Earl Simmons, best known by the name DMX–short for Dark Man X–has died at the age of 50 from a heart attack. His family confirmed the passing Friday morning after a string of false reports circulated across social media Thursday night, with even his manager taking to Instagram to confirm he was still alive at the time.
DMX, a founding member of the Ruff Ryders clique, had a string of number one albums in the late 1990s and early 2000s. His songs “Ruff Ryder’s Anthem” and “How It’s Goin’ Down” were monster hits as part of his debut album It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot.
That album would go on to sell 251,000 copies within its first week of release. Following that, he released his best-selling album, ... And Then There Was X, in 1999, which included the hit single “Party Up (Up in Here)”. His 2003 singles “Where the Hood At?” and “X Gon’ Give It to Ya” were also some of his most popular.
DMX also had massive crossover appeal appearing in movies such as Belly, alongside other hip-hop greats like Nas and T-Boz from TLC, and later Cradle 2 The Grave with action superstar Jet Li. He would also appear in the Def Jam video game fighting series as himself in Def Jam Vendetta.
“Earl was a warrior who fought till the very end,” the family said in a statement. “He loved his family with all of his heart and we cherish the times we spent with him. Earl’s music inspired countless fans across the world and his iconic legacy will live on forever. We appreciate all of the love and support during this incredibly difficult time.”
The family asked for privacy as they “grieve the loss of our brother, father, uncle, and the man the world knew as DMX.” Any and all information about his memorial service will be announced once details are finalized.
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