NEW YORK: Earl Simmons, a Grammy-nominated hip-hop artist better known as DMX, died in New York on Thursday after suffering cardiac arrest. He was 50.

He is best remembered for producing songs like Ruff Ryders Anthem and Party Up (Up in Here) and a trademark delivery that was often paired with growls, barks and What! as an ad-lib.

A statement from relatives said he died “with his family by his side after being placed on life support for the past few days”.

The rapper had struggled with drug addiction since his teenage years. His lawyer, Murray Richman, had earlier said he could not confirm reports that DMX overdosed.

DMX made a splash in rap music in 1998 with his first studio album, Its Dark and Hell is Hot, which debuted No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. The multiplatinum-selling album was anchored by several hits, including Ruff Ryders Anthem, Get At Me Dog, Stop Being Greedy and How Its Goin Down.

DMX followed up with four straight chart-topping albums including ... And Then There Was X, Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood, The Great Depression and Grand Champ. He released seven albums, earned three Grammy nominations and was named favourite rap/hip-hop artist at the 2000 American Music Awards.

Earl Simmons arrived on the rap scene around the same time as Jay-Z, Ja Rule and others who dominated the charts and emerged as platinum-selling acts. They were all part of rap crews, too: DMX fronted the Ruff Ryders collective, which helped launch the careers of Grammy winners Eve and Swizz Beatz, and relaunch The Lox, formerly signed to Bad Boy Records. Ruff Ryders had success on the charts and on radio with its 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 appeared in 2000s Romeo Must Die with Jet Li and Aaliyah. DMX and Aaliyah teamed up for Come Back in One Piece on the films soundtrack.

Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2021