DMX has died in a New York hospital a week after suffering a heart attack believed to been caused by a drug overdose, according to emerging reports.
On Friday, the rapper’s team confirmed his death in a statement issued to XXL magazine. It reads:
“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. 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.”
The news comes roughly an hour after TMZ reported that DMX’s organs — lungs, kidneys, and liver — were failing. Sources told the tabloid that the rapper was near the end of his life and it was unclear if he would make it through the day.
Before Friday’s announcement, DMX reportedly remained in a vegetative state and doctors were in the process of determining how much brain function he had.
After initial reports indicated that DMX was off life support and breathing on his own, the rapper’s longtime lawyer, Murray Richman, told NBC that he remains on life support and is not breathing on his own. Additionally, Walker told Buzzfeed News that DMX is experiencing “lung and brain failure” and has no brain activity.
DMX has been candid about his substance abuse issues over the years.
In 2013, DMX appeared on “Iyanla Fix My Life” and told Iyanla Vanzant about his ongoing struggles with marijuana, crack cocaine, and cocaine. Late last year, DMX appeared on the “People’s Party With Talib Kweli“ and revealed to Kweli that his substance abuse issues began at age 14 when his 30-year-old musical mentor gave him marijuana laced with crack without his knowledge.
“I’ve never felt like this, it just f**ked me up,” DMX recalled. “Why would you do that to a child? He knew I looked up to him.”
This is a developing story. Check back with CrimeOnline for updates as they are made available.
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[Featured image: DMX/AP Photo/Peter Kramer, File]
