There will forever be only one Dark Man Unknown and today is his birthday! Born Earl Simmons on this day in “Money Earnin’” Mount Vernon in 1970, DMX became one of the largest names in Hip Hop as well as a sought after actor on the silver screen. Sadly, X passed away on April 9, 2021 after being in a coma from a cocaine-induced heart attack.
In honor of X’s born day, The Mind Squad at The Source has formulated this list of The Dog’s Top 10 anthems. There’s no particular order, but make sure you let us know your favorite banger!
On this date three years ago, the Hip Hop community took a tremendous loss with the tragic death of legendary rapper-actor Earl “DMX” Simmons, who died at White Plains Hospital in New York. He was 50 years old.
As one of the most revered emcees of the past 25 years, DMX’s filmography and discography is unmatched, with seven albums, dozens of television and film credits, three grammy Award nominations and an American Music Award under his belt. DMX gained his notoriety after appearing on the Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Show, which caught the attention of The Source Magazine, who put X in the Unsigned Hype column. In the same year(1991), DMX signed to then unknown label Ruff Ryders Entertainment. After his friend, Irv Gotti, was given the position of President of A&R at Def Jam under Lyor Cohen, X signed to the legendary label in 1997.
Legal issues and substance abuse stunted DMX’s illustrious career despite his commercial success, with arrests ranging from drug possession to animal cruelty to impersonating a police officer. He managed to dodge prison time for all of his infractions due to his celebrity status, but his luck with the law ran out when X was convicted of tax fraud in 2018m which landed him in jail for one year.
X entered drug rehab several times since 2002, but his long term addiction overpowered him, finally losing his long-term battle with drugs after suffering a cocaine-induced heart attack o this date in 2021.
There will never be another DMX, who will forever have his name etched in stone as a part of Hip Hop history!
