Rapper DMX performs onstage during the 2017 Soulquarius Festival© GettyImages

Rapper DMX dies days after being rushed to the hospital in critical condition

He passed away at 50 years old in New York


Senior Writer
APRIL 9, 2021 1:27 PM EDT

DMX dies days after being rushed to the hospital in critical condition. The New York native rapper, born Earl Simmons, passed away on Friday, April 9, 2021, at the White Plains Hospital in White Plains, New York, one week after suffering a heart attack.

“We are deeply saddened to announce today that our loved one, DMX, birth name of Earl Simmons, passed away at 50 years old at White Plains Hospital with his family by his side after being placed on life support for the past few days,” his family said in a statement.

© GettyImages

Rapper DMX performs during week five of the BIG3 three on three basketball league at UIC Pavilion

“Earl was a warrior who fought till the very end. 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. Please respect our privacy as we grieve the loss of our brother, father, uncle, and the man the world knew as DMX. We will share information about his memorial service once details are finalized,” they added.

© GettyImages

DMX attends a Party at Elleven45 Lounge on February 19, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Simmons, known for his 1999 best-selling album, ... And Then There Was X, and his hit single “Party Up (Up in Here),” was taken into the hospital on Friday, April 2nd. “Last night, Earl ‘DMX’ Simmons was rushed to the hospital after collapsing at home,” a rep said in a statement. “At this time, he remains in ICU in critical condition.”

On Saturday, April 3rd, DMX’s lawyer, Murray Richman, confirmed he was in a coma, on life support, and treated at the ICU. Richman told AFP “he was hospitalized at 11 o’clock last night at the hospital in White Plains,” the New York suburb where he lives, after suffering “a heart attack.” Sources also informed that DMX’s brain didn’t receive oxygen for about 30 minutes, making him get into a vegetative state.

After the news broke, the late rapper’s family, friends, and fans gathered outside the hospital for a prayer vigil.

© GettyImages

Ex wife Tashera Simmons (L) and fiancee Desiree Lindstrom (R) hug at a prayer vigil

As reported by TMZ, neither his relatives nor his manager confirmed that his heart attack was caused by substance abuse. The artist’s lawyer, who has worked with him for 25 years, said he didn’t know the causes that led to the rapper’s collapse, so he could not confirm or deny the statements.

However, he acknowledged that Simmons had had a complicated life and had been in rehab multiple times. These experiences are part of his musical legacy.