The rapper DMX in 2019 in Chicago – AB5 / Adam Bielawski / WENN.com / SIPA
Hundreds of fans gathered on Monday for a prayer vigil in upstate New York outside the hospital where rapper DMX is in critical condition. Artist born Earl Simmons was hospitalized Friday night in White Plains in suburban New York City following a heart attack.
Public relations officer Angelo Ellerbee said DMX (50) was still on life support.
“We cannot dream of a better artist”
His fiancee and ex-wife were in tears as they read a prayer for the rapper, whose fans chanted “DMX” as they raised their fists to the sky in honor of their star. A procession of motorcycles then traveled the street in front of the establishment to the sound of DMX hits among which Ruff Ryders’ Anthem.
“You can’t dream of a better artist,” exclaimed family friend AB Butler, confident he was “heartbroken”. “He’s come a long way in his life, a hard life, and it’s really important to just come and see where he is today,” says fan Beverly Bailey. The rapper had his heyday in the late 1990s and early 2000s, with hits like X Gon’ Give It To Ya or Party Up.
Detoxification in 2019
Author of eight albums, the last in 2015, DMX is one of hip-hop’s darkest figures, exposing his inner demons in tracks that have earned him both commercial and critical acclaim. Known to have had drug problems, he had notably undergone detoxification in 2019, according to the specialized site TMZ.
Throughout his career, he was often in trouble with the law, with charges of possession of narcotics, cruelty to animals, dangerous driving, non-payment of alimony, or even posing as a federal agent.
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