UPDATE:
DMX passed away on Friday (April 9), at the age of 50.
A rep for his family issued a statement confirming the sad news.
“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,” the statement continues. “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.”
Rest in peace, DMX.
Original Story:
Last week, rapper DMX (real name: Earl Simmons) was rushed to the hospital after reportedly suffering from an overdose. According to TMZ, the rapper had a heart attack triggered by the OD and was taken to White Plains hospital in New York.
DMX’s rep has since issued a statement: “Last night Earl ‘DMX’ Simmons was rushed to the hospital after collapsing at home. At this time he remains in ICU in critical condition. Earl has been a warrior his entire life. This situation represents yet another road he must conquer.” The rep goes on … “The Simmons Family appreciates the overwhelming outpouring of heartfelt love, encouragement, support and prayers for Earl. Earl is someone whose life and music have been a source of inspiration and strength to so many people around the world. It is reassuring to see his fans return that same passion and energy to him during his time of need.”
The family also issued a statement to people as the rapper continued to fight for his life. “We ask that you please keep Earl/DMX and us in your thoughts, wishes, and prayers as well as respect our privacy as we face these challenges,” the family said in a statement to People.
The rapper’s famous friends, including Missy Elliott, Ja Rule, Viola Davis, Gabrielle Union, Jemele Hill, and more, sent their thoughts and prayers. Family, friends and fans are also holding vigils outside the hospital and even DMX’s room. His children were among the visitors allowed inside the ICU there to say their “final goodbye” to him.
Demi, who suffered a near-fatal overdose in 2018, has heard the news of DMX’s critical condition, and opened up to TMZ Live about it on Wednesday (April 7).
“Anytime that I see somebody OD or even pass away that’s in the public eye, I immediately think, ‘That could have been you had you not been putting all this work in to the last couple years of your life,'” the 28-year-old singer shared. “There’s times where I’ve even talked about feeling survivor’s guilt because you do ask yourself why am I still here? Why are others not? It’s a challenging thing to get over.”
Just last month, Demi talked about surviving the 27 Club and grappling with survivor’s guilt in an interview that aired before the release of her docuseries.
“Sometimes I still deal with like survivor’s guilt. There’s a lot of musicians that just don’t make it and I was very close to being one of them,” Demi said. “So at certain times after my overdose, where I have said something wrong or gotten attacked or whatever, and people come after me and say, ‘Oh, well I wish it would have been you instead of so and so,’ like that really affects me.”
“It got into my head so much so that I kind of started believing it for a while, and I think that’s why I ended up, you know, slipping, which I talk about,” she continued.
She also shared that she now tries to look at the situation in a more positive light.
“Ultimately, I had to realize that every day is a day that someone else doesn’t get,” she continued. “Every day that I’m here on this earth is a day that I need to be counting my blessings for and just being appreciative and grateful for it. It makes me want to live the best life I can possibly live, knowing that others didn’t get the same chance that I did.”
Rumors that DMX passed away on Thursday (April 8) night began circulating online. However, his manager, Steve Rifkind addressed the rumors, saying the rapper was still alive and was on life support at the time.
“Hi everybody, please stop posting with these rumors. DMX is still alive. Yes, he is still on life support,” he said in a video posted on his Instagram.
