DMX

Earl Simmons (December 18, 1970 - April 9 2021) was known as DMX, was an American rapper and actor. He began his rap career in the early 1990s , and released his debut album , It's Dark and Hell Is Hot in 1998, to the delight of critics and commercial success. It sold 251,000 copies within its first week of release. The most-sold album by DMX,... and Then there Was X, was released in 1999. The album also featured the smash single "Party Up (Up in Here). The songs he sang "Where is the Hood At?" and "X Gon Give It to Ya?" in 2003 were also commercial hits. Commercially as well as his singles from 2003 "Where the Hood Is?" and "X Gon"Give It to Ya" were also very successful. The artist was the first in history to have an album debut that reached No.1 on the Billboard 200 charts five times consecutively. Seven times in all, DMX sold over 74 million albums around the world. 8 DMX was featured in films such as Belly, Romeo Must Die, Exit Wounds, Cradle 2 the Grave, as well as Last Hour. He appeared in the reality TV series DMX. Soul of a Man. It was shown on the BET cable television channel Never Die Alone. In 2003, he published a book of his memoirs entitled E.A.R.L. : The Autobiography of DMX. [9] DMX was 14 when he began beatboxing at Ready Ron. After being sentenced for the theft of a dog, he began to write his own lyrics. He also performed at a local recreation center for kids younger than 14 years old. In 1988, while in prison for carjacking, he started dedicating a large portion of his time creating lyrics, and also to meeting and rapping with K-Solo. The mixtapes he sold were made and sold when his release from prison for carjacking. [3] This helped to establish his fan base in New York. Percee P as well as DMX both did freestyles on The Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Show, 1991. [15] DMX would release the demo tape later in the year that featured "Spellbound", along with "Critical Condition", three Little Pigs "The Original Author of Spellbound" as well as "Unstoppable force". Its style was similar to Big Daddy Kane's style and Rakim's, but it was distinct from his later material. 3] In 1991, The Source magazine praised DMX as a member of its Unsigned Hype column, that showcased hip-hop artists that were not signed. 16] In the same year, Columbia Records signed DMX to its subsidiary label Ruffhouse Records, which released his debut single "Born Loser". In 1994, he dropped "Make A Move", his second single. Jay-Z, Ja Rules, and Mic Gérardo appeared as guest performers on the underground classic "Time to Build" from Mic Geronimo in the year 1995. DMX died of a heart attack triggered by cocaine on April 9 2021.