PHOTO CREDIT: CHRIS MINOR

Legendary Hip Hop artist DMX a.k.a. Earl Simmons, has died following a stroke caused by a drug overdose. He was just 50 years old. DMX was taken to a White Plains New York hospital following a debilitating heart attack and a stroke that left him in a vegetative state for a week. Born in Mount Vernon, and raised in Yonkers, DMX (short for Dark Man X) exploded on the scene in 1998 with his debut album It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot,  followed by  his best-selling album, … And Then There Was X, in 1999, which included the hit single “Party Up (Up in Here)”. His 2008 single “X Gon’ Give It to Ya”  were huge hits used in movies, TV commercials, and movies. DMX raised the game for the genre with his aggressive style, yet showing a rare vulnerability and religious references, at the time not often heard from MCs. He was also an actor featured in films such as Belly, Romeo Must Die, Exit Wounds, Cradle 2 the Grave and Last Hour. 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 entitled, E.A.R.L.: The Autobiography of DMX. We send out sympathy out to his family, friends, and fans, at this time. 

https://www.tmz.com/2021/04/09/dmx-dead-dies-overdose-od-rapper/

https://people.com/music/dmx-dead-age-50-after-suffering-heart-attack/