‘Nothing less than a giant’: rapper actor DMX dies at 50

WTOP’s Jason Fraley Remembers DMX (Part 1)

NEW YORK (AP) – DMX, the iconic hip-hop artist behind the songs “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem” and “Party Up (Up in Here)”, whose distinctive wry voice and thoughtful messages in his rhymes make him one of rap’s biggest stars has died, according to a family statement on Friday. He was 50.

The Grammy-nominated artist has died after suffering a “catastrophic cardiac arrest,” according to a statement from the hospital in White Plains, New York, where he died. He was rushed there from his home on April 2.

The statement from his family states that DMX, with the birth name Earl Simmons, died after a few days of life with family members at his side.

‘Earl was a warrior who fought to the end. He loved his family wholeheartedly, and we cherish the times we spent with him, ‘the family said, adding that his music’ has inspired many fans around the world. ‘

Memorial plans have not yet been drawn up.

DMX – which scratched with a raspy delivery of brands often linked to growls, barks and ‘What!’ as an ad-lib – built a multiplatinum career in the late 1990s and early 2000s, but he also struggled with drug addiction and legal issues that repeatedly put him behind bars.

“His message of triumph over struggle, his search for light out of darkness, his pursuit of truth and grace has brought us closer to our own humanity,” his record company, Def Jam Recordings, said in a statement describing him as “nothing less. than a giant.”

Colleagues of hip-hop artists remembered him as well, with Eva praising him as ‘one of the most special people I’ve ever met’ and calling Nas ‘Gods poet’ in an Instagram post.

DMX made a splash in 1998 with his first studio album, “It’s Dark and Hell is Hot,” which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 album chart. The multi-platinum album was anchored by several hits including ‘Ruff Ryders’ Anthem ‘,’ Get At Me Dog ‘,’ Stop Being Greedy ‘and’ How It’s Goin ‘Down’.

DMX follows up with four straight album tops, including ‘… And then there was X’, ‘Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood’, ‘The Great Depression’ and ‘Grand Champion’. He has released seven albums, received three Grammy nominations and was named the favorite rap / hip-hop artist at the 2000 American Music Awards.

DMX showed up at the same time with the rap scene as Jay-Z, Ja Rule and others who dominated the charts and acted as platinum sellers. They were also all part of rap crew members: DMX was the front of the Ruff Ryders collective, which helped start the careers of Grammy winners Eve and Swizz Beatz, and The Lox, who previously signed to Bad Boy Records is, to recharge. Ruff Ryders achieved success on the charts and on radio with his “Ryde or Die” compilation albums.

Along with his musical career, DMX paved his way as an actor. He starred in the 1998 film ‘Belly’ and in 2000 ‘Romeo Must Die’ starred with Jet Li and Aaliyah. DMX and Aaliyah teamed up for ‘Come Back in One Piece’ on the soundtrack of the film.

The rapper would later open Aaliyah’s tribute music video, “Miss You”, along with her other friends and collaborators, including Missy Elliott, Lil ‘Kim and Queen Latifah, after Aaliyah’s death in 2001 in a plane crash at the age of 22. .

The rapper also played ‘Exit Wounds’ with Steven Seagal in 2001 and ‘Cradle 2 the Grave’ with Li in 2003.

But while DMX made his mark as one of hip-hop’s most recognizable names for his rap artistry and as an actor, the rapper was personally suffocated by his legal battle – he was repeatedly arrested and jailed within a decade – and drug addiction . His addiction first took hold at age 14 when he smoked a marijuana-themed cigarette.

“Earl Simmons was a wonderful, caring father and a sensitive, considerate man,” Lyor Cohen, a former executive at Def Jam, said in a statement. “Unfortunately, Dark Man X took over and went on a rampage, tormented and struggling to find the light. … DMX inspired me to keep going at Def Jam when rap became soft and silly. ”

DMX pleaded guilty in 2004 after posing as a secret federal agent and colliding with his SUV through a security gate at Kennedy Airport in New York. He was arrested in 2008 on drug and animal cruelty charges after an overnight raid on his Phoenix home. He tried to lock himself in his bedroom, but came to the fore when a SWAT team entered his house.

In 2010, he was sentenced to one year in prison for violating his terms. After being admitted to rehab several times the following year, he said he finally beat his drug addiction.

First responders helped bring DMX back to life after it was found in a 2016 hotel parking lot in New York. The rapper said he suffers from asthma.

A few years later, DMX was sentenced to one year in prison for tax fraud. Prosecutors said he devised a multi-year scheme to hide millions of dollars in revenue for the IRS and get nearly $ 2 million in tax liabilities.

Following its release, DMX has planned a 32-day tour to celebrate the 20th anniversary of “It’s Dark and Hell is Hot”. But the rapper has canceled a series of programs to check himself in a rehab facility in 2019. In an Instagram message, his team said it apologized for the canceled shows and thanked its fans for the continued support.

In addition to its legal problems, DMX has taken the initiative to help the underprivileged. He advised a group of Philadelphia men during a surprise appearance at an event support group meeting in 2017, and a few years later helped a Maine family with the purchases of the school.

Last year, DMX faced Snoop Dogg in a Verzuz battle, which attracted more than 500,000 viewers.

“You can not be a fan and not feel empathy for him in his journey,” hip-hop and electronic music producer Flying Lotus said in an interview while DMX was admitted to hospital this week. ‘You think of’ Belly ‘and all the wonderful things he was a part of. But he got such a strange hand on me, I think, with the drugs. And I just have empathy. ”

Survivors include his 15 children and his mother.

___

Landrum reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press author Ryan Pearson made a contribution from Los Angeles.

Copyright © 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

WTOP’s Jason Fraley Remembers DMX (Part 2)