DMX (born Earl Simmons) has been hospitalized and is in critical condition after suffering from an overdose, TMZ reports. Sources close to the rapper told the outlet that the overdose occurred at his home at around 11pm Friday night, and it triggered a heart attack. He was rushed to a hospital in White Plains, New York, and is currently in the critical care unit. A source says Simmons has “some brain activity,” while another says he’s in a “vegetative state” and doctors have cautioned he might not pull through.
A rep for DMX told SPIN that he’s in the hospital but didn’t confirm further details.
Simmons has had a long history with substance abuse and has checked into rehab multiple times, most recently in 2019 following a year spent in jail for tax evasion. The 50-year-old Ruff Ryders rapper has spent the last two decades in and out of jail for drug-related charges, among other things. Though it hasn’t been revealed what drug caused the overdose, Simmons has opened up about his addiction to crack cocaine in the past.
UPDATE [3:40 pm PST]: According to DMX’s attorney Murray Richman, the rapper has been taken off life support and is he breathing on his own. Richman also confirmed that DMX had a heart attack and is not out of the woods just yet. A rep for DMX confirmed the same. You can watch the video interview with New York’s WPIX below.
UPDATE [6:10 pm PST]: Richman told Rolling Stone that he had received “wrong information” prior to his appearance on WPIX and that DMX remained on life support. A rep for DMX has confirmed this to SPIN.
The hip hop community has been sending well wishes to DMX and his family, as he fights for his life. See reactions from Missy Elliott, Killer Mike, Ja Rule, and more below.
Prayers for DMX and his family🙏🏾💜 pic.twitter.com/NhKIx0aAyj
— Missy Elliott (@MissyElliott) April 3, 2021
🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾Prayers up for my brother DMX… 😔
— Ja Rule (@jarule) April 3, 2021
Sending prayers to Dmx pull thru my brother 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/Ee1rfuPHXS
— Big Freedia (@bigfreedia) April 3, 2021
Hope DMX pulls through. Man has been through a lot. 🙏🏿
— FLYLO (@flyinglotus) April 3, 2021
🙏🏾ing for the OG DMX
— MADE-IT (@MikeWiLLMadeIt) April 3, 2021
