US rapper DMX is in a serious condition following a heart attack, says his longtime lawyer Murray Richman. Richman said the rapper was on life support Saturday evening at White Plains Hospital.
Richman said he could not confirm reports that the 50-year-old overdosed on drugs and was not sure what caused the heart attack. “He’s just a tremendous person, tremendous entertainer, tremendous human being. A person of great depth,” he said.
“He was on life support,” the lawyer said. “He’s been taken off of life support. He is breathing on his own but we are concerned.”
DMX, real name Earl Simmons, broke into the hip-hop scene in 1998 with his first studio album “It’s Dark and Hell is Hot,” which debuted No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. The multiplatinum-selling album had several hits including “Ruff Ryders Anthem,” “Get At Me Dog” and “Stop Being Greedy.”
The rapper had four other chart-topping albums including “…And Then There Was X,” “Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood,” “The Great Depression” and “Grand Champ.” DMX has released seven albums and has three Grammy nominations to his name.
Along with his music career, DMX also made his way into the movie industry as an actor. He starred in the 1998 film “Belly” and appeared in “Romeo Must Die” a few years later with Jet Li and the late singer Aaliyah. DMX and Aaliyah teamed up for the film’s soundtrack song “Come Back in One Piece.” The rapper also starred in “Exit Wounds” with Steven Seagal and “Cradle 2 the Grave” with Li.
Over the years, DMX has publicly battled with substance abuse and has been to rehab. The rapper cancelled a series of shows to check himself into a rehabilitation facility in 2019, for which, he apologised and thanked his fans for the continued support. In 2016, he stopped breathing and had to be resuscitated in a hotel car parking in New York state.
Last year, DMX faced off against Snoop Dogg in a Verzuz battle, which drew more than 500,000 viewers.
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