Forgot password
Enter the email address you used when you joined and we'll send you instructions to reset your password.
If you used Apple or Google to create your account, this process will create a password for your existing account.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Reset password instructions sent. If you have an account with us, you will receive an email within a few minutes.
Something went wrong. Try again or contact support if the problem persists.
Rapper DMX performs onstage at the 2009 VH1 Hip Hop Honors at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on September 23, 2009 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)
Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images

DMX’s cause of death confirmed

The New York rapper tragically passed away in 2021 at the age of just 50.

Born on Dec. 18, 1970, in Mount Vernon, New York, DMX was the stage name of rapper and actor Earl Simmons. He’s seen as one of the most influential figures of all time in the rap world and is known for his aggressive rapping style. He sold millions of records and was nominated for countless awards.

Recommended Videos

DMX’s extensive discography includes eight studio albums, seven compilation albums, three mixtapes, an EP, 31 singles as the lead artist, and 18 singles as a featured artist. His accolades include an American Music Award, a Billboard Music Award, and four Grammy nominations.

Tragically, on April 9, 2021, he died in White Plains, New York at the age of just 50 years old. But what happened?

How did DMX die?

According to the Hollywood Reporter, DMX died at New York’s White Plains Hospital after being admitted a week earlier on April 2. The cause was announced as a heart attack following a crack cocaine overdose.

While in the hospital, several of his vital organs failed, including his liver, kidneys, and lungs, and he ended up in a vegetative state before passing away. According to a statement released by his family, he “fought till the very end.”

He had struggled with drug addiction for many years and claimed he became addicted to crack cocaine when he was 14. He endured several unfortunate moments as a consequence (he was jailed more than 30 times throughout his life), and on Feb. 10, 2016, he was found unresponsive in a parking lot at a Ramada Inn in Yonkers, New York. He had entered into rehabilitation facilities on multiple occasions. His addiction proved too much for his body to handle on this one final occasion.

May DMX rest in peace.


We Got This Covered is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
Author
Image of Kevin Stewart
Kevin Stewart
Kevin is a freelance writer at We Got This Covered. He's been writing and editing for various publications worldwide since 2013, mainly about movies, TV, and sports. He's had more than 2000 pieces of writing published. He loves to travel, watch movies (horror, superhero stuff, and '80s films are his favorites), and keep fit. Kevin has a degree in Business Management, once appeared on British TV quiz show The Chase, and regularly asks #KevsMovieQuestions on his X (formerly Twitter).