DMX

For other uses, see DMX (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with Davy DMX.

DMX
DMX in 2014
Born
Earl Simmons

(1970-12-18)December 18, 1970
Mount Vernon, New York, U.S.
DiedApril 9, 2021(2021-04-09) (aged 50)
White Plains, New York, U.S.
Burial placeOakland Cemetery, Yonkers, New York, U.S.
Other names
  • Dark Man X
  • X
  • Divine Master of the Unknown
Occupations
  • Rapper
  • songwriter
  • actor
  • record producer
Years active1985–2021
Spouse
Tashera Simmons
​
​
(m. 1999; div. 2014)​
Children15
Musical career
OriginYonkers, New York, U.S.[1]
Genres
InstrumentVocals
DiscographyDMX discography
Labels
Formerly of
Websitedmx.store
Signature

Earl Simmons (December 18, 1970 – April 9, 2021), known professionally as DMX, was an American rapper and actor. The recipient of various accolades, he won an American Music Award and a Billboard Music Award, and was nominated for six Grammy Awards. Regarded as an influential figure in late 1990s and early 2000s hip hop,[4] his music is characterized by his "aggressive" rapping style,[5] with lyrical content varying from hardcore themes to prayers.[2][3] His commercially successful violent lyricism helped popularize the horrorcore genre.[5]

DMX began rapping in the early 1990s. After an unsuccessful tenure on Columbia Records, he signed with Ruff Ryders Entertainment in a joint venture with Def Jam Recordings to release his debut studio album, It's Dark and Hell Is Hot (1998), which was met with critical and commercial success—selling 251,000 units its first week and spawning the Billboard Hot 100-top 40 single, "Ruff Ryders Anthem".[6][7] It was the first of five of his albums to consecutively debut atop the Billboard 200, with DMX becoming the first artist in the chart's history to do so. His second album, Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood (1999) was followed by third, ... And Then There Was X (1999), which became his best-selling release and was supported by his second top 40 single, "Party Up (Up in Here)". His fourth album, The Great Depression (2001) was followed by his fifth, Grand Champ (2003), which was led by the single "Where the Hood At?" and included the international bonus track "X Gon' Give It to Ya".[8] By 2021, DMX had sold over 75 million records worldwide.[9]

DMX was featured in films such as Belly (1998), alongside Nas, Romeo Must Die (2000) and Cradle 2 the Grave (2003), alongside Jet Li, Exit Wounds (2001) and Beyond the Law (2019), alongside Steven Seagal, and Last Hour (2008), alongside Michael Madsen. In 2006, he starred in the reality television series DMX: Soul of a Man, which was primarily aired on the BET cable television network. In 2003, he published a book of his memoirs titled E.A.R.L.: The Autobiography of DMX.[10]

  1. ^ Simmons, Earl & Fontaine, Smokey D. (2003), E.A.R.L.: The Autobiography of DMX, HarperCollins, p. 7, ISBN 978-0-06-093403-3, archived from the original on January 7, 2024, retrieved October 10, 2016
  2. ^ a b c Huey, Steve (June 12, 2007). "DMX Biography". AllMusic. Archived from the original on April 30, 2012. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  3. ^ a b "How DMX found God". Pitchfork. April 21, 2021. Archived from the original on July 28, 2023. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference :bey was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b Chow, Andrew R. (April 9, 2021). "How DMX's It's Dark and Hell Is Hot Changed the Course of Hip-Hop Forever". Time Magazine. Archived from the original on August 5, 2022. Retrieved August 10, 2022.
  6. ^ Birchmeier, Jason (May 12, 1998). "It's Dark and Hell Is Hot – DMX". AllMusic. Archived from the original on February 4, 2021. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
  7. ^ "50 Greatest MCs of Our Time (1987–2007)". Liveabout. About.com. Archived from the original on May 31, 2020. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
  8. ^ Carissimo, Justin; Jones, Zoe Christen (April 9, 2021). "DMX, electrifying rapper who defined 2000s rap, dies at 50". CBS News. Archived from the original on April 15, 2021. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
  9. ^ Mims, Talor (June 28, 2019). "DMX Signs with CAA for Worldwide Representation". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 12, 2021. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  10. ^ Fleischer, Adam; Gissen, Jesse; Lelinwalla, Mark; Rodriguez, Jayson (December 12, 2011). "What's the Word: Top 10 Rap Books". XXL. Archived from the original on April 10, 2021. Retrieved April 10, 2021.