fiancé, and family were by his side at the hospital when he passed away on April 9, 2021.

Simmons was born in Mount Vernon, New York on December 18, 1970, and raised in Yonkers, New York. Coming from a troubled and abusive childhood, Simmons found music and writing as a creative outlet during his time bouncing between juvenile institutions and group homes. He chose his DMX stage name based on the Oberheim DMX digital drum machine he used to create beats.

At 14 years old, Simmons connected with local rap artist Ready Ron, who was 27 at the time. Ron acted as a mentor, encouraging Simmons' pursuit of a musical career, but also allegedly introduced him to hard drugs. In a November 2020 "People's Party" podcast, Simmons gave an emotional interview revealing that Ron purposely laced a blunt with crack, without Simmons' knowledge, and gave it to him to smoke. Simmons, a young teenager at the time, attributed that first drug encounter as the beginning of a lifelong battle with substance abuse.

Simmons' career took off in the early '90s and he appeared on records with many well-known rap artists, including Jay Z. His career continued to grow after releasing his "Ruff Ryders" studio album, which hit the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Simmons then released his second album, which also hit number one on the charts, “Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood.” His third album, released in 1999, “And Then There Was X”, went multiplatinum. He was featured in several films including “Exit Wounds”, “Never Die Alone,” and “Last Hour.”

The 50-year-old musician was also praised for his legendary performance at the Woodstock '99 festival, with an audience of over 200,000; known as rap's biggest audience. Many fans of rap music have said this performance was considered one of the best live hip-hop shows in history.

In July of 2020, Simmons and rap artist Snoop Dogg went head to head during a Verzuz battle. The battle involved both artists playing snippets of their music, while their Instagram-Live audience scored each song until eventually, one artist won the battle with the most votes, DMX winning by two points. During the battle, Simmons played his hits "X Gon’ Give It To Ya" which was certified platinum, "Party Up", "Slippin’’, and more.

On Monday, April 5, outside of his hospital in White Plains, New York, hundreds of Simmons' fans came together and held a prayer vigil in his honor while he remained on life support.

Simmons' family put out a statement early Friday morning, April 9, announcing his passing, “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.”

A statement put out by Rapper Eve Jihan Jeffers Cooper, who was a part of the Ruff Ryders crew along with DMX, posted on Instagram, “I know that you are in the place of peace you deserve. I will be forever grateful to have known you. You were one of the most special people I have ever met. Full of humor, talent, wisdom, and love, and most of all loyalty. This world has lost a real one, but the heavens have gained an angel. May you rest.”

Fans and celebrities have flooded their social media accounts with statements of love and support for Simmons and his family.

DMX Passes Away at 50