File:DMX.rapper_(cropped).jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons
Also known as Earl Simmons, Dark Man X, X, Divine Master of the Unknown, Dog Master X
Earl Simmons (December 18, 1970 – April 9, 2021), known professionally as DMX, was an American rapper, songwriter, and actor. His accolades included an American Music Award, a Billboard Music Award, and six Grammy Award nominations. Regarded as an influential figure in the late 1990s and early 2000s and one of the greats of hip-hop, his music is characterized by his "aggressive" rapping style, with lyrical content varying from hardcore themes to prayers. His violent lyricism helped popularize the horrorcore genre.
OverviewAI-generated
DMX, born Earl Simmons on December 18, 1970, in Mount Vernon, New York, was an American rapper, songwriter, actor, and singer. He performed under several pseudonyms, including Dark Man X, X, Divine Master of the Unknown, and Dog Master X. His musical career spanned from 1985 until his death on April 9, 2021, in White Plains. He was associated with record labels such as Ruff Ryders Entertainment, Columbia Records, Bloodline Records, and Cleopatra Records.
His work encompassed genres including hardcore hip-hop, East Coast hip-hop, horrorcore, and Christian hip-hop. DMX was a United States citizen who spoke English. He was convicted of theft. As an author, he is credited with three works, including *E.A.R.L* and *E.A.R.L.*.
Synthesized by Vinony from 37 facts across 6 sources: Wikidata, Open Library, MusicBrainz, Last.fm, TMDb, Vinony graph. Generated from structured data (not the Wikipedia text) and checked against those facts — may still contain errors.
Person · Open Library
- Works
- 3
Top works
- E.A.R.L
- E.A.R.L.
via Open Library + Wikidata
Film & TV
Mount Vernon, New York, USA
Earl Simmons (December 18, 1970 - April 9, 2021), better known by his stage name DMX, was an American rapper and actor who rose to fame in the late 1990s. His stage name pays tribute to the Oberheim DMX drum machine, an instrument he used when he made his own rap beats in the 80's. To date, his best-selling album is his 1999 album ...And Then There Was X, which featured the hit single "Party Up…
Known for
- In Whose Name? — Self2025
- Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music — Self (archive footage)2025
- A Journey to Sundance — Self2023
- You're Watching Video Music Box — Self (archive footage)2021
- Woodstock 99: Peace, Love, and Rage — Self (archive footage)2021
- DMX: Don't Try to Understand — Self2021
- Fast Vengeance — Captain Liddle2021
- Fast and Fierce: Death Race — Davie2020
- Chronicle of a Serial Killer — Detective White2020
- VERZUZ — Self2020
via TMDB
Music · MusicBrainz
- Type
- Person
- Gender
- Male
- Country
- United States
- Active from
- 1970
- Active to
- 2021
Discography
via MusicBrainz · CC0
Listeners · Last.fm
- Listeners
- 2,353,655
- Total plays
- 34,386,215
Tags
Earl Simmons (December 18, 1970 - April 9, 2021), better known by his stage name DMX (Dark Man X), was an American rapper from Yonkers, New York and actor signed to Ruff Ryders Entertainment. In 1998 he released his debut solo album, It's Dark and Hell Is Hot, and has since released 1998's Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood, 1999's ...And Then There Was X, 2001's The Great Depression, 2003's Grand Champ and 2006's Year of the Dog...Again. DMX died on April 9 <a href="https://www.last.fm/musi
via Last.fm · DMX
Key facts
- Person.name
- DMX
- Person.image
- DMX.rapper (cropped).jpg
- Person.caption
- DMX in 2001
- Person.birth_name
- Earl Simmons
- Person.birth_place
- Mount Vernon, New York, U.S.
- Person.death_place
- White Plains, New York, U.S.
- Person.burial_place
- Oakland Cemetery,Yonkers, New York, U.S.
- Person.years_active
- 1985–2021
- Person.works
- DMX discography
- Person.children
- 15
- Person.signature
- DMX Signature.png
- Musical artist <! See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians >.embed
- yes
- Musical artist <! See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians >.instrument
- Vocals
- Musical artist <! See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians >.origin
- Yonkers, New York, U.S.
via Wikipedia infobox
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- human
- Family name
- Simmons
- Gender
- male
- Citizenship
- United States
- Place of birth
- Mount Vernon
- Place of death
- White Plains
- Occupation
- producer
- Languages spoken
- English language
- Native language
- English language
- Religion
- Christianity
- Field of work
- singing
- Genre
- gangsta rap
- Instrument
- voice
- Record label
- The Island Def Jam Music Group
- Discography
- DMX discography
- Image
- DMX.rapper (cropped).jpg
- Number of children
- 15
- Convicted of
- theft
Show 12 more facts
- Commons category
- DMX
- topic's main category
- Category:DMX
- date of birth
- 1970-12-18
- birth name
- Earl Simmons
- pseudonym
- Dog Master X
- start of work period
- 1985-00-00
- social media followers
- 360351
- date of death
- 2021-04-09
- end of work period
- 2021-00-00
- cause of death
- myocardial infarction
- manner of death
- natural causes
- different from
- DMX512
Sources (9)
via Wikidata · CC0
~38 min read
Encyclopedic overview
34 sectionsContents
- Early life
- Musical career
- 1985–1995: Career beginnings
- 1996–1997: Building hype and signing to Def Jam
- 1998–2000: Debut album and commercial success
- 2001–2004: Return to music
- 2005–2011: ''Year of the Dog... Again'' and ''The Definition of X''
- 2011–2013: ''Undisputed''
- 2013–2021: Def Jam reunion and ''Exodus''
- Personal life
- Religion
- Relationships and children
- Finances and bankruptcies
- Feud with Ja Rule
- Feud with Jay-Z
- Legal issues
- 1986–1988
- 1998–1999
- 2000–2005: Metro NY
- 2007
- 2008–2011: Arizona and California
- 2013: South Carolina
- 2015: New York
- 2017–2019: Tax fraud conviction
- Health problems and death
- Legacy
- Impact
- Discography
- Awards and nominations
- Filmography
- See also
- Notes
- References
- External links
Earl Simmons (December 18, 1970 – April 9, 2021), known professionally as DMX, was an American rapper, songwriter, and actor. His accolades included an American Music Award, a Billboard Music Award, and six Grammy Award nominations. Regarded as an influential figure in the late 1990s and early 2000s and one of the greats of hip-hop, his music is characterized by his "aggressive" rapping style, with lyrical content varying from hardcore themes to prayers. His violent lyricism helped popularize the horrorcore genre.
DMX began rapping in the late 1990s. After an unsuccessful tenure on Columbia Records, he signed with Ruff Ryders Entertainment in a joint venture with Def Jam Recordings to release his debut studio album, ''It's Dark and Hell Is Hot (1998), which was met with critical and commercial success—selling 251,000 copies in its first week and spawning the Billboard'' Hot 100-top 20 single, "Ruff Ryders' Anthem". His second album, Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood (1998), was followed by his third, (1999), which became his best-selling release and was supported by his second top 40 single, "Party Up (Up in Here)". His fourth album, The Great Depression (2001), was followed by his fifth, Grand Champ (2003), which was led by the single "Where the Hood At?" and included the international bonus track "X Gon' Give It to Ya". DMX became the first artist to have their first five albums consecutively debut atop the Billboard 200, and by his death on April 9, 2021, he had sold over 75 million records worldwide.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “DMX” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.