.png)
US rap lost one of its most iconic faces. Rapper DMX passed away on Friday, April 9, 2021, at the age of 50. After having suffered a heart attack linked to a drug overdose, he had been hospitalized a week before, as reported several American media said, including the magazine Pitchfork and the tabloid TMZ. Born December 18, 1970, in Mount Vernon, New York, Earl Simmons, DMX's real name, forever marked the history of US rap.
In the 1990s, he became known, with titles like X Gon 'Give It To Ya or Party Up. The rapper with more than 30 million records sold in the world was hospitalized for a week for a heart attack contracted after an overdose, as we mentioned before, at the White Plains hospital, north of New York. In a statement posted on social media, his family said, "He loved his family with all his heart, and we cherish the times spent with him [...] His music has inspired countless fans around the world."
Tributes rained down on Friday after news of his death was announced. Rapper T.I. called him a "cultural icon", while Missy Elliott called him "a heavy loss for the hip-hop family". "No one gave off so much a sense of suffering, pain and atomic energy," rapper Biz Markie tweeted. He represented "pure adrenaline, lawless genius, and total surrender." "The poet of God," greeted Nas. «I love you." On social networks, the hashtag #ripDMX sowed doubt much of the night from Thursday to Friday, April 9, in the United States.
A rumor first circulated on social networks for several hours, claiming that the rapper DMX, hospitalized for a week after being overdosed, died. In particular, this wave of messages, posted on Twitter, had prompted his agent to deny this information at first. It will finally be formalized a few hours later. For its part, Def Jam Recordings, the record company with which he had released several of his most famous albums, declared that "DMX was a brilliant artist and an inspiration to millions of people around the world". He was indeed a rap icon.
Rest in Peace, DMX.
